Rams-Giants takeaways: Davante Adams erupts as Aaron Donald changes everything
Maybe all the Los Angeles Rams needed was a good night’s sleep. Eleven days after stumbling off a plane and getting embarrassed by the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, the Rams looked much more like themselves on Monday Night Football. Matthew Stafford threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, Davante Adams erupted without Puka Nacua and Aaron Donald made his long-awaited return as the Rams rolled past the New York Giants, 28-6, in front of 73,773 at SoFi Stadium.This was the response Sean McVay needed after a 27-7 season-opening loss raised uncomfortable questions about an offense that looked stale and a defense that failed to record a sack on 34 pass attempts.Not everything was firing on all cylinders on Monday, but at least the Rams looked awake, alert, and more energetic. Here are three takeaways from their first victory of the season.Four touchdowns from Stafford.More than 400 yards of offense.
More than 150 rushing yards between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.That’s more like the Rams offense we expected to see this season.But when they look back at the film on Tuesday, everything won’t be as flattering as it seems. The Rams offense did all of that without All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua, who missed the game with a hip injury, but there were still too many self-inflicted wounds for a team with legitimate Super Bowl expectations. Williams coughed up the football inside his own 10-yard line, essentially gift-wrapping points for the Giants.Terrance Ferguson and other Rams receivers dropped passes that hit them in the hands.
The running game took too long to get moving and the offense occasionally lacked the crispness that has become McVay’s calling card.Against an injured Giants team, those mistakes were inconveniences.Against Denver, Philadelphia, or another NFC heavyweight in January, they can end a season.Still, Stafford’s four-touchdown performance was a massive step forward after his miserable night in Melbourne.The 38-year-old ...