St. Louis Rams vs. New York Giants preview

Rams host Giants looking to bounce back from ugly Week #1 loss

After a very dismal opening game effort against the Philadelphia Eagles, the last team the St. Louis Rams wanted to show up on their schedule for the next week was the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

The Rams have a lot to prove in this contest. The Giants however, could be caught looking ahead to their Week 3 game against Cincinnati.

Despite the anemic offensive output the Rams had in their opener, they are capable of putting up a lot of points in a hurry. The Rams totaled just 166 yards of total offense against the Eagles while giving up 522 yards on defense.

Running back Steven Jackson now has a game under his belt and should be more comfortable in the offense, giving the Rams a better running attack than the 40 yards he gave them in Week 1.

The offensive line will be a key for the Rams once again. Not only did the running game only amass 36 yards, but the offensive line also allowed Marc Bulger to be sacked four times. Bulger will need better protection in order to distribute the ball to his playmakers.

The defense will also need to step up its game after the Week 1 disappointment. If defensive ends Chris Long and Leonard Little can create pressure off the edges and get to Giants quarterback Eli Manning it will take some pressure off the Rams secondary which was picked apart in Week 1.

The Rams held Brian Westbrook to under 100 yards rushing in Week 1 but will face another strong running attack this week in Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs rushed for 116 yards against the Washington Redskins in Week 1.

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Look for the Rams to try to get Torry Holt more involved in the offense this week. Holt had just one catch for nine yards in the Week 1 loss. The Eagles used double coverage on Holt for much of the game. The Rams will try to spread the defense out more and get Holt one-on-one coverage.

With Drew Bennett’s foot injury, look for rookies Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery to see more action at wide receiver this week. Avery has home run capability with his speed.

The Rams have a lot to prove after a dismal Week 1 performance and will try to make a statement at home against the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

By Scott Vicker
ProFootball-fans.com St. Louis Rams Correspondent