overcoming

Before the season, Rams coach Sean McVay spoke confidently about his team’s talent and depth.

That depth will get another early test.

Starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was placed on injured reserve Monday after suffering a fractured clavicle during Sunday’s 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

Witherspoon, 30, will be sidelined “probably 12 weeks,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters.

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Rams beat reporter Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans as the team shifts its focus toward a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. are expected to be the starters, with veteran Darious Williams in a rotational role, on Sunday when the Rams (2-0) play the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The Rams also will “bring somebody in,” McVay said.

The Eagles’ offense is built around star running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Rams last season. But the secondary will be tasked with controlling a passing attack that features quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Barkley and several tight ends.

The Rams defeated the Titans despite the absence of starting left guard Steve Avila and rotational tight end Colby Parkinson, who suffered ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively, in the season-opening victory over the Houston Texans.

McVay said Avila is “week to week.” Justin Dedich started in place of Avila against the Titans.

Defensive lineman Braden Fiske suffered an oblique strain during pregame warmups against the Titans, McVay said, and he was limited to 13 defensive snaps.

Stones has been with City for nine seasons after joining from Everton for £47.5m.

He has enjoyed a trophy-filled spell at the club, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cup and four League Cups, while also being capped 83 times for England.

Though he has played 277 games for his club, he only managed 13 starts last term, including six in the Premier League.

“I think we all self-doubt as players and feel things, and we want to get back as quick as possible. Maybe that’s a downfall sometimes that you try and push too soon,” he said.

“Definitely family [help], I think that’s my biggest thing, being around them and having their support.

“You can feel very lonely at times when you’re training by yourself and that’s the difficult part of it, being in a team sport, not training with the team when you run out on the pitch in your rehab.”

Stones has suffered a succession of foot, hamstring and thigh injuries over the past two campaigns, missing a total of 164 days and 33 games, according to Transfermarkt., external

Stones said: “There’s been points where you think you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life – especially how I approach or go about my life and football, I give everything – on and off the pitch to be here or be ready to play games, and those are the dark days.

“I think everyone’s been through them and think, ‘why is this happening?’. You wish it would have gone a different path, but like I said, it’s self-doubt, there’s a lot of things.

“All of us have been through different upbringings and challenges through life and what did we do within those situations, was it fight or was it give up?

“I was a fighter from a young age, in difficult moments, you have to look at the bigger picture and realise what are your morals, what you believe in, and fight to make it worthwhile.”