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Los Angeles Rams vs. New York Giants Odds & Game Pick (2021)

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Sunday afternoon’s early slate includes an NFC showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants. These two teams come in with inverse records on the year. The Rams improved to 4-1 with a Thursday night win over a division rival last week. The Giants also took on a division opponent in Week 5 but got rocked and fell to 1-4. While west coast teams traveling east has been a tricky spot historically, the NFL betting odds are lopsided in favor of the road team ahead of this contest.

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Details

Opening Lines: Rams -6.5; O/U 50
Current Lines: Rams -9.5; O/U 49
Location: MetLife Stadium — East Rutherford, NJ
Start Time: 1 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX
Last Meeting: October 4, 2020 — The Rams defeated the Giants 17-9 in Los Angeles.

Overview

The Rams responded nicely last Thursday after taking their first loss of the season on the chin two weeks ago. Seattle is never an easy place to play, but the Rams emerged victorious from the Thursday night contest to get back on track. Matthew Stafford had another monster game with 365 yards passing to keep his name in the early-season MVP discussion. It was also noteworthy to see Robert Woods emerge as the go-to weapon for Stafford last week. After Cooper Kupp seemingly could not be stopped in the first three weeks, Woods reminded everyone that he is still a viable threat with 150 yards receiving.

While the team improved to 4-1, one possible concern for Los Angeles ahead into this week’s NFL betting matchup is the defense. A star-studded unit led by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey hasn’t exactly met the lofty expectations bestowed upon them. Football Outsiders has the Rams just 14th in adjusted defensive efficiency. While that still ranks in the league’s upper half, many envisioned a top-five unit before the season started. The Rams do figure to benefit from a banged-up Giants offense on Sunday.

After shocking the NFL betting world with an outright upset two weeks ago, the Giants came back down to earth in a big way last Sunday. Not only did they suffer a 24-point loss to the rival Dallas Cowboys, but they also saw three key offensive contributors leave the game with injuries. Quarterback Daniel Jones remained in concussion protocol after a scary sequence last week. While he still has a chance to play in Week 6, both running back Saquon Barkley and receiver Kenny Golladay are essentially guaranteed to miss time after also sustaining injuries last week. The loss of Golladay further decimates a Giants’ receiving corps that has already been without Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton in each of the previous two games.

After ranking respectably last season in adjusted defense, the Giants have taken a step back this season. They could not hold up against the star-studded Cowboys’ offense over a full four quarters. Efforts to do so against the Rams in this week’s NFL betting matchup could also be in vain. New York’s offensive line will also have its hands full trying to stave off the plethora of L.A. pass-rushers.

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Trends

  • The Rams are 3-2 ATS and 4-1 to the over this season.
  • The Giants are 2-3 ATS and 3-2 to the over this season.
  • Six of the Rams’ last seven games have gone over the total.
  • Giants are just 3-6 ATS in their last nine games.
  • Giants are 9-1 ATS in their last ten head-to-head matchups against the Rams.

Bottom Line

The Giants have fared very well in past matchups against the Rams, covering the spread. Unfortunately, the myriad of injuries on New York’s offense makes it very difficult to take the points this week, even as the line approaches double-digits. Rookie wideout Kadarius Toney has been terrific in the absence of the Giants’ veteran receivers, but he can only do so much. New York’s offensive line also figures to be highly overmatched against Aaron Donald and the rest of the Rams’ pass rush. 

For our pick on this game, we’re going to play the total under 49. Last year’s game between these two teams saw only 26 combined points scored. While plenty of roster turnover has occurred on both sides since then, it’s hard to believe they will combine for nearly double that just one year later. The Rams could very well sleep on this matchup a bit. Given the injuries the Giants are dealing with on offense, it wouldn’t be a shock to see New York’s defense step it up a notch at home this week. The early kickoff after three straight games played in the Pacific Time Zone might also throw off the Rams’ rhythm offensively a bit. 

Pick: Under 49

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Henry John is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Henry, check out his archive and follow him @HankTimeHenry.