Two of the NFC’s last three Super Bowl representatives will meet Sunday afternoon in a matchup that will not make too many think a championship contender is in their midst.
The reigning NFC champion Los Angeles Rams (3-3) will play at Atlanta, carrying with them a three-game losing streak and injury issues that have permeated all facets of the roster.
The Falcons (1-5) will open their doors to their visitor in the midst of a four-game losing streak, after a missed extra point was the difference in their latest defeat.
There will be plenty for the Rams and Falcons to commiserate about on Sunday — and not just the fact they lost in recent Super Bowls to the New England Patriots.
After the Rams were overwhelmed on offense Sunday in a 20-7 home defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, the team went out this week and performed a significant roster adjustment. Three trades were completed:
–Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars for two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick.
–Offensive lineman Austin Corbett was acquired from the Cleveland Browns for an undisclosed draft pick.
–Linebacker Kenny Young was acquired from the Baltimore Ravens for cornerback Marcus Peters.
The presence of Ramsey, an All-Pro, will help a struggling secondary that just saw cornerback Aqib Talib and safety John Johnson go on injured reserved. Corbett will help an offensive line that was dominated by the 49ers during a game in which left guard Joe Noteboom was lost for the season with two torn knee ligaments.
The deals show the Rams’ determination to emerge from their .500 start, but it won’t come easy with running backs Todd Gurley (thigh) and Malcolm Brown (ankle) hobbled by injuries.
“It is hard to have (confidence) when you lose a few in a row, but we have a confident group,” said Rams quarterback Jared Goff said, who threw for just 78 yards Sunday. “We have a group with swag, and when we’re playing well, it’s really fun to be with these guys. We do need to fix some things in a lot of places, and it starts with me on offense. We’re getting there.”
The Falcons are also in search of some confidence. The most recent defeat, a 34-33 road loss to the Arizona Cardinals, came after kicker Matt Bryant missed a PAT with 1:53 remaining.
The Sunday game will match the Rams’ much-maligned offensive line against the ineffective defensive line of the Falcons, which is tied for last in the NFL with five sacks.
Atlanta has given up 87 points over the past two games, with opponents scoring on 13 of 14 possessions at one stretch. Opponents have averaged 34.5 points per game during the Falcons’ losing streak.
“That’s where we’ll obviously focus a good bit of our time leading into this week, knowing how effective the Rams have been throwing the ball,” Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “What I want to see is us build some really rock-solid consistency where we don’t beat ourselves.”
The Falcons’ injury report shows a team on the mend, as cornerback Desmond Trufant (toe) was the only player who did not practice Wednesday.
