Aaron Donald unsure how to sack QBs cleanly: 'I just don't get it'
Cameron DaSilva
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
As it does each year, the NFL is cracking down on excessively physical play on defense this season. In addition to the new helmet-lowering rule, which hasn’t been an issue through two weeks, officials are also watching quarterbacks much closer.
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Pass rushers have been flagged frequently for the way they tackle quarterbacks, from too low to too high. And even when a defender appears to cleanly wrap up the passer, he gets flagged like Clay Matthews did at a pivotal moment in the Packers’ tie with Minnesota.
Aaron Donald has had a firsthand experience with those yellow flags flying around, getting a sack called back due to roughing the passer. Donald beat his man easily up the middle before falling forward into the legs of Derek Carr – 15-yard penalty and automatic first down.
On Wednesday, he appeared on the Dan Patrick Show to discuss the way officials are calling games when it comes to sacking the quarterback and he’s not sure how to play a physical style of defense anymore.
“It’s tough. It’s hard to really play defense now because, I understand they’re trying to protect players, but you tackle the quarterback and they say you fall on top of them, you put your weight on them,” Donald said. “They throw flags for all types of stuff so it’s kind of hard to play the game of football now, you know, physical. It’s definitely tough on a pass rusher when they say you’re taking the quarterback down and you fall on top of them and it’s roughing the passer. There ain’t really much you can say, it’s just tough. I just don’t get it.”
Bringing down the quarterback has become increasingly difficult in recent years because of the rule precluding defenders from putting their weight on them when taking them to the ground. Not to mention, pass rushers can’t go at their knees – and rightfully so – nor can they tackle quarterbacks high because of helmet-to-helmet contact.
Von Miller told Dan Patrick he’s simply going for strip-sacks to avoid any sort of penalty controversy, but that’s tougher for someone like Donald to do.
“That works, too, but me being an interior guy, I don’t get those blindside sacks too many times, so they get to see me coming,” he said. “The way I’ve got to sack them, most of the time I’m taking them down and sometimes I fall on top of them.”
Donald is still searching for his first sack of 2018, which he hopes comes Sunday against Philip Rivers and the Chargers. He knows how good Rivers is, especially when given time in the pocket.
“A veteran quarterback who can do it all. I’ve been watching him and I know he trash-talks a lot,” Donald said with a laugh. “He’s a great quarterback, and you let a great quarterback get time and comfortable, it’s going to be a long day for us.”
