Aaron Donald and entire Rams defensive line have their way with the Vikings

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald moved up and down the line, dusting just about every Vikings offensive lineman at least once in a dominant outing that kept sending Minnesota backward during Sunday's 30-23 loss to Los Angeles.

Donald didn't wait, nimbly navigating past left guard Ezra Cleveland to tackle running back Alexander Mattison during a 1-yard run on the game's opening snap. Right guard Oli Udoh, replacing the injured Mason Cole, couldn't get a hand on Donald before he tackled Mattison on a 2-yard loss during the next drive.

You'll have to excuse quarterback Kirk Cousins, who can only say for certain that Donald affected the game when asked about Donald flying past left tackle Christian Darrisaw to take down running back Kene Nwangwu for a 2-yard loss at the goal line.

"It's hard for me to say," Cousins said, "because I turn my back so much or I'm carrying out my fakes. But I'm sure he had an impact through the game."

The Vikings' latest offensive line configuration, with Udoh returning to right guard for Cole, saw similar results a week after Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks dominated the game. The run game was stymied; Mattison averaged 3.2 yards on 13 carries, a week after Dalvin Cook — out Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19 — averaged 3.2 yards per run at Chicago.

It wasn't penalties sending the Vikings backward, but defenders breaking through the line. The Vikings offense surrendered eight tackles for losses — six from Rams defensive linemen among Donald (three), nose tackle Greg Gaines (two) and edge rusher Leonard Floyd.

"This [Rams] team, you can't be behind the chains," coach Mike Zimmer said. "I felt like we were a lot today, especially in the first half."

Donald was often too quick to touch. But Rams coach Sean McVay boiled it down to manpower.

"Run defense is a reflection of being able to hit blocks," McVay said, "and then guys being able to finish plays."

The Rams' mismatches up front seemed to speed up Cousins' internal clock, including a late third-and-goal when he checked down to Mattison on an incompletion short of the end zone, where receiver Justin Jefferson was a possible option.

"I could've maybe worked Justin late," Cousins said. "He was kind of getting held up and might've popped open in the back corner of the end zone."

McVay tossed a postgame bouquet to Cousins, whom he coached in Washington from 2012 to '16, after holding the Vikings to 125 yards and three points in the first half.

"If it wasn't for Kirk Cousins, I would never be a head coach based on our experiences going back to Washington," McVay said. "I know how good those guys are. They have a great scheme, great players, and I thought our defense answered the bell in a big way."