The Los Angeles Rams are looking to bounce back from last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but their Week 13 opponent isn't one they can afford to look past. The New Orleans Saints are 4-7 but as Sean McVay said, their record is "misleading."
The Saints are better than their record indicates, going 2-0 in their two games against Darren Rizzi and they're coming off a Week 12 bye, so they're well-rested. They pose some problems for the Rams, which will make Sunday's matchup a tough one for Los Angeles.
Here are the Rams' five biggest causes for concern.
1. Facing a team that's fresh off a bye
The Rams won't face a more well-rested team than the Saints all year. Not only is New Orleans fresh off a bye, but the Saints haven't had a road game since Week 9. That means they've been home either playing or resting for the last three weeks. The Rams, meanwhile, have had trips to Seattle and New England in the last four weeks and are now on the road once again in New Orleans.
Under Sean McVay, the Rams are just 4-6 against teams coming off a bye, including a 1-6 since 2020.
2. Stopping Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill
The Rams had no answer for Saquon Barkley last week, allowing him to rush for 255 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 47 yards receiving, putting him over 300 yards from scrimmage. Kamara doesn't have the breakaway speed that Barkley does, but he's similarly versatile and could pose problems for the Rams defense as a runner and receiver.
Add in Taysom Hill, who's become a real X-factor for New Orleans, and the Rams might be very vulnerable on the ground again this weekend.
3. Converting on third down
No team has been worse than the Rams on third down in the last four weeks. They've gone 8-for-41 on third down, including an 0-for-8 showing against the Eagles. The Saints rank 14th in third-down conversion rate allowed this season, so the Rams are facing another solid defense this weekend.
If they have another terrible game on third down, the Rams are going to have a hard time sustaining drives and putting up points again.
4. Bouncing back from a demoralizing loss
McVay said Sunday's game was a humbling loss, one of the few he and the Rams have suffered during his tenure. It's hard to get much worse than a loss like that, especially considering the game wasn't even as close as the 37-20 score indicates.
Picking themselves off the mat might be hard for the Rams. They can't come out flat and lacking energy against a team that will probably have plenty of it after its bye.
5. Limiting explosive plays.
Since Week 9, the Saints have 11 rushes of at least 10 yards, which ranks in the top 10 in the NFL. That's despite New Orleans having a bye in Week 12, too. They've also had 10 passes of 20-plus yards since Week 9, which is only three games – so an average of 3.3 per game.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has become a big-play weapon for New Orleans, as are Kamara and Hill.
