The New Orleans Saints will head to Inglewood to face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. To break it down, Evan Craig of Turf Show Times joins us to preview Sunday afternoon’s
matchup.
NJ: Now that Brandon Staley is the Saints’ defensive coordinator, what’s one positive and one negative you experienced with him during his time leading the Rams’ defense?
EC: Brandon Staley was at his best during his time with the Rams by putting his players in the best position to succeed. That is why his 2020 unit finished as the league’s top-ranked defense. Staley knew how to push all the right buttons, and the unit thrived because of it, which was much-needed given Jared Goff’s uneven performance in his final season in Hollywood.
The main issue with Staley is that he often struggled to adapt during his Rams tenure. That much was evident against the Packers in the 2020 Divisional Round. Staley’s unit had absolutely no answers to what Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur were throwing at them, and by the time the Rams attempted to make it a game, it was too late, as the damage was already done. Plus, his struggles in adapting his scheme to simpler terms was part of why things didn’t work out for him with the Chargers and 49ers.
NJ: Do you expect star WR Puka Nacua—who’s expected to return this week from his ankle injury—to handle his usual workload in his first game back? And if not, who’s stepped up alongside Davante Adams in the passing game?
EC: The Rams received good news as Puka Nacua is expected to return this week from the ankle injury that sidelined him for one and a half games. Now, will he handle his usual workload? That is hard to say, considering I expect the coaching staff to break him in gradually as he works his way back. This will be one of those games where he isn’t as productive as he’s typically been this season, but that’s okay since it’s about preserving his health for the long run, not for short-term gain.
Outside of Davante Adams, no other player has really stepped up in that WR3 spot. That’s been an issue all year, because the Rams’ offense has revolved around Matthew Stafford throwing to Puka and Adams. It’s worked wonders so far, but what happens when one of them misses time? We’ve already seen that with Adams forced to step in for Nacua, yet it’s not fair to put everything on one player. Either someone needs to step up, or the front office has to address this problem ahead of the trade deadline.
NJ: Through seven games, what would you say is the Rams’ biggest weakness—and what should New Orleans look to exploit?
EC: To me, the Rams’ biggest weakness is their inability to play a complete game. Against the Jaguars, the team finally managed to play their best game of the season, without Puka, mind you. Because of their slow starts, that has gotten them into trouble and caused them to be in slugfests with teams they should otherwise dominate. That was part of why they lost to the 49ers earlier this season, who were down several starters at the time. This is an extremely talented team that often gets in its own way more than it should.
A main weakness for the Saints to exploit is the secondary. L.A. has an excellent pair of safeties, yet their cornerback situation leaves a lot to be desired. The front office didn’t address the cornerback spot in the offseason, and while they’ve managed to mostly hold up, they’ve struggled once they face top-tier wideouts. A.J. Brown had his best game of the season against the Rams despite his lack of production to begin the year. With so many talented pass catchers in the NFC, this is a position the Rams must address if they’re planning any blockbuster moves at the deadline.
NJ: Who’s one under-the-radar Rams player that’s stood out this season and could be a difference-maker against the Saints?
EC: Linebacker Nate Landman has been the man in his first season with the Rams. L.A. signed him in free agency away from the Falcons, and he’s been everything the defense has needed in the middle of the field. Linebacker is one of those positions that the team doesn’t value, and the lack of a quality one has hurt them prior to this season. Landman leads the team in combined tackles and powered the Rams to wins over the Texans in the opener and the Ravens, a game where he amassed 17 tackles. The Rams had better lock him up long-term because he’s been a complete stud for one of the league’s best defenses.
NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Rams (-950) are currently 13.5-point favorites over the Saints (+640) in Sunday’s matchup; what is your final score prediction?
EC: With the Rams coming off a bye, this should have all the makings of a blowout, especially given how they played in their last game before the break. However, I have a strange feeling that this will be a closer than expected game. For some reason, L.A. has gotten into several ugly, low-scoring affairs over the last two seasons that have boggled the mind. The Ravens game a few weeks ago was a perfect example of that, as the Rams scored only 17 points on Baltimore’s horrid defense. Usually, L.A. has been on the winning end of those ugly bouts, so I have a feeling the Saints will hang around longer than they should, with the Rams pulling away late.
Rams 26 – Saints 16
Thank you again to Evan Craig for joining us to preview this week’s matchup! You can check out the rest of his work here.
