The Los Angeles Rams opened Week 2 with a report that mostly points in the right direction, but there are still a few names worth watching as Monday Night Football against the New York Giants gets closer.
Safety Kam Curl was limited because of an ankle injury, while linebackers Omar Speights and Nate Landman were also limited. The only Rams players who did not practice were Kam Kinchens and Davante Adams. Kinchens was out with a hamstring injury, while Adams was simply given a veteran rest day.
Kinchens is the one that stands out most. He was the only player held out on Thursday who wasn’t being rested, and he also picked up the hamstring issue in the loss to the 49ers.
Sean McVay first brought up the injury on Wednesday during the Coach McVay Show, saying it would be something the team keeps tabs on all week. If Kinchens can’t go, it could affect how the Rams deploy Quentin Lake and likely lead to more Jaylen McCollough.
Curl and Landman both exited the 49ers game in the second half. McVay said Monday that Curl was “good,” though he was dealing with some ankle soreness. Landman, meanwhile, has been working through shoulder and thumb issues, but the expectation is that he’ll be ready.
Speights is another player to monitor closely. He suffered a hip pointer against San Francisco and McVay said he’s been progressing.
“He's got some swelling there, but we'll manage him throughout the week,” said McVay. “He’s feeling better than what we had anticipated.”
If Speights can’t suit up, the Rams would likely lean on Shaun Dolac again. When Speights left last week’s game, Dolac handled the spot and held up well, even if the Rams would clearly prefer Speights there.
The Giants had their own list of limited players: cornerback Tae Banks (calf), defensive end Chauncey Golston (neck), right guard Francis Mauigoa (shoulder), linebacker Micah McFadden (neck), cornerback Greg Newsome (rib), and left tackle Andrew Thomas (ankle). Cornerback Paulson Adebo was the only Giant who did not practice, sitting out with a knee injury.
Los Angeles will keep a close eye on Mauigoa and Thomas as the week goes on. If New York has to manage issues up front, that could make life tougher for quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Rams also officially placed Myles Garrett on injured reserve Thursday through the NFL transaction wire. For now, though, Los Angeles looks to be in solid shape heading into Week 2, with Kinchens and Speights the main situations to track. The Rams will practice Friday and Saturday before heading into Monday night.
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