Rams and Broncos Meet Under the Lights in a Loaded Sunday Night Matchup

Week 1 was rough for pretty much everyone on the Rams offense.

Week 2 was completely different.

Stafford carved up the Giants for 327 yards and four touchdowns, finishing with a 131.3 passer rating in the 28-6 win.

That's much closer to the offense everyone expected to see coming into the season.

The Rams had the top-ranked offense in football last year, and most of the important pieces are back. Stafford is coming off an MVP season, Sean McVay is still calling the plays, and Los Angeles has enough weapons to create problems all over the field.

Davante Adams was the biggest one last week.

Adams finished with 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns against New York, showing exactly why this Rams passing game can still be dangerous even when it isn't at full strength.

That last part is going to matter this week.

Puka Nacua is doubtful after missing practice all week with a hip injury that McVay has described as groin soreness. Nacua also missed the Giants game, so Los Angeles has already shown it can function without him.

Doing it against Denver is a much different challenge.

The Broncos have basically gone from one difficult quarterback matchup to another.

They opened against Patrick Mahomes. Last week they saw Trevor Lawrence. Now they get the reigning MVP.

And Stafford presents a completely different problem.

Denver has one of the most talented defenses in football and can create pressure without having to completely sell out to do it. That becomes especially important against Stafford because blitzing him isn't exactly some magic solution.

He's been around forever. He's seen just about everything a defense can throw at him.

The challenge for Denver is finding a way to make him uncomfortable before he gets the ball out.

If Stafford is sitting in a clean pocket and Adams is getting time to work downfield, that's going to be a problem.

But the Broncos also have the secondary to make this interesting. Pat Surtain II gives Denver one of the best corners in football, and this is exactly the type of matchup where having someone like him matters.

With Nacua unlikely to play, the Adams-Surtain matchup could be one of the best individual battles of the entire weekend.

Denver's offense hasn't exactly exploded out of the gates.

The Broncos have scored three touchdowns through their first two games, and there have been stretches where things have looked pretty ugly.

But the fourth quarter against Jacksonville gave them something to build on.

Denver trailed 13-3 before scoring 17 unanswered points to win the game. Nix helped lead the comeback and made enough plays late to get the Broncos back to 1-1.

Now the question is whether Denver can carry that momentum into Sunday night.

The Broncos added Jaylen Waddle this offseason to give Nix another legitimate weapon alongside Courtland Sutton, and this feels like the type of game where they need that investment to start showing up.

Los Angeles isn't a team you want to spend three quarters figuring things out against.

Stafford and the Rams can score too quickly.

If Denver falls behind early, the entire game changes.

For all the attention Stafford and Adams are going to get, Los Angeles doesn't need to throw the ball 50 times to win.

Kyren Williams and Blake Corum both had strong games against the Giants, with Williams rushing for 85 yards and Corum adding 79.

That's a pretty nice luxury for Stafford.

The Rams can use both backs, stay balanced and force Denver to respect the run instead of allowing the Broncos pass rush to attack on every down.

That becomes even more important on the road.

Mile High on Sunday night is going to be loud. Denver has won three consecutive home primetime games, and the crowd becomes a much bigger factor if the Rams are constantly dealing with third-and-long.

Staying ahead of the chains and keeping Stafford out of obvious passing situations could be one of the biggest keys for Los Angeles.

Nacua is obviously the biggest name to watch.

He's listed as doubtful and hasn't practiced all week, so the Rams are preparing for the possibility of playing without him for a second straight game.

Los Angeles could also be without safety Kamren Kinchens, who is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Tight end Colby Parkinson is questionable.

Denver has some injury questions of its own.

Rookie running back Jonah Coleman has been ruled out, while Marvin Mims Jr. is questionable. The good news for Denver is that J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey both practiced fully to finish the week.

Neither team is completely healthy, but Nacua's absence would clearly be the biggest one.

It's still only Week 3.

But this feels like one of those early-season games where we might actually learn something.

The Rams looked terrible in Week 1 and completely different in Week 2. Denver struggled offensively for much of its first two games but showed some life when it mattered most against Jacksonville.

Now both teams get a legitimate test in primetime.

Can Denver's defense slow down Stafford after what he did to the Giants?

Can Nix and the Broncos offense keep up if the Rams start scoring?

Can Los Angeles continue moving the ball without Nacua?

And how much of an advantage does playing at Mile High give Denver on Sunday night?

There are easier games to figure out on the Week 3 schedule.

There might not be many better ones to watch.