Five St. Louis Rams Who Could Shine in Week 2 Against Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

2. E.J. Gaines

Obviously the NFL is a far different game than even the best of college football. However, if rookie cornerback E.J. Gaines can perform near the level that he did against Buccaneers rookie wideout Mike Evans last year in Mizzou and Texas A&M’s November matchup, he’ll have the opportunity to provide a significant boost to the Rams’ defense. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Gaines held the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Evans to four catches for a season-low eight yards. Unfortunately, that won’t do it all for the Rams, as they’ll also have to shut down a much more experienced receiver in Vincent Jackson. But if Gaines can effectively shut down one side of the field, it will be a big boost to a defense that struggled all around last week.