After opening the 2019 season with a 30-27 win at the Carolina Panthers, the Rams shift their attention toward Sunday's home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
Los Angeles' Week 2 matchup is a rematch of last year's NFC Championship, in which the Rams defeated the Saints 26-23 in overtime on a 57-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein to advance to Super Bowl LIII. In the regular season, the Saints defeated the Rams 45-35 in New Orleans.
Every week, TheRams.com will be taking an aggregate look at where the team ranks in different outlets across the sports media landscape. Here are the power rankings for the Rams heading into Week 2:
Last Week: 2
Change: -
"A very nice start for the Rams, who picked up a road win against a tough Panthers team on an afternoon where quarterback Jared Goff was not overly sharp, their special teams were uncharacteristically sloppy and defensive tackle Aaron Donald had perhaps the quietest day of his career. Their heroes came elsewhere. Rams linebacker Cory Littleton stuffed the stat sheet with 14 tackles, an interception and forced fumble, which he recovered. (The fumble came on one of those plays where the defender straight up punches the pigskin out of the ball-carrier's hands, always an underrated feat of savagery on the field.) Todd Gurley was part of a committee attack in the backfield, but still rushed for nearly 100 yards on 14 carries and iced the game with a pair of rushes coming out of the two-minute warning. This was a win that showed off Los Angeles' enviable depth. The Rams have a lot of people who can beat you."
Last Week: 4
Change: -
"Rookie who flashed: Taylor Rapp, S
"How the newcomer starred: The versatility of the second-round pick was on display throughout the 32 snaps (48%) he played on defense. Before the game, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said Rapp would not be used only as a backup and noted his "short-area quickness" and tackling ability. Against the Panthers, Rapp took the field often as a third safety, alongside John Johnson III and Marqui Christian (Eric Weddle left the game due to injury) and lined up in multiple spots. He finished with three tackles." -- Lindsey Thiry
Last Week: 2
Change: -
"There weren't a lot of big plays in the Rams' passing attack. Jared Goff averaged less than 5 yards per attempt. L.A. had some issues passing late last season, so it's worth keeping an eye on."
Last Week: 3
Change: -1
"The Los Angeles Rams faced quite a few questions heading into a stiff test at Carolina in Week 1.
"How well would they rebound from their lackluster showing in Super Bowl LIII? How would they handle tailback Todd Gurley II's balky knee?
"The answered the latter question with a committee. Although they gashed the Panthers for 166 yards on the ground, Gurley had only 14 totes for 97 yards.
"They answered the former question emphatically as well.
"The Rams didn't have a gonzo day throwing the ball, but they put 30 points on the board against a quality opponent on the road. They made plays when they needed to and showed they remain the class of an NFC West division that didn't lose a game in Week 1.
"Things don't get any easier from here, though. In Week 2, the Rams host the Saints in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game."
Last Week: 10
Change: +1
"Quite a start by LBs, Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews combining for three sacks while Cory Littleton tied for league lead with 14 tackles."
Last Week: 4
Change: +1
"The Rams are still among the NFL's best, but has the rest of the league caught up with them yet? We'll find out soon enough."
Last Week: 3
Change: -1
"Winning on the road to open the season against a good Carolina team says the Super Bowl hangover won't be an issue. Getting Todd Gurley going in the second half was big."
Last Week: 4
Change: -
"Running back Todd Gurley II probably put to rest some of the talk about his knee issues with his big fourth quarter at Carolina. Still, he had done little for three quarters as the Rams gave most of the early carries to Malcolm Brown. The defending NFC champs nearly let a second-half lead slip away but managed to hold on late and get their season off to a winning start."
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT'S RANKS — THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
NFL.com — 4
ESPN.com — 3
Yahoo! Sports — 3
Bleacher Report — 3
USA Today — 4
Sports Illustrated — 4
CBS Sports — 6
The Washington Post — 3
