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7 things to watch: Rams vs. Giants
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_81c98c6c-27c4-5f0e-9028-605c204b5c85.html
ANOTHER MANNING
For the second time in five weeks, a Manning will play QB against the Rams in the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams handled Denver’s Peyton Manning with surprising ease in a 22-7 victory Nov. 16. Now comes the New York Giants’ Eli Manning, who is 3-0 against the Rams over his career with nine TD passes, just one interception and a passer rating of 115.5 in those contests. But those triumphs have come against three previous coaching staffs: 28-16 over Steve Spagnuolo in 2011; 41-13 over Scott Linehan in 2008; and 44-24 over Mike Martz in 2005. There are only eight Rams left who played in the 2011 game, including four defensive players (Chris Long, Robert Quinn, James Laurinaitis and Eugene Sims). So it’s largely a different cast of characters. Surprisingly, Peyton wasn’t much help to little brother in terms of preparing to face the Rams. “I haven’t talked to him much about them,” Eli told Giants reporters. “We didn’t get into details. He didn’t really offer up too much.”
DEFENDING BECKHAM JR.
Defending New York’s Odell Beckham Jr., one of the NFL’s hottest receivers, will be a group effort. Under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Rams haven’t shadowed a marquee wide receiver with one cornerback following him all over the field. Usually, it’s Janoris Jenkins at right corner, Trumaine Johnson at left corner and E.J. Gaines in the slot vs. three WRs. Expect Beckham and the Giants to test Jenkins deep, with the Rams providing safety help whenever possible.
PLENTY OF WILLIAMS
With the Giants’ leading rusher, Rashad Jennings (606 yards), ruled out because of an ankle injury, the Rams should see lots of Andre Williams. His 568 yards rushing ranks second among NFC rookies, to the Rams’ Tre Mason (661). The former Boston College star is a power runner at 5 feet 11, 230 pounds, but is averaging only 3.2 yards a carry. After yielding 143 rushing yards against Arizona, their worst showing against the run in nine games, the Rams want to rebound Sunday.
TURNOVER GAME
If the Rams can shut down the New York running game and make the Giants one-dimensional, perhaps their pass rush can force Manning into some bad throws. After throwing a career-high 27 interceptions last season, he has cut that total in half. Even so, his total of 13 INTs is tied for fifth-most in the league. All told the Giants have committed 27 turnovers, also tied for fifth-highest in the NFL. They have committed at least one turnover in 30 consecutive games.
REVIVED PASS RUSH
Eleven games into the season, the Giants had a pedestrian total of 19 sacks. But the pass rush has been on fire lately with 22 sacks over the past three games. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins have combined for 9½ of those 22. The Giants aren’t heavy blitzers under defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, a former Rams assistant. But it wouldn’t be surprising if they dialed up extra pressure, considering how the Rams struggled against Arizona’s blitzes.
LONGTIME FOES
Dating to their days in Jacksonville and Tennessee, respectively, coaches Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Jeff Fisher of the Rams have faced each other 17 times. Fisher has the edge, 10-7. Coughlin has 175 career regular-season and playoff victories to Fisher’s 167. They rank second and third among NFL active coaches in career wins, trailing New England’s Bill Belichick, whose 229 victories has him tied for fourth-most in NFL history with Earl (Curly) Lambeau.
FAMILIAR FACES
Giants kicker Josh Brown spent four seasons in St. Louis (2008-11). But when the Rams selected Greg Zuerlein in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Fisher announced that same day that Brown would be released. Brown made a career-high 33 field goals with the Rams in 2010. The Giants’ roster also has tight end Daniel Fells, who caught 69 passes over three seasons for the Rams — including 41 in 2010. And running back Chris Ogbonnaya was a seventh-round draft pick by the Rams in ’09.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_81c98c6c-27c4-5f0e-9028-605c204b5c85.html
ANOTHER MANNING
For the second time in five weeks, a Manning will play QB against the Rams in the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams handled Denver’s Peyton Manning with surprising ease in a 22-7 victory Nov. 16. Now comes the New York Giants’ Eli Manning, who is 3-0 against the Rams over his career with nine TD passes, just one interception and a passer rating of 115.5 in those contests. But those triumphs have come against three previous coaching staffs: 28-16 over Steve Spagnuolo in 2011; 41-13 over Scott Linehan in 2008; and 44-24 over Mike Martz in 2005. There are only eight Rams left who played in the 2011 game, including four defensive players (Chris Long, Robert Quinn, James Laurinaitis and Eugene Sims). So it’s largely a different cast of characters. Surprisingly, Peyton wasn’t much help to little brother in terms of preparing to face the Rams. “I haven’t talked to him much about them,” Eli told Giants reporters. “We didn’t get into details. He didn’t really offer up too much.”
DEFENDING BECKHAM JR.
Defending New York’s Odell Beckham Jr., one of the NFL’s hottest receivers, will be a group effort. Under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Rams haven’t shadowed a marquee wide receiver with one cornerback following him all over the field. Usually, it’s Janoris Jenkins at right corner, Trumaine Johnson at left corner and E.J. Gaines in the slot vs. three WRs. Expect Beckham and the Giants to test Jenkins deep, with the Rams providing safety help whenever possible.
PLENTY OF WILLIAMS
With the Giants’ leading rusher, Rashad Jennings (606 yards), ruled out because of an ankle injury, the Rams should see lots of Andre Williams. His 568 yards rushing ranks second among NFC rookies, to the Rams’ Tre Mason (661). The former Boston College star is a power runner at 5 feet 11, 230 pounds, but is averaging only 3.2 yards a carry. After yielding 143 rushing yards against Arizona, their worst showing against the run in nine games, the Rams want to rebound Sunday.
TURNOVER GAME
If the Rams can shut down the New York running game and make the Giants one-dimensional, perhaps their pass rush can force Manning into some bad throws. After throwing a career-high 27 interceptions last season, he has cut that total in half. Even so, his total of 13 INTs is tied for fifth-most in the league. All told the Giants have committed 27 turnovers, also tied for fifth-highest in the NFL. They have committed at least one turnover in 30 consecutive games.
REVIVED PASS RUSH
Eleven games into the season, the Giants had a pedestrian total of 19 sacks. But the pass rush has been on fire lately with 22 sacks over the past three games. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins have combined for 9½ of those 22. The Giants aren’t heavy blitzers under defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, a former Rams assistant. But it wouldn’t be surprising if they dialed up extra pressure, considering how the Rams struggled against Arizona’s blitzes.
LONGTIME FOES
Dating to their days in Jacksonville and Tennessee, respectively, coaches Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Jeff Fisher of the Rams have faced each other 17 times. Fisher has the edge, 10-7. Coughlin has 175 career regular-season and playoff victories to Fisher’s 167. They rank second and third among NFL active coaches in career wins, trailing New England’s Bill Belichick, whose 229 victories has him tied for fourth-most in NFL history with Earl (Curly) Lambeau.
FAMILIAR FACES
Giants kicker Josh Brown spent four seasons in St. Louis (2008-11). But when the Rams selected Greg Zuerlein in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Fisher announced that same day that Brown would be released. Brown made a career-high 33 field goals with the Rams in 2010. The Giants’ roster also has tight end Daniel Fells, who caught 69 passes over three seasons for the Rams — including 41 in 2010. And running back Chris Ogbonnaya was a seventh-round draft pick by the Rams in ’09.