For the second week in a row, the Los Angeles Rams will face an AFC East team that’s sitting well below .500. Unfortunately, they didn’t get the job done on Monday night when they lost to the Miami Dolphins, but Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots is a very winnable one despite being on the road.
If the Rams are going to take down Jerod Mayo and his team, they’ll need to win some key individual matchups on the field. They have to generate pressure on Drake Maye with Jared Verse and they have to protect Matthew Stafford from Keion White and New England’s pass rush.
Here are five of the biggest matchups of Week 11.
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Lowe has given up 18 pressures in seven games this season, giving him a pass-blocking grade of 64.0 at Pro Football Focus. Verse is getting better by the week and could be in for a huge game against the Patriots’ left tackle. His ability to generate pressure off the right side of the defense is crucial for the Rams because as we saw against the Dolphins on Monday night, it can lead to not only sacks but also forced fumbles and takeaways.
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Gonzalez is one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL and he almost always lines up on the outside against opposing receivers. This matchup between he and Nacua will be a fun one, but it could result in some limited opportunities for Nacua – or at least plenty of contested catches. Gonzalez is a corner the Patriots can leave on an island without needing to send extra safety help to, allowing them to focus attention on other receivers such as Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson.
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We don’t yet know who will get the start at right tackle but it sounds like Rob Havenstein will miss another game and Sean McVay said that even if Joe Noteboom is healthy enough, McClendon could get the start over him. White has been the Patriots’ top pass rusher this season, recording 15 more sacks than any other player on defense, so the Rams must be aware of where he is at all times.
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Durant and Quentin Lake will both get snaps in the slot against Douglas, who leads all Patriots wideouts with 39 catches and 356 yards. Only Hunter Henry has more than him this season, but Douglas’ agility in the slot could give Durant trouble. He struggled badly against Jaxon Smith-Njigba in…
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