EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ The Rams finally return to the Coliseum next week.
After a long road trip to Florida and London, an open date and a cross-country trek to New York, the Rams are coming home a different team.
With a quarterback who appears to be moving toward the next level.
Jared Goff passed for a career-best four touchdowns, the defense forced three turnovers and special teams came up with big plays as the Rams routed the struggling New York Giants, 51-17, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium before a crowd significantly smaller than the announced 76,871.
Running back Todd Gurley also rushed for two touchdowns as the Rams improved to 6-2 and cemented their status as a playoff contender under first-year coach Sean McVay.
The Rams led, 27-10, at halftime and then pulled away with Gurley's touchdowns and Goff's second touchdown pass to Robert Woods.
The Rams will begin the second half of the season next Sunday against the Houston Texans.
The last time Rams fans saw their team play at home, the Rams scored only one touchdown in a 16-10 defeat on Oct. 8.
Since then, they have defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-10, shut out the Arizona Cardinals in London, 33-0, and trounced the Giants to remain tied atop the NFC West with the Seahawks.
Goff played well at times during the previous three victories, but Sunday's performance was his best.
He completed 14 of 22 passes for a career-best 311 yards. He connected on scoring plays of 52 and eight yards to Woods, 67 yards to Sammy Watkins and eight yards to Tyler Higbee.
Gurley rushed for 59 yards in 16 carries and caught two passes for 45 yards.
Defensive lineman Aaron Donald and linebacker Alec Ogletree forced fumbles, cornerback Trumaine Johnson intercepted a pass and linebacker Cory Littleton blocked a punt as the Rams blew open a game that was once tied, 7-7, in the first quarter.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning completed 20 of 38 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, as the Giants fell to 1-7. Manning became the seventh player in NFL history to pass for more than 50,000 yards, joining Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and John Elway.
Goff passed for three touchdowns en route to a 27-10 halftime lead.
Donald set up the first touchdown by sacking Manning and forcing him to fumble on the game's first possession. Linebacker Connor Barwin recovered the fumble at the Rams' 48.
Gurley ran for 36 yards on the Rams' first play, and on third-and-two from the eight yard line, Goff connected with tight end Higbee for Higbee's first touchdown of the season.
The Giants tied the score with a dive that consumed more than seven minutes and culminated with Manning's short touchdown pass to Tavarres King.
The Rams added a field goal before Ogletree stripped the ball from running back Wayne Gallman Jr., and then recovered the fumble.
Two penalties put the Rams in a seemingly absurd third-and-33 situation. But Goff connected with Woods on a short pass, and Woods darted through the defense en route to a 52-yard touchdown, his first of the season.
The play gave the Rams a 24-7 lead.
On the Rams' next series, Goff and Watkins combined on a long pass play for the first time since Week 2 against San Francisco.
Goff faked a hand-off to Gurley, dropped back and lofted a pass that traveled about 60 yards before hitting Watkins in stride at the 10-yard line. Watkins cruised into the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown and a 24-7 lead.
Each team added a field goal, giving the Rams a 17-point margin at halftime.
