Jared Goff Leads Rams to Blowout Win vs. Saints; Drew Brees Suffers Hand Injury

An injury to Drew Brees prevented the New Orleans Saints from avenging their loss from last year's NFC Championship Game.

The quarterback suffered a hand injury in the first half as the Los Angeles Rams earned a 27-9 home win Sunday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Jared Goff had 283 passing yards and two total touchdowns while Todd Gurley II scored his first touchdown of the year to lead the Rams to a key win over a fellow NFC contender.

Teddy Bridgewater went 17-of-30 for 165 yards after replacing Brees in what became a disappointing offensive showing for New Orleans.

Saints Are Deep Enough to Withstand Brees Injury

There is no questioning Brees' impact for the Saints, a quarterback who might have been the league's MVP last season if not for Patrick Mahomes. However, this team is good enough to win games even without the future Hall of Famer if his hand injury turns out to be serious.

Based on what we've seen, it wouldn't be surprising if Brees misses more time:

Bridgewater had an up-and-down effort Sunday against the Rams but still had some good throws over the course of the game:

The talent is there; he simply could benefit from more time practicing with the first team and gaining more chemistry with his receivers.

The Saints clearly like what they have in the backup, giving him $7.25 million guaranteed to stay with the team this offseason. The 2014 first-round pick has starting experience and should be able to handle an increased role going forward.

Of course, New Orleans has showed over the past few years that this team is more than just a quarterback.

Alvin Kamara (60 total yards) and Michael Thomas (89 receiving yards) were both relatively quiet on Sunday but can be effective regardless of who is under center. Kamara is especially dangerous whenever he has the ball in his hands, which should be a lot more often in coming games.

Taysom Hill is also always capable of running a few gimmick plays a game.

Meanwhile, the defense thrived against a talented Rams offense thanks to impact players like Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis. The effort in the red zone to hold Los Angeles to field goals helped keep the Saints in the game:

Jordan also should have scored a defensive touchdown if not for yet another mistake by the officials against the Saints.

After totaling six sacks in a win over the Houston Texans in Week 1, the unit showed once again it could be a strength of the team in Week 2.

The defense will also look better when it doesn't have to face the top pass offenses in the NFL like it has the first two weeks.

New Orleans is a legitimate Super Bowl contender with a healthy Brees, and it is still likely a tough team to beat even with Bridgewater running the show. The squad was understandably deflated in Week 2 without its star quarterback, but it could bounce back with a lot of season left.

Regardless of the injury prognosis, Saints fans should remain optimistic heading into Week 3.

Todd Gurley's Limited Role Ramps Up the Pressure on Jared Goff

Gurley is still the team's most dangerous weapon offensively, but it seems the offseason fears were true for the running back, as he remains limited for the second straight week.

After mostly splitting carries with Malcolm Brown in Week 1, Gurley only saw 16 carries for 63 yards Sunday. He did get into the end zone, but it was an otherwise quiet day from the first-team All-Pro who averaged 22.5 touches per game in 2018.

This means we need to see Goff at his best every single week for the Rams to truly be a Super Bowl contender.

The quarterback certainly showed he can make great throws against the Saints, connecting with Brandin Cooks on a long pass and a short pass that were both difficult:

He also got some help from his receivers, including this big run after the catch by Cooper Kupp:

Kupp finished with 120 receiving yards on five catches in the win, while Goff finished the drive with a rushing score.

However, consistency was still an issue for the quarterback, who led the team to only six points in the first six drives of the game. The Rams missed opportunities in the red zone, and it could have been costly if Brees was healthy.

This came after a disappointing Week 1 for Goff where he posted a 69 quarterback rating and 20 Total QBR in a win over the Carolina Panthers.

Los Angeles still made it through the stretch with a 2-0 record, but it was against Bridgewater and a clearly injured Cam Newton. For a team with high aspirations, it's difficult to get too excited.

Goff has earned two straight Pro Bowl selections and was 24-7 as a starter in this stretch, but the pressure and expectations are now higher. There is also less of a safety net with Gurley becoming a part-time player.

The 24-year-old has to look like an elite quarterback on every series, and he hasn't quite done that so far in 2019.

What's Next?

The Saints will face another potential NFC contender in Week 3 with a road game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams will take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday Night Football.