Stafford and company hit the road and head to Blues country to face the Titans
The Los Angeles Rams will embark on their first road game against the Tennessee Titans in Memphis, providing what should be a fun game that will test the endurance and focus of both teams.
Road games are never easy due to the sheer energy and loudness projected from the home crowd as a tactic meant to throw off the tempo and disrupt communication for the visiting team, which can lead to costly errors and mounting frustrations. Therein lies the real challenge for the Rams because they will need to truly focus and get the job done without letting outside distractions derail their game plan.
Matthew Stafford aims to continue having the hot hand like he did in his historic game 1, where he became the 10th QB to reach 60,000 passing yards. With that being said, the Titans' secondary shouldn't provide much of an issue despite allowing 166 passing yards in their game 1 match against the Denver Broncos, which is currently ranked 12th in the league.
We could also see a more productive bounce-back game from receiver Davante Adams, who finished with a quiet 51 yards on 4 catches during week 1. There is also the strong possibility that the Rams might lean on Adams a bit more for this game to alleviate some of the scoring responsibility of star receiver Puka Nacua after a moment of concern where he was evaluated for a possible concussion before getting cleared to return to the game.
Explosive running back Kyren Williams should absolutely feast against a mediocre Titans' run defense that allowed 151 rushing yards in week 1, and is currently ranked 26th worst in the league. If we do happen to see a huge lead early on, expect Williams to become the focal point of attack.
However, the Titans are not completely absent of dynamic game-changing players on their side of the ball, either, do not let the standings fool you.
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is a former 2x Pro Bowler and 2x All-Pro Second Team player who can become a dangerous menace if gone unchecked. He could be the sole key to shutting down both Williams and Stafford should he gain momentum, which can spell disaster for the Rams.
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Offensively, the Titans also boast some dangerous weapons that can't be taken lightly either. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley has regressed in past years, but is still a former All-Pro Second Team player who has displayed spurts of impressive playmaking if underestimated by the defense.
Running back Tony Pollard can also pose a problem for the Rams as a former Pro Bowler himself, putting up respectable numbers last year under a lackluster offense led by former starting Titans QB Will Levis.
With rookie QB Cam Ward now at the helm, both the games of Ridley and Pollard could be elevated to a level that demands respect from the Rams. And if the raw talent he showed in his college days starts to emerge, the Rams could have an unexpected trial on their hands. It should go without saying, but he was a top-QB prospect at this year's draft for a reason.
Game 2 is truly up for grabs for either team, with their own sets of expectations to manage. Could be a fun one in Memphis this Sunday.