The Los Angeles Rams head into Week 2 with a chance to go 2-0 for the first time since 2021. In a game against the Titans in which they are favored by 5.5-points on the road, they should be able to get off to the fast start that they needed heading into the season. The Titans may have had the number one overall pick last year, but this is a team that is improved and will put up a fight. Here are five keys to victory for the Rams against the Titans.
1. Apply pressure on Cam Ward
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward will be making just his second career start on Sunday and it will be his first start at home. Similar to last week, the Rams should have an advantage on the defensive line. In his first start with the Titans, left tackle Dan Moore Jr. allowed eight pressures with half of them coming in under 2.5 seconds. Essentially, Moore was getting beat immediately off the snap. Additionally, J.C. Latham isn’t expected to play.
If the Rams are going to beat the Titans, they need to speed up Ward’s process and force him into mistakes. Against the blitz in Week 1, Ward was 0-for-6 and sacked four times with a EPA/dropback of -1.39. The Rams blitzed at the ninth-lowest rate last week, but generated a 75 percent pressure rate when blitzing. This is another game in which the Rams defense will be able to take over.
2. Don’t let Jeffery Simmons beat you
The Rams should be very familiar with Jeffery Simmons after their meeting in 2021. Back in 2021, Simmons almost single-handedly blew up the Rams’ gameplan as the Titans won 28-16. This Titans team may not be as good on offense, but Simmons remains one of the more underrated defensive linemen in the NFL. With the Rams managing injuries to Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, that’s not something that many would consider ideal heading into this matchup. Simmons is the biggest threat to get after the quarterback and Matthew Stafford isn’t mobile enough to consistently escape interior pressure.
This Titans defense is its strongest in the middle of the defensive line. While they allowed the eighth most yards per carry, much of that was because of the gap in talent at linebacker and the Broncos offensive line. When the Titans defensive line wins at the line of scrimmage, they are very difficult to run against. To say the least, the Rams need to account for Simmons on every play.
It’s very possible that the Titans defense surprises a lot of Rams fans watching in Week 2. While the Titans may not be a great football team, Dennard Wilson has that group playing very well. Wilson did some fun things in Week 1 built around Cover 2 and the secondary made some plays against the Broncos because of it. They intercepted Bo Nix twice and had the Titans within one point until halfway through the fourth quarter.
Part of applying pressure on Cam Ward will also be scoreboard pressure. The Rams need to be able to get Ward to a spot in which he feels like he needs to force things. If the Rams keep the Titans in the game with mistakes such as turnovers, they’ll make it easier for the rookie quarterback. Matthew Stafford kept the ball out of harm’s way against the Houston Texans. If Stafford can remain efficient in Week 2, the Rams offense can pull away late as it looked like they were going to last Sunday.
4. Bait the Titans’ linebackers
Rams head coach Sean McVay had a lot of fun with the Texans’ linebackers last week. McVay was consistently able to get them out of position in play action and using motion. It played a big role in Davis Allen’s touchdown as well as the Rams converting on third down late to clinch the game.
McVay should be able to pick on the Titans’ linebackers this week as well. Cedric Gray and Cody Barton. Bo Nix didn’t have a ton of success with play-action last week, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rams lean into it once again and try to get the Titans linebacker to take the cheese. The Rams heavily utilized 12 personnel last week and Stafford was excellent out of play action. Stafford was 6-for-7 for 55 yards and a touchdown out of play action in 12 personnel last week. With some of the issues on the interior of the offensive line, the Rams may look to create a lot of misdirection.
5. Be ready on special teams
With special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, the Rams were mostly able to escape their special teams demons last season. Kicker Joshua Karty had some inconsistencies, but the Rams were winning games because of special teams rather than losing. The special teams unit will need to be sharp against the Titans for one main reason. The special teams coordinator for the Titans? John Fassel. Their punter? Johnny Hekker.
Fassel tends to always have a few tricks up his sleeve and the Rams will need to be on their A-game. That’s especially the case with the new kickoff rules and more returns in that aspect of the game. The Rams will need to be disciplined on special teams and be ready for anything.
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