New England Patriots Opponent Profile: Rams Rookie Quarterback Jared Goff Still Looking For First Win
By Danny Cox
It took a strong defensive stand in the final minutes of the game to secure a victory for the New England Patriots in week 12. The New York Jets brought their A game, but the Patriots still emerged with a win. In contrast, the Patriots' week 13 opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, gave up 49 points in an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints.
After moving back to Los Angeles, there was a renewed energy surrounding the team and high hopes of an exceptional season. After a promising start, the Rams' season has taken a nosedive. As a result, the team has made roster adjustments. Their rookie quarterback, Jared Goff, will get his third NFL start when the team faces the Patriots on Sunday.
Los Angeles Rams Season Record: 4-7
Undoubtedly, the Rams were hoping for a much better return season to Los Angeles than the one that is playing out. After an opening season blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams won three in a row. Since then, they have gone 1-6 and have almost assured that they will miss the playoffs this year. At this point, they are firmly in the rebuilding phase while ensuring their young talent accumulates experience.
Rams On Offense
Case Keenum began the season as the team's starting quarterback. His inconsistent play and mounting team losses led to him being replaced in week 11 by this year's number one overall draft pick, Goff. The rookie has a number of weapons with Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, and Lance Kendricks, but, the Patriots also have a good secondary. They certainly won't make Goff's second road game an easy one.
Additionally, running back Todd Gurley seems to be in a sophomore slump. So far in 2016, he doesn't have a single 100-yard rushing game. He has not even broken 90 yards yet. Regardless, the Patriots will need to keep their eyes on him, as he's still dangerous.
Rams on Defense
Against the Saints, the Rams gave up their highest point total in 14 years, which is not good when they're about to face off against the high-scoring Patriots. Typically, the Rams give up less than 230 passing yards per game, but Drew Brees torched them. Combine that with the fact that Mark Ingram ran all over their defense and the Rams' could be in store for a long Sunday.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald leads the team in sacks with Robert Quinn right behind him. Linebacker Mark Barron is one of the scariest defensive players for the Rams. He could cause some problems for the Patriots. In fact, the Rams' defense as a whole is a strong unit and played well until last week when the Saints picked them apart. It's hard to predict which Rams' defense the Patriots will face.
Rams Players To Watch: WR Tavon Austin and DE Robert Quinn
Tavon Austin is one of the best kept secrets in the passing offense of the Rams. He always seems so close to becoming an elite player, but just needs that one breakout year. He showed flashes of brilliance against the Saints last week. Kenny Britt may be the number one receiver, but Austin is fast, strong, and a receiver the Patriots need to closely defend.
Defensive end Robert Quinn's numbers have dropped off dramatically from past seasons, but the power and dominance is still there. Oddly enough, Quinn has a mere 10 total tackles this season, but he has four sacks, two passes defended, and two forced fumbles. A back injury has slowed him down a bit, but he still could cause a lot of problems for Tom Brady.
Outlook
It's truly hard to look at any team in the NFL and say that it is going to be an easy victory. Up until this past Sunday, the Rams had a defense that had been very strong and quite dominating. Suddenly, the Saints lit it up with the greatest of ease. One may think that the Patriots should have as easy a time with their high-powered offense, but that remains to be seen. The Patriots have to play with a higher tempo than they did against the Jets in order to easily defeat the Rams.
