Davante Adams turns back the clock, Rams still look sloppy in fortuitous win over Giants

Davante Adams reminded everyone Monday night that he can still look like one of the best wide receivers in football.The Rams will need more time to convince everyone they are bound for the Super Bowl.Those are separate conversations, and a productive night against the Giants should not blur the distinction.Adams was exceptional when the Rams desperately needed him to be.Explosive.

Dependable.Capable of taking a game that felt uncomfortable and giving Matthew Stafford a way to make it manageable.He finished with eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns, a forceful reminder that, at 33 and in his 13th season of a career bound for Canton, Adams can still be the best player on the field.The rest of the operation?That needs work.Kyren Williams’ fumble at the Rams’ 11-yard line handed the Giants three points.

A better opponent might have collected seven.Terrance Ferguson dropped a perfectly thrown ball from Stafford, negating what would have been a first-down pick up in Giants territory.Not that Stafford was above blame.

He forced a throw into double coverage and paid for it with an interception.Meanwhile, special teams supplied more reasons for concern than confidence.None of those problems is beyond repair.

And as the night wore on and the Giants began to wilt, the Rams presented a more encouraging picture.But reaching their lofty goals will require them to clean up the sloppiness.Better opponents loom, and they’ll charge full price for the mistakes the Giants let slide.Adams gave them enough to get away with it Monday.They cannot count on their next opponent being so forgiving.For all the hoopla surrounding the Giants’ season-opening win over the Cowboys, this was still a team coming off four wins, finding its footing in its first season under John Harbaugh.Then quarterback Jaxson Dart went down on the opening drive.

Jameis Winston picked it up from there, although “picked it up” might be giving him too much credit.That matters when assessing wha...