Even after one quiet Sunday, it turns out Davante Adams still has plenty left to say.
The Rams’ receiver went from an underwhelming Week 1 to a monster Monday night, piling up 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Giants. For a player who was mostly bottled up in the opener against the 49ers, it was the kind of response that changes the conversation fast.
That conversation had already started turning skeptical. On an episode of the Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms put his doubts about Adams on the record:
"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."
The Giants, at least for most of the night, seemed to take that as a workable plan. Adams was allowed to find space, work the soft spots in coverage and win his matchups without much resistance. That’s a dangerous way to treat a receiver of his caliber, especially with Puka Nacua sidelined by a groin injury and Adams functioning as the clear focal point.
One play in particular summed it up: the over-the-shoulder fade in the end zone between Adams and Matthew Stafford. That’s the kind of throw-catch combination almost nobody stops.
If the ball is placed even a little too far, maybe there’s a chance. Otherwise, it’s trouble.
For Rams fans, the performance was a sharp reminder of why the team was so eager to see what Adams could do in his second season in Los Angeles. He’s 33 and in his 13th year, but the expectation coming out of camp was that a healthier Stafford and more time together would unlock more production, not less.
That made Week 1 sting all the more. Adams managed just three catches for 26 yards in the opener, a rough start for a player many thought would be more central to the offense.
Monday night looked nothing like that. Adams did most of his damage in the middle of the field, including a 64-yard gain and a 31-yard touchdown. He also added the pylon fade, another reminder that the Stafford-Adams connection still has plenty of force behind it.
And if anyone needed a final visual, it came when Adams reached up to haul in a high Stafford pass for his first big grab of the night. For Rams fans watching in blue and yellow, it was the sort of sight that made the early doubts feel awfully premature.
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