For the second time this season, London is ready for some football.
After the Jaguars held off a late Colts rally in Week 4 in front of the London crowd to earn their first win of the year, the Giants and Rams are set to square off in the second of three games across the pond this season. However, this Week 7 game marks a first, as it'll be played in Twickenham Stadium, primarily a venue for rugby.
The spiritual mantle carrier for rugby-style football in this game is ostensibly the Rams, a team built around exciting young running back Todd Gurley. But with the ground game racking up just 3.1 yards per carry, which ranks 31st in the NFL, the team has had to rely more on journeyman quarterback Case Keenum, who's coming off one of this best games as a pro.
The Giants, on the other hand, have a reliable passing attack featuring the always-exciting Odell Beckham, who exploded for 222 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, all in the second half, in last week's comeback win over the Ravens. That win snapped a three-game losing streak for the boys in blue. Beckham celebrated the game-winning touchdown by proposing to the Giants' kicking net. Their relationship has had public ups and downs in 2016, but we're happy for the soon-to-be married couple, who get to enjoy an early honeymoon in London.
Things haven't been all fun for the Giants this week, as further details emerged of kicker Josh Brown's domestic violence case, causing the NFL to place the kicker on the commissioner exempt list, pending further review of new information. Brown was initially suspended for one game at the beginning of the season in relation to the case. Former longtime Bears kicker Robbie Gould takes Brown's spot on the roster.
Will the Brown case serve as a distraction for a Giants team looking to build off a much-needed Week 6 win? Will the Rams come out looking sluggish in a game that's set to kick off at 6:30 a.m. Los Angeles time? Fans stateside will have to rise and shine early to find out.
Here are more details on the matchup, including how to watch and stream the London game.
How to Watch
- What: New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams
- When: Sunday, Oct. 23, 9:30 a.m. ET
- Where: Twickenham Stadium, London
- TV: NFL Network
- Streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile App
- Sunday Ticket: DirecTV
- Online: NFL Game Pass (available to watch online after midnight)
- Odds: The Giants are 3-point favorites, according to SportsLine.
Injury report
Giants
- S Nat Berhe (Concussion) -- Out
- T Marshall Newhouse (Calf) -- Out
- S Darian Thompson (Foot) -- Out
- LS Zak DeOssie (Ankle) -- Questionable
Rams
- DT Michael Brockers (Thigh) -- Out
- CB Trumaine Johnson (Ankle) -- Out
- G Jamon Brown (Hand) -- Doubtful
- WR Nelson Spruce (Calf) -- Doubtful
- DE William Hayes (Ankle) -- Questionable
- DE Robert Quinn (Shoulder) -- Questionable
Prisco's Pick
This is a long trip for the Giants and Rams, but that victory against the Ravens last week might have been the thing to get the Giants offense cranked up. The problem is the Rams defense. Health has been an issue there, but I think they will slow the Giants this week. Rams take it in an upset.
Pick: Rams 20, Giants 17
