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Can Rams win fourth game in a row and avoid trap game vs. Jets in Week 16?
For the third time this season, the Los Angeles Rams will be playing in the early slate, meaning a 10 a.m. PT start. Following a 10-day break, the Rams are set to travel to the east coast to take on the New York Jets — a team that Sean McVay has never beaten in his coaching career. The Rams will be going for their fourth consecutive win as they make a push for the NFC West title. While the Jets haven’t been good this season, they still have the talent capable of an upset. Here are five keys to victory for the Rams against the Jets.
Back in 2020, the Rams traveled to the Meadowlands to take on an 0-13 Jets team led by a not very good Sam Darnold at quarterback. The Rams were clearly favored in that game, but three-and-outs on offense combined with an interception and blocked punt resulted in them being down 20-3 in the third quarter.
The Rams have been susceptible to slow starts this season and the worst thing that they can do against a bad team is give them life. A few weeks ago, the Seahawks managed to come back from a 21-7 deficit to beat the Jets on the road in the early window. However, that shouldn’t be a risk that the Rams are willing to take. The earlier the Rams can put the Jets away, the better.
The Jets defense may not be as dominant as it has been over the past few years. With that said, there are still players on that side of the ball that can blow up an offensive game plan. Quinnen Williams has been dealing with a hamstring injury this week, but if he plays, the Jets defensive tackle ranks fourth in the NFL in pressures. Williams was a big reason for the Jets’ win against the Rams back in 2020. On the edge, Will McDonald IV has been productive this season with 52 pressures and 10 sacks.
Rob Havenstein and Alaric Jackson tend to struggle against speed rushers that can win around the edge. That’s exactly what McDonald brings. Meanwhile, Williams is simply a dominant player on the interior. Additionally, while the Jets only blitz at an average rate, they pick their spots well. They have allowed the second-lowest success rate when blitzing this season. It will be key for the Rams offensive line to pick that up and for Stafford to know where to go with the ball. That’s especially the case when the Rams go to empty where the Jets have the second-most sacks this season.
The Jets have the talent to be better than a team that is 4-10. However, they are 4-10 for a reason and it is because they make the mistakes that consistently haunt...
