Giants vs. Cowboys (Week 1) | Game Highlights | NFL
The Rams havent faced the Giants since December 2014, but theyll see a few familiar faces Sunday in London.
New York signed cornerback Janoris Jenkins this offseason, rewarding him with a five-year contract worth up to $62.5 million after he spent the first four years of his career with the Rams in St. Louis. He has seven passes defensed to go along with two interceptions, and Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday that the former second-round pick is playing as well as any corner in the league.
That the Giants successfully pried Jenkins away from the Rams who exercised their franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson also delayed the arrival of another cornerback.
Coty Sensabaugh arrived in Los Angeles this offseason on three-year contract worth up to $15 million, and was drawn to the Rams in part because of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, whom he had played for in Tennessee.
In doing so, Sensabaugh had spurned the Giants, the first team to contact him in free agency. Part of the reason? Jenkins presence.
But his stint in Southern California lasted a month into the regular season. The Rams benched Sensabaugh in the middle of his second game, deactivated him for his fourth, and cut him shortly thereafter. That freed him up to join the Giants, who signed him last Tuesday.
Ironically, I ended up being here, he told local reporters recently.
WHOS COACHING THE GIANTS?
Even two Super Bowl rings only buy you so much time.
The Giants forced out Tom Coughlin this past offseason, ending a tenure that produced two championships over 12 years. Despite those thrilling peaks including an upset of the then-undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII that span featured just six winning seasons, and ended with back-to-back 6-10 records.
His successor is Ben McAdoo, 39, who is getting his first shot as a head coach. Promoted after two years as the Giants offensive coordinator, McAdoo provides schematic consistency for quarterback Eli Manning, who is coming off the best statistical season of his 13-year career.
BY THE NUMBERS
35 TD passes thrown by Manning in 2015, tied for second in the NFL
8 TD passes thrown by Manning this season, tied for 12th in the NFL
420.3 Yards per game allowed by the Giants defense in 2015, most in the league
363.7 Yards per game allowed by the Giants defense this season, 14th-most in the league
114 Millions of dollars the Giants guaranteed to four free-agent signings on defense
1 Sacks by Olivier Vernon, who signed a five-year contract worth up to $85 million
PLAYER TO WATCH
Barring a surprise recovery, the Rams will be without top cornerback Trumaine Johnson for the second week in a row.
Thats particularly worrisome given their looming matchup against Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the two-time Pro Bowler who broke out of a slow-ish start to the season with 222 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens. But Beckham might not be the Rams only concern. New York could try to pick on cornerback Troy Hill rather than E.J. Gaines a tactic that could mean big numbers for Sterling Shepard or Victor Cruz.
Drafted 40th overall out of Oklahoma, Shepard is the most targeted rookie receiver in the NFL, and has turned his 26 catches into 302 yards and two scores.
In last weeks 31-28 loss to Detroit, the Rams gave up just 10 receiving yards to Marvin Jones who entered the game as the leagues leading receiver but allowed 165 to Golden Tate.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
Im sure therell be some naps.
Manning, on the Giants changing their body clocks before flying to London on Thursday.
Contact the writer: jwang@scng.com
Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/giants-732645-rams-yards.html
