It's the Super Bowl that could have been.
Each team lost its conference championship game by one score, so instead of the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams getting together in February at Levi's Stadium, they settle for Sunday Night Football in Week 3 at Mile High.
The clear-cut best game on the NFL schedule this week, the matchup is fascinating for a bevy of reasons, including the fact that both franchises went for it this off-season, striving to take that next step this winter.
The Rams' moves you're familiar with. If not for all the tectonic shifts coming out of Los Angeles, perhaps even more would have been made of Denver's acquisition of receiver Jaylen Waddle, sending multiple picks including a first-rounder to Miami, in what was a very Rams-like transaction.
Despite their roster investments, both teams flopped in Week 1 and showed signs of life in Week 2, setting up this high leverage matchup of 1-1 teams in the Rocky Mountains.
Let's Be Real
Winning in the NFL is so hard, it's foolish to poke holes in any victory.
However, banged up as they are, there's a world in which the New York Giants end up being the weakest opponent on the Rams 2026 slate. So this week on Between the Horns, before previewing the Broncos, we started by parsing out the good outcomes LA earned on Monday Night Football (and there were plenty on both sides of the ball) to determine what bodes well for the future.
And yes, we also discussed the ongoing issues in the kicking game.
NFC Wes
But if you watch one thing after finishing this column, I hope it's our latest episode of Rams Revealed with Wesley Bailey.
How did an undrafted rookie out of Rutgers and Louisville make the most loaded 53-man roster in the NFL, much less register his first career sack in prime time?
Through his own ability, belief, and hard work, to be certain.
"He forced his way on the team through his performance in training camp," defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. "He's one of those guys that you're excited about him during OTAs. You're like, 'Is he really this good?' Then in training camp, he keeps doing it. Then he does it in a preseason game and you're like, 'Alright, I'm a full believer now'."
But Bailey also capitalized on unforeseen opportunity in the outside linebacker room. First, Keir Thomas suffered another August injury. Then, Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve upon returning from Australia.
In a span of less than a month, Bailey catapulted from a relative unknown, uncertain to ever appear in an NFL game, to playing 19 snaps on defense and dropping Jameis Winston in front of a global audience.
It's the turn of fortune you can only fully appreciate by hearing about his humble – and tragic – beginnings.
Notes and Quotes
Sunday marks the first matchup between the Broncos and Rams since Christmas Day, 2022. Terrible season, awesome game. Baker Mayfield and the Rams blew the doors off Russell Wilson and the Broncos, 51-14, tied for the largest margin of victory of Sean McVay's tenure.
More recently, the Rams have won eight straight games against AFC opponents, the longest active streak in the NFL. However, Bo Nix and the Broncos have won nine in a row against the NFC, so something's got to give.
Nix plays behind one of the best offensive lines in football, though they haven't seen Aaron Donald lately. The future Hall of Famer played 33 snaps on Monday in his return, though it looked like 198 on film.
"After watching film at least six times, really breaking myself down, I was like, 'Okay, not as bad as I thought.' A lot of things to clean up, but we're on the right track," Donald reported on Thursday.
As the 35-year-old legend works to recapture his form, 23-year-old tight end Terrance Ferguson is one game closer to finding his.
"What I like about 'Ferg' is he's such a versatile player that you feel like you can move him around in a formation," offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase said. "It's hard for a defense to get a bead on exactly where he's going to be and exactly what his responsibility is going to be."
Ferguson was targeted nine times on Monday, more than double his previous career-high. Only Davante Adams had more, converting his 10 targets into his best outing as a Ram. According to NFL Pro, Adams caught seven of his eight downfield targets (10+ air yards) in Week 2 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, tying his most downfield receiving yards in any game of his career.
Whereas the Giants were depleted at corner, this week's challenge is graduate level. Broncos All-Pro Patrick Surtain has not allowed a downfield reception on his last 213 coverage snaps. Adams has caught 13 of 22 targets for 172 yards and two touchdowns when they've gone head-to-head, the most targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns of any pass-catcher against Surtain.
"Before coming into this year and playing with Trent [McDuffie], I was saying he [Surtain] was the best," Adams said. "I have a lot of respect for a lot of guys, but he's definitely up there as far as one of the ones I have the most respect for."
As for the guy spinning it, with 111 passing yards in Week 3, Stafford will become the first player in NFL history to have 20,000 career passing yards with two different franchises. And this one may have to wait for Philadelphia, but let's not put it past him: Stafford is also five passing touchdowns shy of becoming the first to have 150-or-more with two teams.
Finally, a word on the running game. Though both put the football on the deck last time out, Kyren Williams (85) and Blake Corum (79) kept the chains moving. The win over the Giants marked the fourth game since 2025 in which each had 70 yards rushing, most among all duos in the NFL across that span.
"I think those guys are as alike of two running backs as I've played with probably in my career," Stafford remarked this week. "We feel like we can call any play in our playbook at any time with either of those guys in there and feel really confident about it."
Hopefully the Rams can get after the Broncos with their ground game on Sunday night, much like Kansas City did in the opener. The Broncos cleaned some things up in Week 2, missing only 10 tackles against the Jaguars after missing a whopping 28 in Kansas City.
Denver's defense ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing DVOA.
Watching the West
The Rams are the first team in league history to open a season with three prime time assignments, and they'll kick off on a third day of the week in a third time zone, as well.
As a result, the rest of the Week 3 NFC West action will be in the books before kickoff at Mile High.
Seattle (2-0) looks every bit the part of the defending champion, and that's with Drew Lock at the controls. Sam Darnold's backup leads the NFL in passer rating through two weeks (thanks in large part to Jaxon Smith-Njigba), while the Seahawks have only given up 17 points, combined, on defense. Will the Washington Commanders be able to put up any resistance with their backup quarterback Marcus Mariota?
San Francisco also has a chance to start 3-0, with yet another home game, this time against Arizona. For the first time in franchise history, the Niners have won their first two contests by at least 20 points apiece. They've had seven players score a touchdown already, and Brock Purdy is the only one of them yet to see his 30th birthday. Perhaps former Ram Brandin Cooks is next, after the 32-year-old was signed to the practice squad this week.
Speaking of grizzled vets getting it done, we'll leave you with this…
San Francisco awaits the Denver Broncos next Sunday in Santa Clara.
