Why Tom Brady feels the LA Rams are one of the top defenses in the NFL

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday in an early-season matchup of two of the top teams in the league. Many see this all-important showdown as a preview of the NFC Championship game.

Both teams will come in with high-flying weapons on offense. The Rams feature former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, whose connection with receiver Cooper Kupp is already paying dividends - Kupp has three touchdowns for 271 yards so far.

The Buccaneers, of course, have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski to name just a few of the options at Tom Brady's disposal. Antonio Brown tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week and must have two negative COVID-19 test results 24 hours apart before he can be cleared for action on Sunday.

With all eyes on the offensive side of the ball, Tom Brady knows that the game will be dictated by the pace of a great Los Angeles Rams defense.

Tom Brady respects the Rams' defense

Having played 20 seasons with one of the best defensive minds ever in New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Tom Brady knows when he's up against a great defense. That's what he sees when he looks at the lineup against Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and company.

Speaking on the Buccaneers' team website, Brady went into depth about what makes the Rams defense so special.

"It's just a very challenging team because they do a good job disguising coverage, but they've got a great pass rush. You can't really pick up on anything pre-snap because they're holding disguises, and, at the same time, they have a pass rush that gets home really quick."

If the Buccaneers are to win this game, then it would be of utmost importance for head coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to take heed of Tom Brady's assessment. The Rams defense is known for making heads-up plays.

The Aaron Donald impact

The fastest way to get from one point to another is a straight line. This straight line would be the A gap, which is Aaron Donald's territory. Although his current sack numbers are low with only one sack so far, that doesn't tell the story of how Donald collapsed the pocket for his teammates to make plays in the offensive backfield.

Currently, Aaron Donald ranks number two for defensive tackle pass rush win rate with a win rate percentage of 36% (only behind Javon Hargrave of the Eagles with a win rate percentage of 43%).

With such an important game between the undefeated Buccaneers and the undefeated Rams this Sunday, it's safe to say that Tom Brady understands the game may very well be won in the trenches between their offensive line and the Rams' defensive line.