Rookie quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots will face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11 on Sunday.
The Patriots are playing with a little more confidence after winning two of their last three games. They beat the Chicago Bears on the road last week and will look to make it two wins in a row by doing the same with the Rams this week.
It will be a tough battle against a talented Rams team with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback under center. Things haven't quite worked out that way for the Rams this season, but they've always been able to rely on good defense and the exceptional pairing of Stafford and Cooper Kupp to get the job done. Will they make it in New England after suffering a bad loss at home to the Miami Dolphins last week?
We went behind enemy lines to preview the game with Rams Wire Editor-in-Chief Cameron DaSilva.
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Yes, he looks just like the player he was last season. He has only started and finished two games this year and in those games he had 98 yards and 106 yards. He appears to be completely cleared of the knee injury that has plagued him this season and is staying away from the injury reports this week and last. Cooper Kupp is still an important part of the offense, but when the Rams need a big play, it's usually Nacua who makes it.
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At this point, I'm not sure Corum will ever get more snaps for the Rams this season. Even though the running game is causing problems, Sean McVay has decided not to use Corum too often. It's clearly still Kyren Williams' backcourt and will remain so until he either gets injured or finds himself in a major slump. For some reason the coaching staff just doesn't want to give Corum much of a chance.
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It could be Demarcus Robinson. He had two touchdowns in each of the Rams' two games prior to Monday's loss to the Dolphins, and he's someone who can capitalize when opponents turn their attention to Kupp and Nacua. He can play outside or in the slot, and with his average target depth among the highest in the NFL, he is one of Matthew Stafford's favorite downfield targets and a great source of big plays.
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I'm not sure there is a single face of defense. It's more of a collection of players at the top taking the lead. Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner have all made major strides, each making a key play at some point in the Rams' first nine games. It's impossible to replace a player like Donald, but it's also not an exaggeration to say that the Rams' defense is one of the best in football right now.
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The Rams have a habit of underplaying their competition, and although the Patriots look like they'll build some momentum by beating the Bears, I still think Los Angeles is getting the job done. The Rams are 10-3 in early openers on the East Coast under McVay and have won five straight games after a short layoff. I don't think it will be a blowout, but the Rams will win this game 24-17.
