The Los Angeles Rams were expected to be dominant defensively this season thanks to guys like Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers and Trumaine Johnson. They have playmakers at every level, particularly up front.

Currently on the roster, there are three players with at least 31 career sacks, and two with more than 53. Quinn leads the way with 56.5 in his career, followed by Connor Barwin with 53.5 and Donald at 31. However, the guy leading the team in that department this season entered the year with as many as you: zero.

After two seasons of being a role player with 17 career tackles, Matt Longacre has emerged as a legitimate pass rusher for the Rams. He leads the team with four sacks through the first seven games, and it’s no fluke that he ranks No. 1 on the team.

Although he’s a backup, Longacre has showcased a diverse skill set at outside linebacker – his first year playing the position in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense.

“For me, [my role] is when Rob gets tired, I’m going to go in there and play with a high motor, not let the production and how he plays drop off,” Longacre said this week. “When he needs a break, I want the coaches to be comfortable with putting me in and know that there is not going to be a drop. So that’s how I see myself and that’s how I kind of go into each game is with that attitude.”

Longacre has surprised a lot of people this season, recording four sacks in just 175 snaps. By comparison, Quinn has just 2.5 sacks in 282 defensive snaps. He has good length at outside linebacker, which allows him to set the edge and keep the quarterback in the pocket.

You can see him do that on this play against the Seahawks, keeping his eyes inside and noticing when Russell Wilson tries to escape.

Two of Longacre’s other sacks have come on similar plays. The Rams utilize stunts when he’s on the field, starting him outside, only to have him and the defensive end cut across each other. It’s worked perfectly on two different plays this season, leading to sacks from Longacre.

“There’s a stunt that we’ve run that I’ve gotten two [sacks] off of and I really like that stunt,” Longacre said. “It allows me to make a quick inside move and I like those.”

One of those stunt sacks came against the Colts, while the other happened last week against Arizona.

This play against the 49ers didn’t appear to be a designed stunt, but Longacre noticed the tackle’s positioning outside, so he decided to cut it back towards the middle and Brian Hoyer almost fell in his lap.

It was set up by the pressure off the left side from Brockers and Barwin, but Longacre did a good job to clean it up.

Longacre has yet to record a sack in back-to-back games, alternating contests with one in each game: Weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7. The Rams are off in Week 8, which means the third-year player is set up for another sack in Week 9, logically. Perhaps he’ll find a way to get to Eli Manning twice for his first multi-sack game, especially given the Giants’ weak offensive line.