Giants-Rams Week 2 Preview: Breaking Down the Biggest Matchup That Could Decide the Game

The Rams' shaky run defense meets the Giants' ground-and-pound attack, setting up a Week 2 clash that could hinge on the line of scrimmage.

Aug 30, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) at practice at the Rams Practice Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 1 was a good test for this retooled, revamped New York Giants offense. They controlled the ball and chewed up significant time in the game.

It not only let them keep the game on their terms, but it also helped the defense limit the touches the Cowboys' offense got. They ran the ball well and spread the ball to multiple receivers en route to an impressive 28-20 victory.

Week 2 offers a different set of issues against the Los Angeles Rams' defense: another step up in class and what will be a more difficult matchup, with the Rams having 10 days to prepare for what they saw from the Giants on Sunday night.

Even if the defense isn't at full strength, the Rams have multiple players and a solid scheme that should be difficult for the Giants to solve.

If New York can put together a second game in a row where they dominate the football, it could be a sign of great things to come for the Giants.

Base Personnel

Aug 30, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula at practice at the Rams Practice Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chris Shula is another defensive coordinator off the Vic Fangio tree, so it's not surprising the Rams run a 3-4 front, which can morph into a 4-2 nickel or a 5-1 penny look.

Shula likes to employ five men across the defensive front and work from there. They usually have three interior defensive linemen flanked by two edge rushers.

A notable twist to Shula's defense is that you'll see one off-ball linebacker in many of their defensive fronts. It will be interesting to see if they do that against the Giants and their power running game.

You could see them put more linebackers on the field as they look to shut down the Giants' rushing attack. This, in turn, could open up the Giants' passing game.

Primary Coverage

The Rams utilize a split-safety look that employs a Cover 4 or quarters look as their primary coverage. This lets them play zone underneath but switch to man as receivers get deeper in their routes.

They also use Cover 6, a quarter-quarter-half philosophy. The cornerback and safety to the field side play quarters; in contrast, the other deep safety plays the half, and the cornerback to the half-safety side plays underneath shallow coverage.

Pass Defense

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) against the San Francisco 49ers during the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game at Melbourne Cricket Ground. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In Week 1, the Rams surrendered 200 passing yards, which ranked them 16th overall in the league.

The Rams now have the Chiefs' top two primary corners from 2025. They traded for standout cornerback Trent McDuffie, and they signed Jalen Watson as an unrestricted free agent.

Those two will be the catalyst for what the Rams hope will be a more formidable pass defense, giving their defensive front more time to eat.

The two Cams man the safety positions, but both Kamren Kinchens and Kam Curl are dealing with injuries that have limited them in practice as they get ready for Monday night.

They, along with Quinton Lake at nickelback, control the Rams' ability to be multiple in their looks and diverse in their coverage.

Rush Defense

The pass defense is formidable and should be a problem this offensive brain trust must solve. The rush defense looks very different after one game. They surrendered 163 rushing yards, a whopping 5.6 yards per carry.

Lake led the team with seven solo stops and 10 total stops, followed by Kinchens with nine total stops. That is a bad sign when both defensive backs are the leading tacklers.

Those are stats that would make the Giants' physical rush offense drool to get their hands on. The Rams ranked 26th in rush defense after Week 1, and the Giants should look to control the game there.

Injury Outlook

The Rams will be without All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who is currently on injured reserve. However, a few other players could be questionable for the Monday night tilt.

Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl (3) celebrates with safety Kamren Kinchens | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Those include Curl and Kinchens — Kinchens has a hamstring issue, and Curl has an ankle injury. Linebackers Quentin Speights (hip) and Nate Landman (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries that cast doubt on their status for Monday.  

Giants Offensive Gameplan

Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) and quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) stand during the national anthem before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How the Giants defeated the Cowboys on Sunday night should offer insight into how they plan to beat every team this season.

They should look to control the line of scrimmage with the run game, complete a high percentage of short-to-intermediate throws, work from under center off play action to keep defenses guessing, and control the clock to limit their opponents' opportunities.

This will undoubtedly be the plan in Week 2: the Rams run a defense very similar to what the Giants saw from the Cowboys in Week 1. Yes, the Rams have some better personnel, but much like Dallas, they still struggle to stop the run.

Look for the Giants to dominate the line of scrimmage and keep the chains moving by hitting their pass receivers with intermediate and short routes.

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