UCLA's Quentin Lake Prepares for Biggest Game of His Career

For a city in need of someone to root for, Los Angeles native Quentin Lake is ready to put it on for his home. It is one of the rarest feats in college football for someone to play their high school, collegiate and professional careers in the same city, but for the former UCLA Bruin and current Los Angeles Rams' captain, it is business as usual.

Lake has been a crucial piece for the Rams this season, serving as both a captain and commander for first-year defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Lake and Shula experienced the growing pains associated with the NFL together as Lake is the defensive signal caller and thus, always in communication with Shula. When the Rams suffered defeats early, they worked through it together. When the Rams needed big-time stops, they figured it out together, and when it was time to leave no doubt on whether the Rams deserved to go to the playoffs, Los Angeles' defense stepped up, holding three out of their last four opponents to under 10 points.

Lake was critical to the entire process, playing every snap through 16 games and only resting once the Rams' playoff position was secured. He organized a defense full of rookies playing high snap counts, including Kam Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Josh Wallace, Omar Speights, and Tyler Davis. They all had breakout seasons as Verse was named to the Pro Bowl and Fiske leads rookies in sacks.

Now that the Rams are in the playoffs, a new season begins, and on Monday night, the Rams will be playing for something more than themselves. In an emotionally charged playoff game, the Rams are set to honor those lost to the wildfires plaguing the Los Angeles area, hoping to be an inspirational force for rescue efforts moving forward.

For Lake, it's a bit more personal. This is his city that's hurting. His collegiate home, the Rose Bowl, is being used as a command center while firefighters continue to battle in Pasadena. Several staff members of the Rams have had their homes affected by the tragedy. It's deeper than just football.

While a Super Bowl remains the ultimate goal, a win for the city in the city is exactly what Los Angeles needs. Everyone has to play their role, and while football doesn't rebuild homes, it can help rebuild communities. That is why Lake will ensure his defense is ready to roll on Monday night.

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