Before the season began, the Rams looked like they would be huge underdogs against the Bengals in Week 3. However, it’s now the Rams with a better record than Cincinnati after two weeks.
The Rams are still slight underdogs despite Joe Burrow’s uncertain status for Monday, but this is a very winnable game – one they might’ve been favored in if it were played at SoFi Stadium.
Buy Rams TicketsLooking at Monday’s matchup, here are the Rams’ five biggest concerns against the Bengals.
Covering Bengals’ talented WRs
No matter who’s at quarterback, the Bengals’ wide receivers won’t change. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are still one of the best receiving tandems in the league, which will make life tough for Derion Kendrick, Ahkello Witherspoon and Cobie Durant on Monday night.
Los Angeles can’t let Chase and Higgins get loose in this one, even if it’s Jake Browning at quarterback. The guy throwing the ball doesn’t matter if the wide receivers can make defenders miss after the catch, and if they can create a lot of separation, any NFL quarterback will be able to complete passes.
Avoiding costly turnovers
If not for two interceptions last week against the 49ers, the Rams would’ve had a real chance to win that game. Unfortunately, they were unable to overcome those two costly mistakes, but they have a chance to change that on Monday night.
Against a struggling Bengals team, the Rams can’t afford to give Cincinnati extra possessions by turning the ball over. It’ll be the quickest way to let the Bengals back into the game if the Rams gain a lead, so it’ll be on Matthew Stafford to take care of the ball and try to avoid giving the ball away.
Slowing down Cincinnati’s pass rush
The Bengals might have the fourth-lowest pressure rate in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have talented pass rushers. Trey Hendrickson is still there, as is DJ Reader and Sam Hubbard. The Rams can’t take this defensive front lightly because if they allow consistent pressure on Stafford like they did in the second half, the offense will stall.
Hendrickson, in particular, is a player to be mindful of. As the right end in Cincinnati’s defense, Alaric Jackson will see a lot of the relentless pass rusher across from him. Steve Avila will help with double-teams but it’s on Jackson to lock down Hendrickson.
Third-down regression
The Rams have been outstanding on third down this season, ranking second in conversion rate on offense and defense. It’s a big reason they beat the Seahawks and were competitive against the 49ers. But as good as they’ve been on third down, it’s reasonable to think they could be in for a regression.
If that happens on Monday night, the Rams could struggle to sustain drives the way they have through two games this season.
Overlooking a struggling Bengals team
The Rams are in no position to overlook any team right now. Not even a Bengals squad that could be without Burrow on Monday night. Fortunately, the Rams are a young and hungry team that has been getting overlooked by others all year, so they’re unlikely to look past Cincinnati this week.
If they get a lead, they have to keep the pedal down and avoid trying to coast to the finish line. Sean McVay is one of the best motivators and play callers in the game so he’ll have his guys ready for Monday’s battle, no matter the quarterback situation for Cincinnati.
