3 biggest overreactions to Los Angeles Rams Week 2 drubbing

(1) - Matthew Stafford will be injured next

It's almost impossible to witness what is happening in 2024, and not be pulled back through time and space to see events from the disastrous 2022 NFL season happening all over again. And in looking back to the events of 2022, after the injury to WR Cooper Kupp, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a spinal cord contusion and was shut down for the rest of the season.

And when that happened, the Rams were basically just playing through to the end.

Stafford sat out the final seven games of 2022, and the Rams managed to find and sign veteran QB Baker Mayfield. While Mayfield only won two of those seven games, he rediscovered the thrill of playing football in a pressure-free environment, and his subsequent chapter as the starting quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been one of the best comeback tales of the modern NFL.

And it all started when he was signed to take over the Rams offense.

Unlike other NFL seasons, the Rams have already added a veteran backup quarterback to take over if Stafford is injured. That backup is none other than former Rams nemesis, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. But while that adds a bit of insurance to the team, it does nothing to ensure that Stafford can weather the storm without his three most entrusted offensive allies.

But this team is not quite like 2022. At least, not yet anyway. The Rams have both starting tackles back for Week 3, and they have RG Kevin Dotson still playing despite a foot injury. The team is getting solid production out of rookie center Beaux Limmer. So the biggest question mark is who will play at left guard?

That may play a huge factor in how safe QB Matthew Stafford is in the pocket. But even the most skeptical fans cannot make an argument that Stafford will not get better protection in Week 3. If the Rams offensive line can hold it together for a few weeks, that could be enough to turn the corner.

And the Rams do have QB Jimmy Garoppolo ready to play, just in case.

It's never as good as it seems. It's never as bad as it seems. It's just another day of the 2024 NFL season, and the LA Rams have many challenges to overcome.

Thanks for reading.