Saints-Rams Preview Capsule
NEW ORLEANS (1-0) at LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE - Rams by 3
RECORD VS. SPREAD - New Orleans 1-0; Los Angeles 1-0
SERIES RECORD - Rams lead 42-34
LAST MEETING - Rams beat Saints 26-23, OT, Jan. 20
LAST WEEK - Saints beat Texans 30-28; Rams beat Panthers 30-27
AP PRO32 RANKING - Saints No. 3, Rams No. 4
SAINTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (2), RUSH (7), PASS (7).
SAINTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (21), RUSH (30), PASS (13).
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (18), RUSH (5), PASS (24).
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (24), PASS (11).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Rematch of last season's NFC championship game, won 26-23 in overtime by Rams after notorious uncalled pass interference by LA's Nickell Robey-Coleman late in regulation. ... Saints fan who sued NFL over no-call dropped suit this week after Louisiana Supreme Court dismissed it last week. ... Rams have won four of last six meetings between NFC powers. ... Both teams won tough regular-season openers, and both had multiple receivers with at least seven catches. Saints survived wild finish against Houston, while Rams never trailed at Carolina. ... Saints' Alvin Kamara and Rams' Todd Gurley are only players with at least 3,000 yards from scrimmage and 30 TDs since 2017. ... Kamara averages 138.3 yards from scrimmage per game against Rams. ... Saints QB Drew Brees has passed for 902 yards with nine TDs and no interceptions in last three meetings with Rams. Brees needs 193 yards passing to become first quarterback to top 75,000 career yards. ... DE Cameron Jordan has three sacks in last three games against Rams. ... Home opener of Rams' final season at Coliseum before moving to Inglewood stadium next season. ... Rams WR Brandin Cooks had 221 combined yards receiving in two meetings last season with Saints, his former team. That's Cooks' highest single-season total against any opponent. ... Rams QB Jared Goff is making 40th career start. He is 233 yards passing away from 10,000 in career. ... Gurley answered months of offseason speculation about knee health with 101 yards from scrimmage in opener. Saints have held him to 98.7 yards from scrimmage per game in three career meetings. ... LB Cory Littleton racked up career-high 14 tackles in opener. ... DE Dante Fowler got off to hot start with two sacks in Week 1. His overtime hit on Brees in NFC title game forced interception that led to Greg Zuerlein's winning 57-yard field goal. ... DT Aaron Donald had quiet opener in Carolina. He had 9 ˆ½ sacks in eight home games last season. ... Fantasy tip: Rams RB Malcolm Brown might still be sitting on your waiver wire, but had 53 yards rushing, two touchdowns last week while getting ample playing time promised by Sean McVay. Could be Rams' red-zone specialist.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL