The Los Angeles Rams just put on a clinic against the New York Giants, bouncing back in a big way after their Week 1 stumble. You’d think a dominant performance like that would send them soaring in every power ranking out there, right? Nope. This week, it was a totally mixed bag, with the Rams rising in three rankings, dropping in three others, and holding steady in two.
The “Superteam Muscles” Are Flexing… Finally
Let’s be real, the Rams offense absolutely came alive on Monday night. QB1 Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP, looked every bit the part, completing 22 of 31 passes for a whopping 327 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception. Wide receiver Davante Adams even said this Week 2 offensive showing was way closer to what the team expects all season. And get this: they did it all without wide receiver Puka Nacua, who’s nursing some groin soreness, and Myles Garrett was out too. NFL.com’s Nick Shook noted those absences didn’t matter much; Stafford and Adams just rekindled their productive connection, lighting up the Giants’ defense. Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano even said the Rams “have at least started to flex their superteam muscles.” On defense, Aaron Donald returned after a two-year retirement and looked anything but gassed, as some online folks apparently speculated. SI’s Conor Orr called those doubters “silliest looking internet humans,” pointing out Donald got “so much better even over the course of this game.” Cornerback Trent McDuffie also made multiple huge plays, helping LA’s defense be “absolutely dominant,” according to NFL Trade Rumors’ Ethan Woodie.
The League Can’t Make Up Its Mind After the Australia Trip
So, with that kind of showing, why the split? It seems the Week 1 loss in Australia is still messing with some minds. Pete Prisco dropped the Rams from 5 to 8, even acknowledging their “bounce back in a big way.” ESPN dropped them from 4 to 5, despite praising Stafford’s MVP-level play. NFL.com’s Nick Shook also dropped them from 7 to 8, noting that “lingering, bitter taste” from the Australia loss. But then you have Mike Florio from PFT, who moved them up from 11 to 9, thankfully noting, “they didn’t fly back from Australia the day before the Week 2 game.” USA Today’s Nate Davis bumped them from 5 to 4, saying “All seems well after their Week 1 mulligan.” SI’s Conor Orr also had them moving up from 7 to 5, joking, “There is nothing like not playing in Australia, is what I always say.” The average ranking of these eight prognosticators did slightly increase to 5.75, but it’s clear the league is still trying to figure out if that Week 1 stinker was an anomaly or a sign of things to come.
Next up, the Rams have another strong showing against Denver in Week 3 to prove they’re trending in the right direction. Speaking of trending in the right direction, our Seattle Seahawks absolutely crushed the Arizona Cardinals, 31-7! Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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