Rams lose Aaron Donald, gain chance to find defensive identity

There is no universe in which the Los Angeles Rams are a better team without Aaron Donald. There is, however, a perfectly reasonable one in which they eventually become a better defense because they were forced to play without him this Sunday. Donald will miss the Rams’ Week 4 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field because of back soreness that surfaced following last week’s loss to the Denver Broncos. The timing stinks for a 1-2 team that is now walking into Philadelphia already missing multiple players from its rebuilt defense.But the Rams did not coax Donald out of retirement in late August because they desperately needed him to play on the first Sunday in October. Donald and the Rams chose to reunite because they need him to still be playing when the calendar turns to January. And that’s why the Rams showing restraint this week is far more important than bravado. “We have to protect him from himself,” said head coach Sean McVay on Friday.“This guy will do everything and that much more.

He represents everything that’s right about…when we’ve been doing things the way that we want to.”Donald spent more than 2½ years away from NFL football.He missed the season opener in Australia because his body wasn’t ready, made his triumphant return against the New York Giants and then played in Denver.

Three weeks into his comeback, his back is already sending up a flare.Ignoring it because the Eagles are on the schedule would be football malpractice.McVay acknowledges that.“I think our job as coaches is [to] put our players in positions to have successful outcomes,” McVay said.“He’s as tough as it gets, just not feeling good enough.”McVay added that Donald would play if asked and “could probably go be productive,” but called it “irresponsible” to put him in that position.This might shock you, but the smartest decision the Rams make all week is not allowing Donald to play on Sunday. Donald spent a c...