What to expect from the LA Rams in preseason week 2

The LA Rams are at a bit of a crossroads even though it’s still and just preseason. As the youngest roster in the NFL, this is a team that has a steeper slope to climb than other NFL teams. As such, the Rams will make more gaffes than other teams. Training camp and preseason games will yield far more teaching moments to learn and reinforce basic football moves and tactics.

The other path is the team that upgraded at the quarterback position, has acknowledged that the performance of Aaron Donald deserves a Super Bowl ring and that the career of long-time star offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth may be coming to a close. All of these factors apply pressure upon the LA Rams to play well, very well. When will the team flip that switch? Well, just by suiting up the starters for the home opener may not be enough to trigger an instant ability for everything to fall into place.

Here come the Las Vegas Raiders, a team with their own set of goals and disappointments. Despite boasting the eighth-ranked offense in 2020, their 25th-ranked defense (26th-ranked pass defense) dropped them to an 8-8 final record and no playoff berth. Of course, they want to alter that outcome this year. Many of their players see the LA Rams as a great challenge to prove themselves. Even if it’s the Rams backups? Yes, even then.

The Rams won’t play starters in this game.  Unlike the first preseason game, I do think that the Rams will play their vanilla tactics with a bit more gusto this week. The Rams seemed to be a bit vulnerable to the LA Chargers rushing attack in the first contest. Conversely, the LA Rams did not show a great deal in their own running game. Sure, it’s the backups. But the Rams will have many of the offensive linemen and certainly running backs on the roster this year. Averaging 2.5 yards-per-carry for just 50 yards on the ground was not something that the Rams can hang their hats on.