Chicago Bears

Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald Set to Square Off in Matchup of League's Best Defenders

Donald leads the league in sacks at 16.5, while Mack is the league's highest paid defender

While plenty of attention will be paid this week to the matchup between Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, there is another pair of talented players that deserve the national spotlight.

When the two teams take the field on Sunday Night Football, the Bears will roll out a defense that includes one of the most complete players in the game, as linebacker Khalil Mack will look to help slow down an impressive Rams offense.

Mack, who has missed two games this season, still has nine sacks, five forced fumbles, and four defended passes, and he also has a defensive touchdown on the year, making him one of the league’s most dangerous defenders.

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It isn’t often that Mack is potentially overshadowed by another defensive standout, but he may have met his equal in Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. After being held without a sack in the team’s first three games of the season, Donald has been an absolute monster in the team’s last nine games, racking up a league-high 16.5 sacks and a total of 20 tackles for loss, and he has also forced four fumbles in 12 games this season.

Both the Rams and Bears are skilled in keeping their quarterbacks upright, as they both rank in the top 10 in the league in sacks allowed this season, but both offensive lines will be tasked with big challenges as a result of the dominating performances of Mack and Donald. Both players have the ability to quicken a quarterback’s decision making, and if both are on their game, then there could be some serious fireworks on the lakefront.

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