New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams: 6 keys to victory in Week 2 - Giants Wire
The New York Giants surprised the league, but not themselves, with a 28-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Many around the league pegged the Cowboys as the team to take over the NFC East from the Philadelphia Eagles, but it seems Big Blue has something to say about that.
This week, the Giants head west to face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Monday Night Football. The Rams are coming off a disastrous loss to the San Francisco 49ers and will look to rebound at home.
Similar to last week, most of the NFL believes the Giants are going to lose this week. They're on the road. It's a primetime game. The Rams desperately need a win. But that desperation can also lead to overzealous plays, turnovers, and errors that stall drives. The Giants will be ready to capitalize on all of it.
Let's take a look at six keys to victory for the Giants at the Rams on Monday.
The Rams are desperate. They need a win not only for their own confidence, but to keep pace in their division. The Giants have to be ready for the intensity that Sean McVay will have burned into his players by the time kickoff arrives. The Rams will come out fast and strong, and they'll look to knock the Giants on their heels. New York must be ready to match the Rams' intensity, or that's exactly what is going to happen.
Big Blue's secondary, this one is for you. Last week, defensive pass interference was a major problem. The Giants had 10 total penalties in their win over the Cowboys, but that many penalties against the Rams will cause a major problem. The Giants have to watch their hands. No holds. No illegal touching. No grabbing receivers' arms. Do not give the Rams free plays or help them extend and sustain drives due to penalties. They have to play with discipline.
The Giants only lost one fumble last week, but had four in total. In 2025, the Rams were sixth in interceptions (16) and ninth in fumble recoveries (nine). They won't have Myles Garrett to help with this against the Giants, but they didn't have him last season either.
New York must hold on to the ball. No turnovers.
There are a lot of things the Giants had success with against the Cowboys, and they need to repeat those successes if they want further success. Controlling the clock was one of the biggest successes the Giants had against the Cowboys. They possessed the ball for over 36 minutes, leaving Dallas with just over 23 minutes to work with. That's a major factor in how the Giants won the game.
Winning time of possession doesn't automatically translate to winning the game. The Giants still have to be disciplined and keep hold of the ball. But winning time of possession plays a big role in that. The longer they hold the ball, the less time the Rams have it and the less time the Rams have to score points.
The Giants cannot afford to pull any of their secondary members to help get pressure on Matthew Stafford. They have to generate that pressure without sending extra men. Why? The Rams' wide receivers will make the Giants pay every time they do that. Stafford is a veteran quarterback who can make quick reads and know exactly where to send the ball. And when the ball gets to the target left open by the Giants trying to create pressure, they'll make the defense pay.
Stafford's ability to get the ball where it needs to go is only half of the battle. Puka Nacua (if he plays), Davante Adams, a tight end, and even Kyren Williams all have the ability to burst down the field when unmarked.
The Rams' crowd is going to be loud and louder. They will do everything in their power to make it harder for the Giants to communicate on the field. If the Giants can take an early lead, if they can score first, and if they can keep the Rams' offense off the field, they'll take the wind out of the crowd's sails. Without the crowd, the Rams will struggle to maintain confidence. They'll find themselves wondering how they got there, and they'll start making mistakes while trying to do too much.
