Von Miller has amassed over 100 sacks in his career in the regular season, 7½ in the playoffs. The future Hall of Fame outside lineman said this week that he could remember every sack he recorded against Tom Brady, the most successful quarterback in NFL history.
“It’s one of those things,” Miller said. “When he decides to fold, those are the sacks he’s going to remember.”
Miller, lineman Aaron Donald, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and the rest of the Rams’ pass rushers look to make more memories Sunday when they take on Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game of the NFC Divisional Round at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
The Rams’ pressure on Brady, which will also include tackles Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson and sometimes rotating linemen Obo Okoronkwo and Justin Hollins, is seen as one of the Rams’ biggest keys if they want to advance to the game. NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, who beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
The Rams had 50 sacks during the season, which ranked them third in the NFL. Last Monday, they recorded two in their 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Brady was sacked four times in a 31-15 wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday.
Now Brady, 44, will face the Rams behind an offensive line that includes center Ryan Jensen and All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs, both questionable with ankle injuries.
Asked if he’s worried about pass protection because of the offensive line’s question marks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians didn’t hesitate.
“I would be concerned if everyone was sick,” he told Rams reporters during a conference call. “So, yeah, if they’re not healthy, I’m worried the hell out of them.”
But Arians has reason to worry.
On September 26, the Rams blocked Brady three times in a 34–24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium. Donald and Floyd each had one, former Rams lineman Kenny Young the other.
Aaron Donald (99) and Leonard Floyd (54) and two keys to the Rams’ pass rush.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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And that was before the Rams traded for Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP. In eight games with his team, Miller had five sacks. He produced another against the Arizona Cardinals.
“He’s a Super Bowl MVP,” Arians said. “He knows how to do it.”
Ditto for Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who had 12½ sacks during the regular season.
The way the Rams move Donald makes it even more difficult to contain him, Arians said.
“I hope Tom isn’t looking at him because he won’t know where the hell to throw if he’s looking at Aaron Donald,” he said. “You have to trust that the guys in front are going to block it.”
Regardless, the Rams are hoping to see the best of Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion who is 35-11 in the playoffs.
“The thing about Tom that makes him so special is that he processes things, his mind works so fast,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.
In their win over the Buccaneers in September, the Rams took a 21-7 lead early in the third quarter, forcing the Tampa Bay team through. Brady completed 41 of 55 passes for 432 yards and a touchdown.
Asked if the Rams would try to replicate Brady passing 55 times, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said, “I don’t think you expect to do anything against Tom Brady other than get a win.”
The Rams’ pass rushers need to continue to play well with each other’s talent and keep Brady from getting ahead to deliver passes, Donald said.
“You do that with any quarterback,” he said. “You can affect them and make them a little nervous.”
That’s what Miller and the Denver Broncos tried to do in the 2016 AFC championship game against Brady and the New England Patriots. Miller had four of the defense’s 17 hits on Brady.
So what challenge does Brady present to the Rams’ defense?
“Everything,” said Miller, who including the playoffs has 7½1 sacks against Brady.
Miller said he hopes the Rams get to Brady quickly.
“Tom Brady just saw it,” Miller said. “He has done it all.
“He’s seen the inside blitz, he’s seen the ultimate protection where you drop everyone back. He has seen all these things. He has played Aaron Donald and made big tackles his entire career.
“We just have to find a way to make him nervous.”
Etc.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee injury) and safety Taylor Rapp (concussion) will not play against the Buccaneers, McVay said. Joe Noteboom will start in place of Whitworth. Terrell Burgess will start in place of Rapp for the second straight game. Linebacker Ernest Jones, who came off injured reserve this week, and running back Darrell Henderson, defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day and cornerback Robert Rochell, who were activated from injured reserve Friday, will not play, the Rams coach.
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