Davante Adams went absolutely wild in Week 2, dominating the New York Giants with eight receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns. That was his best game since joining the Rams last year, and it was mostly thanks to him pushing the ball downfield. Now, with Puka Nacua missing his second straight game, Adams is set to be the main man again, but he’s about to face a challenge unlike any other in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos.
Adams Was Unleashed Last Week
Listen, Stafford and Adams were just cooking against the Giants. They were relentless pushing the ball down the field, making it look easy. Adams wasn’t just catching passes, he was hitting home run after home run. Next Gen Stats says a “downfield target” is 10+ air yards, right? Adams got targeted eight times on those deep throws, hauling in seven of them for a mind-blowing 191 yards and both of his scores. Seriously, that kind of performance is electric. Everyone was hyped watching him just tear up that secondary. If the 33-year-old receiver could repeat that, it would be incredible for L.A., but the Broncos defense, and one guy in particular, makes that a tall order.
Enter the Shutdown Corner
Adams’ amazing performance is on a collision course with arguably the best cornerback in the NFL: Patrick Surtain II. This dude is special. He’s one of only three cornerbacks to win AP Defensive Player of the Year in the last three decades, nabbing the award in 2024. Stephon Gilmore (2019) and Hall of Famer Charles Woodson (2009) are the other two. That’s some elite company. Surtain has been locking things down this season, allowing only three receptions for 20 yards over two games. But here’s the kicker, the jaw-dropping stat: he hasn’t allowed a downfield reception in his last 213 coverage snaps. Since the start of 2025, he’s allowed just three. Creating explosive plays against him through the air is incredibly difficult.
History Says Adams Still Got It
Now, before you think it’s an impossible task for Adams, there’s a wild twist. Adams has actually been as good as anyone in the league when matched up on Surtain, even though they haven’t faced off since 2023. Adams has run 70 routes against Surtain in four games, with 40 of those coming in man coverage. In those matchups, Adams has been targeted 22 times, pulling in 13 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Those are the best numbers for any receiver against Surtain in his career! Think about that for a second. The quarterbacks throwing to Adams in those four games were Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Aidan O’Connell. In 2022 Week 11, Adams even had four receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns against him.
This Sunday night game is going to be an absolute must-watch. Can Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams figure out how to crack the code against Patrick Surtain II, or will Surtain continue his incredible streak of shutting down downfield passes? The Rams’ passing attack has a massive test ahead, and this individual battle could swing the game.
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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