The Los Angeles Rams defense was already elite a season ago, and it certainly got better in the wake of offseason additions like cornerback Trent McDuffie and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Myles Garrett.
And that's without future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald unretiring but not suiting up for Week 1's Australian showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
That said, quarterback Brock Purdy still faces a massive challenge when he and the offense square off against L.A. at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
Fortunately, there might be a small crack within Los Angeles' defense Purdy can look to exploit, and it could ultimately prove to be the difference between pulling off a Week 1 victory or heading out from down under in defeat.
Brock Purdy must attack Rams LB Nate Landman all game long
The Rams boast an elite defensive front, while their secondary only improved after being a stellar group a season ago.
If there's a weakness, it's at linebacker with fifth-year pro Nate Landman.
True, after three uninspiring seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Landman's first year in SoCal proved to be a revelation. The 27 year old notched a team-high 132 tackles while also logging eight tackles for a loss and six passes broken up.
But, is that a sign of things to come, or was it a one-year wonder?
ESPN's Benjamin Solak is concerned it might be the latter:
In an effort to hide from the Rams' pass rush and avoid their new cornerbacks room, I expect offenses to get the ball out quickly to backs and tight ends -- a passing attack that will challenge Landman in coverage and force him to tackle in space. Another avenue to attack this loaded Rams' defense: get in heavy personnel and run the air out of the ball. Again, Landman will be the first line of defense for finding run stops and TFLs to give his pass rush opportunities to shine.
I'm a Landman believer. But if 2025 was a magical season whose heights cannot be recaptured, opposing offenses will quickly put him under the microscope as the one Achilles' heel on the Rams' defense.
What Solak overlooked is how Landman allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 110.8 passer rating when targeting him, giving up five touchdowns over the course of 2025.
It's not too hard to connect the dots from here.
George Kittle might be Brock Purdy's favorite weapon vs. Nate Landman's Rams
Aside from the fact he can be a game-changing force, the Niners were more than eager to get All-Pro tight end George Kittle back into the fray after he suffered a torn Achilles last January.
Kittle being active for the contest is a massive boost for Purdy automatically, but that might make more of a difference against Los Angeles than it otherwise would in other contexts.
Simply put, Purdy may have to rely heavily on Kittle working over the middle of the field, especially considering San Francisco's own questions along the offensive line present potential problems against an elite Rams pass rush. Long-developing down-the-field plays may not be quite as useful, given this likelihood.
That means the Purdy-to-Kittle connection against a potential weak spot like Landman could be the 49ers' best offensive hope.
Of course, as Solak mentioned, Landman's 2025 campaign might be an indicator of what's to come, and the only way Purdy and Co. find out is to test him early and often.
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