After about a month of Rams fans calling for Raheem Morris to be fired, Taylor Rapp to be traded or cut, and the team to trade for another DB, the defense had themselves a day. They picked Daniel Jones off three times and Obo Okoronkwo forced a fumble in the Rams 38-11 win over the New York Football Giants.
The Giants were already a mess this season but not having Kenny Golladay, Saquon Barkley, and a recently concussed Daniel Jones made it impossible for them to hang with the Rams. That’s not to say the Rams came out firing on all cylinders.
The Rams started the game playing as though they were visited by the Duff Party Mobile the night before. Matthew Stafford (22/28 for 251 yards and four TDs) struggled to connect with his receivers early on again and Sean McVay didn’t feel like running the ball early. That all changed in the second quarter where the Rams dropped 28 points on the hapless Giants.
The first touchdown was a 15-yarder to Robert Woods (two catches, 31 yards, and a touchdown) and then he’d find Cooper Kupp (nine catches, 130 yards, and two TDs). Later, Stafford would also find Darrell Henderson (21 carries 78 yards with one rushing TD and one Receiving TD) for a score. The offense got out of their own way early and it was thanks to a great performance by their much-maligned defense.
Coming into this game there was much debate about the root causes of the defense coming back to Earth. How much was Raheem Morris being incapable of running the system Brandon Staley built? How much was due to losing Morgan Fox, John Johnson, Aubrey Pleasant, and other defensive personnel? And how much was due to the Rams keeping McVay over Staley? Fans were ready to hold a boombox outside of Staley’s window after two games in a row where the defense looked hapless but today they finally lived up to their billing.
Taylor Rapp had been cut and traded several times online because of his issues in coverage. Many wanted Terrell Burgess to start at safety and Rapp to be used as a nickel linebacker. Today, redemption was spelled R-A-P-P as he had two picks and was burnt for exactly zero touchdowns. Yes, it was against a limited Giants staff, but he took care of business today and the internet allowed him to be on the team plane after the game.
Rapp wasn’t the only defender to have a big game. Obo Okoronkwo had a sack-fumble, rookie Robert Rochell had a pick of his own, and Jordan Fuller had eleven total tackles. For Rochell, this was a nice rebound after his first start saw him getting roasted by Seattle’s receivers. He looked much more comfortable today and it looks like he’ll be able to hold the fort down for Darious Williams who is out for the next three weeks.
Again, the Giants weren’t exactly a good team before their injuries but today they were much worse. That said, the Rams proved they could take care of business on the road and keep pace with the Arizona Cardinals. Raheem Morris got to have a week where he wasn’t being fired or compared to Brandon Staley, and there wasn’t much anxiety or agita by the time the first half ended.
Next week, the Rams host a Lions team that was served a restraining order by success. Jared Goff is seeking his first win both as a Lion and without McVay, and Warren Sharp is looking for Matthew Stafford to finally prove he was an upgrade over Goff.
Given the Goff of it all, there isn’t likely to be a trap game possibility but a slow start would not be ideal. The defense gets another chance to show they’re better than they’ve been all season, and the offense gets a chance to get into a deeper rhythm against a less than stellar defense.
Today was the first time in weeks the Rams have looked like a Super Bowl contender and if they can overcome their recent rash of slow starts, Sundays will be a lot less stressful and fans can enjoy more performances like the one they put on today.
Terrell Lewis And Taylor Rapp During The Los Angeles Rams Matchup With The New York Giants. Photo Credit: Brevin Townsell | LA Rams