Los Angeles
Rams

The Los Angeles Rams righted the ship with a commanding 28-6 victory over the New York Giants, showcasing flashes of their "superteam" potential. Matthew Stafford, particularly without Puka Nacua, rediscovered his connection with Davante Adams, throwing for 327 yards and four touchdowns. The return of Aaron Donald bolstered a defense that largely stifled the Giants, though advanced stats reveal a few missed opportunities for the Rams' defense in containing their opponent. Sean McVay owned up to the disastrous travel plans for the season-opening game in Australia, calling his decision "dumbass." This admission, coupled with the team's Week 2 bounce-back, suggests a valuable lesson learned for the coaching staff. However, the Rams' performance hasn't translated into universal power ranking climbs, with several outlets dropping them despite the dominant win, signaling lingering skepticism. The backfield presents a compelling dilemma. While Kyren Williams remains the starter, Blake Corum is making a robust case for a larger role. Both backs handled 12 carries against the Giants, with similar yardage totals. Corum, however, offers a distinct explosiveness, averaging an impressive 6.6 yards per carry and demonstrating an ability to create chunk plays with his acceleration and agility, a trait he displayed consistently last season in college. His effectiveness in the screen game also presents an avenue for offensive expansion. A split workload, with Corum potentially taking early-down snaps and excelling in the screen game, while Williams focuses on third-down situations and pass protection, appears to be the most logical path forward. This move could be amplified by ball security concerns. Williams lost a critical fumble against the Giants, a recurring issue that has plagued him since 2023, while Corum has yet to fumble at the NFL level. For a Rams team aiming for contention, every possession is paramount. Meanwhile, the Giants suffered another blow with reports indicating quarterback Jaxson Dart could miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury sustained during the Rams game. Despite the victory, L.A. dropped in several power rankings, averaging 5.75, highlighting a divided opinion on their current standing.