Chapter 885 No Reservations
Aaron Donald, defensive tackle.
Despite being crowned Defensive Player of the Year for two consecutive years, he is undoubtedly the number one defender in the league and once suppressed Watt's brilliance.
However, Donald always stayed awake.
Watt won Defensive Player of the Year honors three times in four seasons, and his absolute dominance on the court made him a well-deserved idol in the league.
However, this is still not enough to put Watt into the discussion for regular season MVP. Why?
The reason is that defensive ends/defensive tackles can make quarterbacks and running backs fearful. They can contribute twenty sacks in a single season. They can evolve the power and collision of football into art, but they still cannot Change the outcome with your own strength.
In the years when Watt was crowned Defensive Player of the Year three times in four years, the Houston Texans never advanced to the AFC Finals.
The lack of team honors has always been Watt's regret, full of bitterness.
Same thing with Donald.
This season, Donald played a phenomenal performance and reversed the decline of defensive tackles for two decades. However, the media is still praising Goff and Gurley.
Even if there is no regular season MVP, Donald's brilliance is still overshadowed by the offensive team.
Of course, the same is true for football. Offensive players are always more likely to receive attention and attention than defensive players, and Donald knows this clearly.
However, this does not mean that Donald will be depressed.
Perhaps, defensive players are often unable to exert their strength in the key to changing victory or defeat; but Donald still has his own battle, and he will fight to the end, relying on his hands and legs to fight until the end, and give it a try.
Start, step up, bull rush.
Donald remained focused and saw through the partnership between Mahomes and Levi from the very beginning——
Fake fax runs.
The tiger descended the mountain, hit the target in one step, and stopped Levi directly without mercy.
And it was an interception behind the line, forcing Levi to lose three yards.
Levi lay on the ground in a state of embarrassment.
Donald stood up, looked at Levi, and showed a big smile, "How are you doing? Does it hurt? Do you need help?"
Levi didn't answer. He stretched out his right hand, grabbed Donald's right hand, and pulled hard, preparing to drag Donald down. However, Donald was alert and prepared, and a brute force forced Levi up.
Levi stood up stiffly like a puppet.
Donald patted Levi on the shoulder, "You're welcome."
Levi:? ? ? "That beast!"
Mahomes quickly approached, "Rookie, are you okay?"
Levi laughed again. He was indeed a man standing at the top of the alliance pyramid. Just when he thought that Donald might be demoralized and depressed, Donald responded positively. The challenge was not over yet.
"It's okay." Levi looked at Mahomes, "They are still very motivated, at least the beast is. It seems that we need to stay strong."
Mahomes mused——
He is still not skilled enough and experienced enough in interpreting the momentum and state of the game, so he needs such opportunities to continue to learn.
Originally, an interception dealt a fatal blow to the opponent. All of McVay's halftime arrangements and strategies were disrupted. Now is the time when the Los Angeles Rams are most upset.
However, the confrontation between the two teams did not lose balance. On the contrary, it angered the Los Angeles Rams defense and instantly burst out with energy that could break the boat. Sparks suddenly jumped up in the confrontation. Thirteen yards on the second gear, the Kansas Chiefs offense had a little trouble.
Mahomes collected his thoughts, stood firm, focused again, and looked at the position of the Los Angeles Rams defense intently and carefully.
Levi is doing the same thing.
At the last moment of the first half, the Kansas Chiefs completed a breakthrough and finally scored a touchdown to break the deadlock; but objectively speaking, the Los Angeles Rams defensive team completed a great job——
They only scored ten points in the first half, which was their second-worst performance since the Kansas City Chiefs suffered a clean sheet against the New England Patriots in the first half of the AFC Finals.
Moreover, there was no weather influence this time, and the Los Angeles Rams defense really performed well.
Because of this, during the halftime break, McVay did not make any major adjustments to the defensive team, continuing the tactics of the first half and continuing to apply pressure.
A small difference is that the Los Angeles Rams did not put all their efforts into rushing and pressing the front line, because they knew that once they were seen through, whether Mahomes escaped from the pocket and completed the pass, or Levi escaped. If you continue to advance out of your pocket, the consequences will be fatal.
Therefore, the Los Angeles Rams maintain the three-man pass rush mode on the defensive front, relying entirely on the personal abilities of Ndamkong, Donald and Meyers to continuously apply pressure; at the same time, the linebackers allocate more energy to the ground and short-term In terms of pass defense, McVay's strategy also surfaced.
The Los Angeles Rams' strategy is not to completely cut off Levi's running ball or Mahomes' short pass, but to prevent the Kansas Chiefs offense from turning short yards into long yards, and to defend Mahomes' long yards. Pass explosive power.
There are choices, priorities, and systems. The small-scale adjustments made by the Los Angeles Rams at halftime are very targeted. McVay once again demonstrated his ability as a coach at the layout and tactical level.
Of course, this is Levi's judgment and deduction, based on the game video and the Los Angeles Rams' formation changes. The specific situation still needs to be compared to judge the situation.
But at least, judging from the first offensive and defensive performance just now, the Los Angeles Rams do have capital. This defensive front is undoubtedly the top in the league.
And, second gear is no exception.
The game and layout at the beginning of the second half encountered a wake-up call. Donald knew that they had no way out and attacked with all their strength without reservation or hesitation. There was no point in saving physical strength and energy at this time.
"attack!"
Mahomes had just announced the kickoff, and Donald had already rushed out again:
Strength, speed, drive, momentum.
Everything was perfect. Even though the Kansas Chiefs' offensive line was prepared in advance, Donald's talent and ability still pushed the power of every move to the extreme.
During the season, many people questioned what would happen if Donald, a "one-trick" player who relies entirely on talent and body, begins to decline in physical function in the future? After being crowned Defensive Player of the Year last season, it may be ten times more difficult to win the title again this season, or even more.
However, Donald responded with actual performance——
Five years from now? That's too far away, and Donald himself can't give an answer. What should he do after his physical function declines and he is unable to realize his talent advantage?
But at least for now, Donald can still sweep the league with one move, and the entire league has not yet found a way to deal with it.
It is precisely because Donald has maximized his talent advantages that other players will be unable to compete if their talents cannot keep up.
Even if the two teamed up, Donald still accurately found the gap through a change of direction and a feint shot, and completed the breakthrough with a bull rush.
Tear!
The Kansas City Chiefs' pockets are once again in jeopardy.
Donald has appeared upright in front of Mahomes.
However, the situation in front of me seems to be slightly different this time.
(End of chapter)