San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)

RAMS NOT TAKING GIANTS LIGHTLY

- BY GARY KLEIN Klein writes for the L.A. Times.

As his winless team prepared for today’s game against the Rams, first-year New York Giants coach Joe Judge apparently engaged in opposition research that went beyond the last few seasons.

The Rams won NFL titles in 1945 playing in Cleveland, in 1951 playing in Los Angeles and 1999 playing in St. Louis.

“Obviously, the only team in NFL history to win three world championsh­ips in three different cities,” Judge told reporters this week.

It’s too early in the season to ascertain whether the Rams are a true Super Bowl contender.

But they are a 2-1 team playing with confidence going into their game against the 0-3 Giants at Sofi Stadium. Victories over the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelph­ia Eagles gave the Rams momentum. And their historic comeback from a 25point deficit on the road against the Buffalo Bills mitigated the disappoint­ment of losing that game in the final seconds.

So quarterbac­k Jared Goff is not concerned about the Rams’ ability to respond after an emotional defeat.

“We’ve always been really good at moving on and getting on to the next game, whoever it may be,” said Goff, who is off to solid start in his fifth NFL season.

The Giants do not appear to pose much of a threat.

They lost their opener to

Today: 1:05 p.m., Sofi Stadium, Inglewood Line: Rams by 131 ⁄2 On the air: Ch. 5/69

the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-16. During a 17-13 defeat by the Chicago Bears, they suffered an even bigger loss when star running back Saquon Barkley went down with a seasonendi­ng knee injury. Last Sunday, the Giants did not score a touchdown in a 36-9 rout by the San Francisco 49ers.

The Giants rank last in the league in total offense and rushing. They are nextto-last in scoring.

But Rams players said this week there could be no letdown because all teams in the talent-rich NFL are capable of making plays.

“The way we respect our opponents and respect the game is by going out there and being on our ‘A’ game regardless of who the opponent is,” cornerback Jalen Ramsey said.

The Rams are aiming to avoid another game that requires a comeback.

Last Sunday, the Rams spotted the unbeaten Bills a 28-3 third-quarter lead before the offense and defense stepped up. The offensive line created holes for running backs Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown, and the Rams finished with 167 yards rushing.

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