St. Louis Rams vs Tennessee Titans, key matchups to watch

Dec 11, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) during warmups before the game between the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

3. Defensive Line vs  Marcus Mariota

This is a key matchup that will help the Rams in the long run. Marcus Mariota is a mobile quarterback, and so is NFC West opponents Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick. Preseason is all about practice, and the Rams are going to need all of it as they face this dual-threat passer. Mariota had a rough welcoming to the National Football League, and could not show off his legs as he had zero rushing yards in the Titans preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta is a team that struggles to get pressure on quarterbacks, so one might think the Rams hold a huge advantage here. The Rams defensive line is one of the best in the league, and needs to pressure Mariota early and often. Containing Mariota early, and bringing pressure should be the top priority for the St. Louis defensive line.

The Rams offense needs to click this game, and find their new ground and pound running game. With a solid running game, and defensive line pressuring a rookie quarterback, the Rams could get their first preseason win on Sunday.

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