The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Giants 28-6 on Monday Night Football. Jaxson Dart exited in the first quarter with a leg injury. Jameis Wintston looked incompetent in replacement.
The Rams move to 1-1 on the season with a Sunday Night Football matchup on the horizon against the Denver Broncos. Following a Week 1 disappointment, is LA fixed or did they simply take care of business against an inferior New York team without their quarterback?
Let’s dive into the individual performances from
this contest:
Winners
Davante Adams, WR
Two touchdowns and 195 yards on eight receptions. Adams caught eight of 10 targets for one of his most efficient outings as a Ram. It was a dominant an impressive outing with Puka Nacua ruled out because of injury. The Rams needed Adams to have a big night. The veteran came through in a big way.
Blake Corum, RB
Corum should be the Rams’ starting running back. He rushed 12 times for 79 yards and added a reception for 14 yards. The running back rotation is something worth keeping an eye on moving forward. Kyren Williams fumbled. He could lose ground to the more explosive Corum over time.
Trent McDuffie, CB
Through two weeks, Trent McDuffie has been LA’s best defensive player. He interception Winston on a target for Malik Nabers in the end zone and was overall stingy in coverage. McDuffie has been as advertised. The Rams should be proud of their investment in the corner.
Aaron Donald, DE
The box score reflects just three tackles and a TFL for Aaron Donald. While many thought his unretirement meant he would add value as a situational pass rusher, he made his presence felt on Monday night in the run game. While we didn’t see Donald take over this game, he flashed his usual disruptive ability to a degree that we should feel optimistic about his performance moving forward.
Nate Landman & Omar Speights, MLB
Cam Skatteboo was held to just 36 yards on 12 carries (3.0 average) with a long gain of eight yards. No other running back did significant damage Coming off of a week where the San Francisco 49ers abused LA’s linebackers, Omar Speights and Nate Landman were value adds in Week 2. They were a bright spot on defense.
Terrance Ferguson, TE
Is Terrance Ferguson a big part of the Rams offense or was his productivity a result of missing Puka Nacua? The second-year TE caught six of nine targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. The Rams were in 13 personnel on more than half of their plays, of which Ferguson is the key as a receiving threat in heavier personnel.
Is this a sign of positive things to come?
Losers
Harrison Mevis, K
Missed a field goal before the half that could have proved costly if the Giants were a threat to score with Winston at the helm. To his credit, Mevis made all four of his extra point attempts.
