It’s been 10 days since the Los Angeles Rams last played, a long time for them to get over the shocking 31-10 loss they suffered at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Sean McVay is confident his team is going to respond the right way, and they have a golden opportunity to do so against the Atlanta Falcons this afternoon at SoFi Stadium.
Buy Rams TicketsThe Falcons are by no means the best team in the league, also losing in Week 1, but they also don’t look nearly as bad as they were expected to be before the season began. They went toe-to-toe with the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, losing 27-26 at home.
And that was only after they blew a 26-10 lead in the fourth quarter, allowing 17 unanswered points to end the game.
It’s only Week 2, but this is an incredibly important game for both teams. The Rams don’t want to fall to 0-2 in a competitive NFC West, nor do they want to lose a game in which they’re favored by nearly 10 points. The Falcons don’t want to drop back-to-back conference games to start the year, either.
According to USA TODAY, only 12% of teams that started 0-2 made the playoffs from 1990-2019. Even if the Rams do fall to 0-2, they’ll still be expected to make the playoffs, but 1-1 would feel much better than 0-2.
The Falcons won’t be an easy out for the Rams. They rushed for 201 yards against the Saints, had 26 first downs and possessed the ball for 33:44. Atlanta also got to Jameis Winston for four sacks and allowed zero on Marcus Mariota.
The Rams, on the other hand, allowed seven sacks, rushed for a league-low 52 yards and had just 19 first downs. The offense struggled mightily and the defense gave up a 90% conversion rate on third down.
Still, even after those contrasting performances in Week 1, the Rams should win this game. Their stars, namely Matthew Stafford and Jalen Ramsey, will need to bounce back, and I expect them to. If Stafford cuts down on the turnovers and Ramsey limits big plays, this should be a game they win.
The biggest concern might be the offensive line, which will be starting Coleman Shelton at center and Tremayne Anchrum Jr. at right guard. Joe Noteboom is also questionable with a knee injury. Fortunately, if the Rams can neutralize Grady Jarrett, they should be able to keep Stafford upright.
Final score prediction: Rams 24, Falcons 17
