Robert Quinn leads NFL in fumbles forced, bona fide DPOY contender

St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (not pictured) during the first quarter at Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn has always been a good player in this league, but he’s really blossomed into a legit superstar this season. Quinn is a bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate this season, thanks to relentless, pressure, a high volume of sacks, some solid work against the run, and an uncanny ability to force turnovers. Forcing fumbles is an art, and there are certain players in this league who have mastered that art (Charles Tillman comes to mind). Robert Quinn seems to be one of those players now, because he currently leads the league with five fumbles forced, despite having just one fumble forced in each of his first two seasons.

It’s been a massive year for Quinn, who has 31 tackles, already has 12 sacks, and there are times when he flat-out dominates the game. As we saw in the Rams games against the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, it is almost impossible to stop Quinn when he gets going. He absolutely feasts on struggling left tackles, and he can certainly keep up with the great ones too. Chris Long, Michael Brockers, and the rest of the Rams defensive line is plenty talented, but nobody shines brighter than Quinn.

It is very easy to make a convincing case supporting why Robert Quinn is the DPOY so far this season, and the raw numbers help back it up. His 12 sacks are second in the league (only Robert Mathis has more), and he leads the league in fumbles forced. Numbers aren’t everything, but Quinn’s tape certainly backs up the legitimacy of his gaudy stats. It has been a season to remember so far for Quinn, who is never off of his game. I have yet to see a truly bad game out of Quinn this season, as he is either solidly putting pressure on the QB or having a monstrous outing; there is rarely ever an off game when it comes to Quinn.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe. Be sure to like us on Facebook here and follow our site on Twitter as well.