The Los Angeles Rams are already trying to steady themselves after a rough Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and now they have another problem to sort through before Monday Night Football against the New York Giants.
Puka Nacua did not practice Friday because of a hip issue, and Sean McVay said that same injury kept him out again on Saturday. Benjamin Royer of The O.C. Register reported, "Rams coach Sean McVay says that Puka Nacua (hip) is not practicing today and will be questionable for Monday Night Football," Royer reports.
That leaves Nacua in a shaky spot heading into Week 2. He could still be available on Monday night, but missing two straight practices is not the kind of news the Rams wanted with the game so close. Hip injuries are rarely simple, and this one has enough uncertainty around it to make Rams fans uneasy.
The timing matters, too. A second straight loss would send Los Angeles to 0-2, and that would make the path through the NFC West much steeper. The Week 1 defeat already put the Rams in a tough position, and now they are dealing with another injury question on top of it.
For now, Nacua is only listed as questionable, but there is clearly real doubt about whether he’ll be out there against the Giants. If he can’t go, Davante Adams and the tight end group would be in line for a much heavier workload, and Matthew Stafford would need to carry a bigger load without one of his top targets.
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Eli Manning Sees Something Giants Fans Have Missed In Cam Skattebo
Cam Skattebo has already given the Giants a jolt early in the season, and it has not just been the production that stood out. Eli Manning, watching from afar like plenty of fans around the team, pointed to the rookie backs aggressive approach and the edge he brings every time he touches the ball, even drawing a parallel to former Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey. After opening with 81 rushing yards and a touchdown, Skattebo has quickly pushed himself into the conversation as the clubs top back.
What has also caught Mannings attention is the way Skattebo has handled the aftermath of a severe leg injury. There had been some questions about whether the injury might change his style, but Manning said the same intensity shows up in practice and in games. For a Giants offense looking for players who bring a little attitude with their production, Skattebo is already giving them both, and now the bigger question is how far that edge can carry him over the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Found A Week 2 Path The Rams May Not Handle
The Rams Week 1 loss to the 49ers put a familiar kind of pressure on their defense, one the Giants have already shown they can apply. San Francisco leaned on short passes and nickel looks to keep Los Angeles chasing, and New Yorks opening win over Dallas offered a useful template of its own, with the Giants winning by staying patient and taking what the defense gave them.
That puts the matchup in Week 2 in an interesting spot for Brian Dabolls offense. If the Giants can keep the passing game conservative, stay efficient on third down and keep finding the right personnel answers against Los Angeles, they could force the Rams into the same uncomfortable script the 49ers used. The question is whether New York can stay disciplined enough to make that plan work again. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Early Draft Outlook Exposes A Bigger Roster Problem Than Expected
The Giants early draft picture is already pointing in a familiar direction, and not just because the offensive line needs more help. Todd McShays September mock draft has the team looking at tackle, but the broader read from the roster is more complicated than one position fix, with defensive tackle, cornerback and wide receiver all landing among the biggest needs heading into the spring.
For a team trying to climb back into contention, that kind of spread matters. It means the Giants may not be drafting for one clean solution so much as sorting through several areas that still need better talent, which is why a few first-round prospects at those spots are already coming up as realistic fits. The question now is less about whether New York can find a blue-chip target than which hole it decides is most urgent when the board starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]