RAMS (4-1) at GIANTS (1-4)
When: Sunday, 10 a.m.
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
TV/Radio: Ch. 11; 710 AM, 93.1 FM, 1330 AM (Spanish)
Line: Rams by 8½
Notable injury designations: Rams: CB Darious Williams (ankle) is on injured reserve for at least three games. Giants: RB Saquon Barkley (ankle) and WR Kenny Golladay (knee) are out; WR Kadarius Toney (ankle) and LT Andrew Thomas (foot) are questionable.
What’s at stake? It would be easy to let down against an undermanned opponent, but the Rams need to get off to a strong start during a three-game stretch in which they should pile up wins against the Giants, Lions (0-5) and Texans (1-4). They’re a game behind the NFC West-leading Cardinals, whose upcoming schedule is tougher.
Who’s better? Does this sum up the contrast between the franchises? The Rams haven’t been under .500 at any point in Sean McVay’s five seasons as coach. The Giants haven’t been over .500 at any point in the same period, under four coaches.
Matchup to watch: Rams CB Jalen Ramsey vs. Giants WR Kadarius Toney. Toney, the 20th overall draft pick out of Florida, had 189 yards (on 10 catches) in the Giants’ loss to the Cowboys, most by a rookie since JuJu Smith-Schuster (Long Beach Poly, USC) had 193 for the Steelers in 2017 against the Lions.
Rams win if … If Matthew Stafford, this season’s least-sacked quarterback, exploits the time to throw that he should get against one of this season’s weakest pass rushes. If the defense, missing injured cornerback Darious Williams, disrupts Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who has thrown one interception this year. If kicker Matt Gay gets back on the straight and narrow after some recent misses.
Fantasy pick: Stafford. The Giants are dead last in the league in pass completion percentage allowed (74%). The last time he faced them, in 2019, Stafford completed 78.1% for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a Lions victory.
Prediction: Rams 28, Giants 20. The Rams could blow out a weak and injury-wracked team, but you only have to go back to last year’s 17-9 victory over the Giants to see the possibility of a letdown, and their secondary must figure out how it’s going to play without Williams.