We could talk numbers. Sixteen sacks? A zillion pressures? A forced fumble that felt like a personal insult to the running back?
But stats don’t tell the whole story. You have to feel the fear in the stadium when he lines up over a guard.
That quiet before the snap? That’s not focus. That’s everyone holding their breath, waiting for the explosion. It’s a little dramatic, sure, but I’m not wrong.
One play, he threw a lineman into the quarterback’s lap. It looked like a cartoon. I half-expected a dust cloud and an “Oof!” sound effect.
That’s why he wins this award. He makes the impossible look like a casual Tuesday errand.
The Competition Wasn’t Slouching
Let’s be fair. Micah Parsons was out there being a freak. Nick Bosa was a sack machine. Myles Garrett? A literal Greek god of pass-rushing.
Rams’ Aaron Donald wins third Defensive Player of the Year Award
But Donald? He plays a position that’s supposed to be unglamorous. Interior defensive linemen aren’t supposed to be headliners.
Tell that to the 12 offensive coordinators who had nightmares about him last season. They’d trade their playbook for a flak jacket.
He’s the guy who makes everyone around him better. You double-team him? Great, now his teammate is free. It’s a no-win situation.
It’s like playing chess against a computer that also punches you in the stomach if you make a bad move.
