Preview Patriots vs. Rams with Rams Wire

On By Littum

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots will host Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in a Week 11 matchup on Sunday.

The Patriots are playing with some added confidence after winning two of their last three games. They knocked off the Chicago Bears on the road last week and will look to make it two straight by doing the same against the Rams this week.

It will be an uphill battle against a talented Rams team with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback under center. Things haven’t exactly gone the Rams’ way this season, but they’ve always been able to count on a good defense and the exceptional pairing of Stafford and Cooper Kupp to get the job done. Will they get it done in New England after dropping a nasty loss to the Miami Dolphins at home last week?

We went behind enemy lines to preview the game with Rams Wire’s managing editor, Cameron DaSilva.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos

Yes, he looks like the player he was last season. He has only started and finished two games this year, and in those games he has had 98 yards and 106 yards. He appears completely removed from the knee injury that has plagued him this season and has stayed off the injury report this week and last week. Cooper Kupp is still a big part of the offense, but when the Rams need a big play, it’s usually Nacua who does it.

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At this point, I’m not sure Corum will ever get more snaps for the Rams this season. Even with the running game struggling, Sean McVay has chosen not to use Corum very much. It’s clearly still Kyren Williams’ backfield and will be until he either gets hurt or goes into 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 take advantage of opponents focusing their attention on Kupp and Nacua. He can play outside or in the slot, and with his average target depth that ranks among the highest in the NFL, he’s 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 standout face in the defense. It is more of a collection of players up front who lead the attack. Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner have all stepped up in a big way, 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 a stretch to say that the Rams’ defensive front is one of the best in football right now.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos

The Rams have a habit of playing down their competition, and while the Patriots look like they’re building some momentum off the win over the Bears, I still think Los Angeles will get the job done. The Rams are 10-3 under McVay in early kickoffs on the East Coast and have won five straight games on short rest. I don’t think it will be a blowout, but I have the Rams winning this one, 24-17.