The Rams’ 2020 season ended at Lambeau Field when the Packers bounced them from the playoffs in the divisional round this past January. It wasn’t a particularly close game, with the Rams forced to play with Jared Goff and Aaron Donald both banged up, and with Cooper Kupp on the sideline.
Today, the script will be flipped. The Rams are the much healthier team as they return to Lambeau Field to face the Packers in Week 12, coming off their bye week and in search of a win to snap their two-game losing streak. Aaron Rodgers will play, but he’s dealing with a painful toe injury.
Aaron Jones and Rashan Gary are questionable, though Gary is expected to play and there’s optimism about Jones doing the same. The Packers’ biggest losses will be on the offensive line where Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari are sidelined due to injuries.
The Rams went from being underdogs against the Packers to now being favored because of all the injuries Green Bay is dealing with. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the better team, but with the way their lineups are currently constructed, the Rams should be favored to win this one.
However, it’s always difficult to win at Lambeau, especially when the temperature drops in December and January. Matthew Stafford knows all about that, going 3-7 at Lambeau Field in his career with the Lions.
The Rams are a much better team right now than they were last year, even if their record doesn’t reflect it. They were 7-4 after 11 games last season and if they lose to the Packers today, they’ll once again be 7-4. But with Stafford under center and the defense adding Von Miller to a pass-rush group that already features Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd, the Rams have the makings of a Super Bowl team.
They’ll have to prove that today against the Packers, who are also title contenders. A win will prove the Rams can beat just about anyone in the NFL, even on the road. A loss will cause questions about their legitimacy to continue, with their only truly impressive win coming against the Buccaneers in Week 3.
This is a huge game for the Rams, and one I think they’re going to win.
Final score prediction: Rams 24, Packers 20
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