Aaron Donald is the NFC defensive player of the week

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The Rams needed a win over the Bears last Sunday to keep their record above .500 heading into the final weeks of the season and defensive tackle Aaron Donald helped them get it.

Donald spent a lot of the evening making plays on the Bears’ side of the line of scrimmage. He had two sacks, two tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in the Rams’ 17-7 win. Donald was also credited with four tackles and a pass defense over the course of a dominant performance.

The NFL named Donald the NFC’s defensive player of the week as a result of that performance. It’s the first time he’s received that honor this season and the sixth time he’s gotten it in his career.

Donald has also won the last two defensive player of the year awards. A third straight may not be in the cards, but seven sacks over the last five weeks show that Donald may be finishing the year with a flourish.