Rams fans had better believe Davante Adams won't be doubted again

Even to Los Angeles Rams fans, the Davante Adams-Matthew Stafford connection in Week 1 looked like what you might expect from a couple guys with 71 years on Planet Earth between them. Adams couldn't get open and when he did, Stafford chucked it over his head. 

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms spoke for many skeptics when he gave his take on Adams in his matchup preview on an episode of the Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast:

"Davante is not scary. I didn't love the way Davante Adams looks. Nobody is going to be gameplanning for Davante Adams. Like, 'Oh, no.' … We're fine with one-on-ones with Davante Adams over here."

Of course, exactly no one, including Adams himself, would have put him down for 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns on Monday night. Even against a bad Giants secondary, that was a bounce-back and then some from Adams' quiet outing against the 49ers. 

Safe to say no one will write off No. 17 in the future.

Davante Adams hasn't lost a step in Year 2 with Rams

Actually, maybe the Giants took Simms' analysis too much to heart. Gameplan for Adams? Nahhh. 

Even Simms was appalled at how the defense handled Adams in the game, largely leaving him free to dissect the coverage, find the soft spots, beat his man one-on-one. To be fair, no defender is stopping the over-the-shoulder end-zone fade between Adams and Stafford. The only hope is that Stafford lays the ball a few centimeters out of reach.

But letting Adams have his way as Simms observes was especially bad practice with Puka Nacua, the primary distraction, on the sidelines with a groin injury. Adams clearly isn't a guy you want to gloss over in the gameplan. 

That's still the case even at age 33, in his 13th season. Rams fans were plenty excited entering the year to see what Adams could do after a training camp with Stafford actually healthy and participating. Although Adams had some big games early last season, he and his new quarterback took some time to connect consistently.

After this summer's camp, the expectation was that we could see more, not less, out of Adams this season, despite the 'year older' narrative. 

Week 1 was a rude greeting for Rams fans' anticipations across the board, including for Adams. Three catches for 26 yards wasn't what we had in mind. 

Eight for 195, now that's more like it. 

Of course, other teams and their on average more effective secondaries will have Adams on their radar now, if they didn't already. And not just in the red zone. 

While he did haul in a signature pylon fade, Adams did his primary damage in the middle of the field, ripping off a 64-yard gain and another one for a 31-yard touchdown. Watching Adams go up to snare a sailing Stafford missile for his first big grab of the day was a reassuring sight for more than a few Blue and Yellow viewers. 

With or particularly without Nacua on the field, opposing defenses will strive to make life harder on Adams from here on out. He just showed them what happens when you don't. 

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