Rams can't let explosive plays burn them vs. Giants

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
Rams can't let explosive plays burn them vs. Giants

Cameron DaSilva
October 13, 2021 10:23 am PT
The New York Giants don’t pose the same threats that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals did for the Los Angeles Rams this season. They don’t have the quarterback that the Bucs and Cards have, nor do they have the pass-catchers to threaten the secondary as much.

That doesn’t mean the Rams can take this offense lightly, however. The Giants have found ways to create big plays in the passing game, and limiting those explosive gains has been a weakness for the Rams.


According to Stathead, the Rams have allowed 11 passes of at least 25 yards this season, which is tied for the 10th-most in the NFL. That’s an average of 2.2 per game, whereas last season they gave up just 23 such passes in 16 games – 1.4 per game. At their current pace, the Rams would allow 37 explosive passes this season, which is nearly double last season’s total.

The Colts burned the Rams for two plays of 30-plus yards, the Cardinals had three plays of 25-plus yards and the Seahawks had three of their own against Los Angeles, too.

As bad as the Giants offense has been in recent years, explosive plays have come somewhat easy for them this season. They rank sixth in the NFL with 12 passes of at least 25 yards, one more than even the Rams.

When Los Angeles takes on the Giants this Sunday, Raheem Morris’ defense must limit the number of big plays created by New York. The best way for a huge underdog to pull off an upset is by creating explosive plays to take pressure off the offense to sustain drives and pick up first down after first down.

In order for the Rams to keep New York’s offense in check, they have to take away Kadarius Toney. He’s become the most dangerous weapon for the Giants in the last two weeks, catching 16 passes for 267 yards in that span. Of his 20 receptions this season, eight of them have gone for at least 15 yards and he has four catches of at least 25 yards.

It’s why he’s averaging an impressive 14.1 yards per reception and 8.3 YAC per reception. With Kenny Golladay expected to be out, Toney should see plenty of passes thrown his way. He shouldn’t get the Jalen Ramsey shadowing treatment, but no player on New York’s offense is as dangerous as Toney.

If the Rams let him or the Giants’ other receivers get loose, they’ll have a big impact on the outcome of this game.