The New York Giants (0-1) and Los Angeles Rams (0-1) will square off on Monday night in a Week 2 matchup at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Giants opened the week as 7-point road underdogs, but the spread has worsened a bit with New York now at +7.5.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Rams Wire managing editor Cam DaSilva.
The Rams obviously didn't get the start they wanted in Australia. How much of that 27-7 loss do you view as a legitimate warning sign?
DaSilva: I don’t view it as being a huge deal or reason for concern. I chalk it up more to it being a rivalry game 16 hours across the globe against a team that has had the Rams’ number for years anyway. Kyle Shanahan knows the Rams like the back of his hand, and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris does, too. The offense must be better, particularly the passing game with Matthew
Stafford, but I expect to see a much improved version of the Rams on Monday night now that they’re over a week removed from the Australia trip and back home in L.A.
How much does Myles Garrett's absence change the Rams' defensive identity, and what should be expected from Aaron Donald if he's active on Monday night?
Garrett’s absence obviously hurts, but the version of him we saw last week was not the guy the Rams traded for. He was basically playing on one leg and was mostly a non-factor. But losing the peak version of Garrett is a big blow to the defense, which will now rely on Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart at outside linebacker – two capable young players, but they’re not Garrett. As for Donald, Sean McVay said he looks like the guy who was dominating before he retired, so I think we can expect him to be effective as a pass rusher in specific situations. I just don’t know how much he’ll wind up playing if this is his debut.
If you had to identify one matchup that could determine this game that isn't getting enough attention, what would it be?
I’ll say it’s Abdul Carter against Rams right tackle Warren McClendon Jr. Carter has exceptional speed and quickness, which could give McClendon some trouble, but regardless of who’s rushing off the edge, the Rams must keep Stafford clean. He wasn’t sacked against the 49ers, but he was under pressure pretty consistently, which threw off the timing of the offense.
After seeing both teams play once, what is the biggest misconception you think Giants fans have about the Rams right now—and what's the biggest misconception Rams fans might have about the Giants?
I think the biggest misconception about the Rams is that they’re just old and washed after seeing them look so sluggish in Week 1. They do have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL, but their loss to the 49ers was not representative of their talent on either side of the ball. I’d expect the offense to get back on track, and the defense to be more aggressive with press and man coverage. With regard to the Giants, their secondary looked really good against the Cowboys, but how well will their corners hold up against Puka Nacua and Davante Adams? Especially if the pass rush doesn’t get home.
How do you see Monday Night Football playing out? Who wins, and what's the final score?
I think it’ll be much closer than everyone thought when they saw this matchup on the schedule initially. I don’t think the Rams are as bad as they were in Week 1, and I’m not sure the Giants are as dominant as they were against Dallas. They’ll both revert closer to the mean and play a close game. I’ll say the Rams win a close one, 24-20.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams: Behind Enemy Lines
