The New York Giants and St. Louis Rams are fresh off of tanking in the first week of the season.
While the Rams' loss to the revamped Philadelphia Eagles was somewhat expected, the Giants surprised everybody by losing 28-14 to none other than the Washington Redskins, a team coming off a dismal 6-10 campaign last year.
The problem for the Giants in the early going is that they've already sustained some major injuries to their defense, including cornerbacks Terrell Thomas and Brian Witherspoon for the season.
On top of that, star defensive end Osi Umenyiora tore his pectoral muscle in the offseason and will be out for at least a few weeks. Draft picks Prince Amukamara and Marvin Austin have also found their names on the injury report.
As for the Rams, their rush defense got run over in week one, ceding 122 rushing yards to LeSean McCoy and 98 rushing yards to Eagles QB Michael Vick.
They also have concerns on the offensive line, which allowed Sam Bradford to get sacked five times. Not to mention, Bradford bruised his index finger in the loss.
Where: MetLife Stadium
When: Monday, 8:30 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN, online at NFL.com (must pay $19.99 for full league-wide package), live look-ins on NFL Network, game replay
Hear: WFAN 660 AM (New York), WXOS 101.1 (St. Louis)
Rams' Key Addition: Quintin Mikell
The former Philadelphia Eagles safety should be a nice addition to Steve Spagnuolo's defense and should help defend the running game despite the Eagles running all over the Rams in week one.
He's a very underrated player who could help the Rams in their quest for the NFC West title.
Giants' Key Addition: Ahmad Bradshaw
Technically, Bradshaw was a resigning, but he could have easily gone a different route in the offseason.
He's emerged as one of the better running backs in football and his play in 2011 will be absolutely critical if the Giants are to get into the playoffs.
Rams' Biggest Loss: None
The Rams really didn't lose anybody of significance in the offseason, which makes their emergence as the NFC West favorite even more believable. Receiver Laurent Robinson never did live up to his potential.
Giants' Biggest Loss: Terrell Thomas
After sustaining a season-ending injury, the Giants' starting cornerback won't be able to contribute this season, and that hurts a Giants secondary that scuffled in 2010.
It's very hard to see the Giants not giving up a lot of points right now, evidenced by the 28 points they gave up to the Redskins.
What They're Saying
Bradford is insisting he will play in week two after his finger injury against the Eagles. It's an injury that tends to linger, but he's been wearing a special glove to help increase blood flow to the injury.
Said Bradford, via the New York Times, “Everyone says I look like Michael Jackson."
On the Giants' side, star defensive end Justin Tuck says he wants to return to the team in week two, which would undoubtedly be a boost for a squad searching right now.
Given he's coming off a neck injury, the Giants also want to be cautious. As of now, his status is up in the air.
What's Worth Watching
Whether Bradford can make do with his injury will be critical in the Rams' chances of winning ball games right now.
He's undoubtedly their key as the season progresses and the team is looking for him to lead the way to the postseason. The Rams have the team to win the NFC West but without Bradford, their chances would drop significantly.
As for the Giants, if Tuck returns, he's the guy to watch. He's an absolute nightmare for defenses when he's healthy and his presence gives the Giants a better chance to make up for their losses on defense.
If Tuck can't return, look for Eli Manning to get back on track.
He had a forgettable performance against the Redskins and he'll be looking to prove he is indeed one of the elite quarterbacks of the league as he so proclaimed in the preseason.
Biggest Storyline
After Bradford passed for 18 touchdowns as a rookie with little help surrounding him, he's looking to make the jump to stardom this season.
His performance will be key in the Rams realizing their potential as the NFC West champion. A lot of eyes will be on him this season after he shocked football in 2010.
For more NFL preseason news, check out our Bleacher Report's NFL Page
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