Canal Street Chronicles
Let’s start the breakdown for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams!
Last game against the Buccaneers, Banks had a decent performance, but this could be a bad week for the rookie. One of Banks’ worst games in college came when facing the Georgia Bulldogs, and that was one of the reasons because he faced EDGE Mykel Williams, who relies on power. Now imagine Williams, but a 10x better pass rusher and even more powerful, that’s Jared Verse. Being last year’s defensive rookie of the year, Verse was one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the league at times. This may be the biggest test of the season for Banks. Let’s see if he can get the job done.
Admittedly, one of the reasons why I wanted to start this weekly rookie impact report was that Tyler Shough’s becoming the starter felt more likely. Well, here we are. After Spencer Rattler’s benching last week, Shough showed some early promise, but it felt like watching his tape from college. Now, with a week to practice as the starter, Shough’s timing with receivers should be much better, and he could improve. The issue is the Rams’ defense, which can be game-wrecking in pass rush. If the offensive line does hold up, Shough could have a good game against the Rams, but I’m not sure how confident I am in that outcome.
I decided to combine Jonas Sanker and Quincy Riley’s sections because they were going to be too similar to keep separate. Rams HC Sean McVay will test these young DBs all day, and the potential matchups are scary. WR Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are both WR1 on most rosters, Tutu Atwell is a very good speed threat, Jordan Whittington, and TE Tyler Higbee can always randomly have a monster game. The person throwing these passes to the catchers is also one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Matthew Stafford.
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Saints’ loss last week was their early departure from the run, specifically with Devin Neal. New Orleans did not run the game with Neal the entire game, which is entirely unacceptable. Now, with Alvin Kamara questionable for Sunday’s game, Neal better be more utilized against the Rams. Still, again, like with almost every rookie I have mentioned, it’s going to be a test. The Rams have improved their run defense this season, and although they are not top-tier, it is still a difficult matchup for a rookie to walk into.
Both players have been on and off the practice squad, so it is unknown if they will play on Sunday.
