New York Jets Vs. Los Angeles Rams: Bold Predictions For NFL Week 10 Matchup

The Los Angeles Rams will make their second cross-country trip this year when they face the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The matchup features two teams with struggling quarterbacks and, as a result, struggling offenses. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. (ET), and the game will be televised on Fox.

Los Angeles (3-5) has lost four straight games. The Rams are coming off a 13-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers, marking the second consecutive game that they have been limited to 10 points. The Rams have now been held to 10 points or fewer four times this season.

New York (3-6) fell to the Miami Dolphins 27-23 in a wild game on Sunday, snapping a two-game winning streak. The Jets took a 23-20 lead on a Dolphins special teams mistake. But their own special-teams gaffe cost them big time as Kenyon Drake returned the following kickoff 96-yards for the game-winning score.

The Rams and Jets have met just 13 previous times with the last meeting occurring November 12, 2012. The Rams lead the all-time series 9-4 though the Jets have won the past two contests.

Jets’ Ryan Fitzpatrick and Rams’ Case Keenum will each throw an interception

Both teams have one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL this year.

Fitzpatrick ranks last among all qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (56.4 percent) and rating (67.6), and he is second to last in total QBR (39.7). The 33-year-old, who is battling a knee issue, is averaging 220 passing yards a game and has thrown just eight touchdown passes along with a league-high 13 interceptions.

Fitzpatrick has been particularly bad in his last four games, completing 57 of 106 passes (53.7) for 720 yards along with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He was 16-of-27 for 194 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions last week against the Dolphins.

Los Angeles has a top-15 pass defense as they limit opposing quarterbacks to 232 yards per game via the air and an 89.9 passer rating. The Rams have surrendered 12 passing touchdowns while intercepting just four passes. The good news for the Rams is that Trumaine Johnson is finally healthy after battling an ankle injury for weeks, which includes missing a couple of games.

Johnson, the Rams’ No. 1 cornerback was on the field for every single snap versus Carolina per ESPN. The 26-year-old has nine passes defensed as well as one interception this year. He had a career-high seven picks last year and has 16 for his career.

Keenum has been awful the past two games, tossing two touchdowns along with five interceptions. He has thrown for 260 or more yards in each of the past five games, but he has also been picked off at least once in four consecutive games (eight times total). For the season, the 28-year-old is completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 251 yards per game with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

The Jets’ secondary has struggled all year, allowing 272 yards a game as opposing quarterbacks are completing 65.4 percent of their throws. The Jets have allowed 16 touchdown passes via the air and has picked off six passes.

Rams Aaron Donald Will cause havoc for the Jets

Donald is one of the best defensive players today. The 25-year-old defensive tackle has recorded five sacks along with 18 tackles (17 solos) over the last five games. He had two sacks and nine quarterback pressures last week against the Panthers. For the season, Donald has 27 tackles, five sacks, 12 tackles for losses, 19 quarterback hits, and two pass defensed.

“He’s always going forward. I mean, there’s no sideways to this guy,” Jets’ offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said about Donald told reporters. “Even when he’s moving sideways, like the great receivers and running backs that jump-cut and they’re moving forward, even when he’s going sideways he’s going forward. He really has a unique twitch about him that allows him to do that and rush the passer. He’s special.”

The Jets offensive line is ranked in the middle third of the league in both run and pass blocking, according to Football Outsiders. The offensive line has given up 20 sacks, and their quarterbacks have been hit 55 times. The Jets have had 16 percent of their runs stuffed.

To make matters worse, the Jets have major injury concerns on the o-line. New York listed four offensive linemen on their injured report this week: T Breno Giacomini, C Nick Mangold, T Brandon Shell, and OL Brent Qvale. Mangold is not expected to play. The Jets also recently placed OL Ryan Clady on injured reserve.

Jets defense will hold Todd Gurley to less than 75 yards rushing

The Rams plan on significantly increasing Gurley’s workload this week versus the Jets, per ESPN. Gurley has 14, 15, and 12 carries during the last three games.

Gurley has struggled mightily this season. He has just one 100-yard game in his past 16 contests. The 22-year-old is 18th in the NFL in total rushing yards — 451 yards on 146 carries — 24th in rushing yards per game (56.4), and 40th in yards per carry (3.1). Gurley has missed the first two practices this week with a thigh injury.

The Jets have one of the best front sevens in the NFL with defensive ends Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkinson and outside linebacker Sheldon Richardson. New York has allowed the fourth fewest yards on the ground at 81.0 per game, and the fourth fewest yards per carry (3.5 yards).

Jets running back Matt Forte will total 100-yards of total offense

The Jets are the 12th best running team in the league with 113.4 yards per game. The Jets also average 4.4 yards per carry, which is good enough for 11th in the league.

Forte, in his year with the team, leads the squad with 70.0 yards a game on the ground. The 30-year-old has two 100-yard games. He is also a great receiver out of the backfield. Forte has three 100-yard all-purpose games this season.

Forte just missed reaching the 100-yard all-purpose mark the past two games. He garnered 82-yards on 25 carries against Cleveland in Week 8 and added two receptions for 16 yards. Then last week, he finished with 97 total yards with 92 coming on the ground.

Los Angeles is not bad against the run, permitting 98.6 yards a game. The Rams have allowed only two backs to reach the 100-yard plateau though just Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy topped the century mark on the ground.

The Rams win a low-scoring game

The Jets are two-point favorites per Oddssharks.

These two teams are among two of the lowest-scoring teams in the NFL, the Rams are last in the league with 16.3 points a game while the Jets are 26th with 19.2 a game. Los Angeles possesses the 11th best scoring defense at 20.9 points a game. In the meanwhile, the Jets’ defense has been a little more leaky as eight of their nine opponents has put up more than 20 points.

New York is 0-2 against NFC West teams, being outscored 55-20. Los Angeles is 0-1 against AFC East teams, losing 30-19 to the Buffalo Bills. The Rams are 2-2 in road games this year. Los Angeles defeated Tampa Bay 37-32 in their other cross-country trip this year.

[Featured Image by Rick Osentoski/AP Images]