Tale of the tape: Rams vs. Jets

Winless Jets averaging a league-worst 14 points a game

Sean McVay will try had to convince himself and his team that the winless New York Jets have a chance to defeat the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium this weekend.

The Jets lost to the Seattle Seahawks last week 40-3 -- the Same Seattle team that Rams handled at home in Week 10, 23-16 in a game that really was not that close.

How bad is Gang Green? The 0-13 Jets are three losses away from becoming the third 0-16 team in NFL history, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions and the 2017 Cleveland Browns.

Here’s McVay doing his best imitation of Lou Holtz.

“You want to be honest about what’s going on,” McVay said. “But then when you flip the film on, I mean, you look at it no further than a Raiders team that’s going wire-to-wire with them, and it takes a 46-yard touchdown pass, or whatever it was, at the end of regulation.

“And that’s a team that’s beat the Saints, that’s beat the Chiefs, two teams that are in the one or the two seed for the AFC and the NFC. … I do not worry about the maturity of this team to understand the focus and concentration that’s required every single week to come away with a win, regardless of who the opponent is.”

You have to admire McVay’s willingness to focus on the present, particularly with an important game with the Seahawks looming next week. However, the Rams are 17-point favorites over New York for a reason -- the Jets stink.

Another good day of weather expected on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, with temperatures around 70 degrees and sunny for game day.

Tony Corrente’s crew will officiate Sunday’s game.

2020 RECORD
Rams:
9-4
Jets: 0-13
Comment: The Jets have a league-worst, minus-258 point differential on the season.

Points Per Game
Rams: 25.0 (17)
Jets: 14.1 (32)
Comment: The Jets have scored less than 10 points five times this season, including a 24-0 shutout against the Miami Dolphins in Week 6.

Total offense
Rams: 389.4 yards per game (5)
Jets: 269.8 yards per game (32)
Comment: Jets averaging a league-worst 4.7 yards per play.

Rush offense
Rams: 128.9 yards per game (8)
Jets: 103.7 yards per game (21)
Comment: Ageless wonder, 37-year-old Frank Gore leads the Jets with 546 yards rushing.

Pass offense
Rams: 260.5 yards per game (12)
Jets: 166.1 passing yards a game (32)
Comment: Jets averaging a league-worst 16.4 first downs a game.

Time of possession
Rams: 32:00 (3)
Jets: 26:41 (32)
Comment: Jets are a league-worst 40 percent in red zone efficiency.

Opponents points per game
Rams: 20.3 (5)
Jets: 30.2 (31)
Comment: Jets have allowed 30 or more points nine times this season.

Total defense
Rams: 285.8 yards per game (1)
Jets: 399.6 yards per game (30)
Comment: Rams holding teams to a league-best 4.56 yards per play.

Rush Defense
Rams: 94.2 yards per game (3)
Jets: 112.8 yards per game (12)
Comment: LB Neville Hewitt leads the Jets in tackles with 75.

Pass Defense
Rams: 191.7 yards per game (1)
Jets: 286.8 yards per game (31)
Comment: Jets have allowed a league-worst 28 passing touchdowns so far this season.

Sacks
Rams: 42/285 yards (3)
Jets: 21/112 yards (T25)
Comment: Quinnen Williams leads the Jets with six sacks.

Penalties
Rams: 56/529 yards (2)
Jets: 85/803 yards (28)
Comment: Jets have been called for 19 holding penalties this year.

Interceptions
Rams:
13 (T7)
Jets: 9 (T19)
Comment: Marcus Maye and Brian Poole lead the Jets in interceptions with two each.

Turnover differential
Rams:
even (T17)
Jets: minus-1 (T19)
Comment: Rams have forced a turnover in seven straight games, a total of 15 during that stretch. 


Published
Eric D. Williams
ERIC D. WILLIAMS

Eric D. Williams covers the Rams for Sports Illustrated. He worked for seven seasons covering the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN.com, and before that served as the beat reporter covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune.