**The Giants will be playing the Rams on Sunday with key players absent:  

**EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –The Giants will again be missing some key players, including five starters, when they host the Los Angeles Rams Sunday in MetLife Stadium.

The team today announced that six players will not play against the Rams because of injuries: linebackers Jonathan Casillas (neck) and B.J. Goodson (ankle), offensive lineman Justin Pugh (back), center Weston Richburg (concussion), and defensive ends Olivier Vernon (ankle) and Kerry Wynn (knee).

Cornerback Donte Deayon is questionable because of an ankle injury he suffered yesterday in practice. The Giants will also not have cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who was suspended indefinitely earlier this week.

Coach Ben McAdoo was typically stoic when asked today about the absences.

"We'll have 46 (players) available," McAdoo said. "We're going to play with the players who are available. We can't control who's not available for the game."

Casillas will miss his third consecutive game.

"He's out this week and we'll take a look at him again next week," McAdoo said. "It feels like he's making progress. He was out practicing this week in a limited role." Asked if Casillas can have contact, McAdoo said, "We'll progress to that next week."

Goodson will miss his third game of the season; he sat out the Week 2 game vs. Detroit and the Week 3 contest in Philadelphia with a shin injury.

Pugh has started every game this season, three at left guard and four at right tackle. He will be inactive for the first time since Dec. 11, 2016, when he sat out for the fifth consecutive game with a knee injury. Bobby Hart will return to the starting lineup at right tackle, his fourth start of the season.

"Bobby had a good week of practice," McAdoo said. "He had a productive day yesterday in pads. Expect him to play his best game as a pro this week."

Richburg will miss his fourth consecutive game. Brett Jones will again take his place at center.

Vernon will also be inactive for the fourth consecutive game. Wynn, who started each of the previous three games in his place, will miss his first game of the season. The Giants this week signed defensive ends Jordan Williams (off the practice squad) and Devin Taylor.

Deayon has played two games since he was signed off the practice squad on Oct. 12.

"We'll take a look at him today inside and then tomorrow will be a big day for him," McAdoo said of Deayon and his ankle injury. "If he can't play, somebody else will play." That's been a theme for the Giants all season.

• The Giants and Rams will meet for the second consecutive season. Last Oct. 23, the Giants defeated the Rams, 17-10, in the first NFL game played in London's Twickenham Stadium. Rashad Jennings scored the game-winning points on a one-yard touchdown run with 9:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.

*The Giants have won their last seven games against the Rams - in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016 – their longest active winning streak against one opponent. The current streak immediately followed five consecutive Rams victories in the series. The teams met once previously in MetLife Stadium, a 28-16 Giants victory on Monday night, Sept. 19, 2011, when current Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was the Rams' head coach. Despite their recent success, the Giants trail in the regular season series, 25-16.

*The Giants will host the Los Angeles Rams for the first time since Sept. 19, 1993, a 20-10 Giants victory. They hosted the Rams four times when the franchise was in St. Louis (2000, 2003, 2005, and 2011).

*On Oct. 8, the Giants hosted the Los Angeles Chargers. This is the first season since 1994 that Los Angeles is home to two NFL teams. In the 13 seasons (1982-94) both the Rams and Raiders played their home games in the Los Angeles area, the Giants hosted both teams in the same season just once, and then only because one was a postseason game. In 1989, they defeated the Raiders, 34-17, in the regular-season finale, and two weeks later lost to the Rams, 19-13 in overtime in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game. The Giants also faced both Los Angeles teams in 1983 (the Rams here, the Raiders in California) and 1992 (the games were played in the L.A. area).