Week 5 will feature an exciting NFC matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.
The Packers are sitting at 2-2 following last week’s 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, while the Rams dropped to 1-3 after falling on the road to the Chicago Bears. Both teams could use a win.
Green Bay couldn’t get out of their own way against the Vikings, though they did fight their way back to make it a game after going down 28-0 in the first half.
Forced to play without their top two receivers, the Los Angeles offense hasn’t been at full strength for most of the season. They did capture a quality win over the San Francisco 49ers two weeks ago but also got trounced by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. It will be interesting to see which version of the Rams shows up on Sunday.
At 36 years of age, Matthew Stafford is still dangerous, and they still have one of the best coaches in the NFL in Sean McVay.
Jordan Love and company need to do a better job with ball security this week, while the pass rush needs to show up to get some pressure against Stafford.
Both teams need a win, and this could come down to a few key matchups. Let’s dive into them below.
Packers run defense vs. RB Kyren Williams
With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua out on Sunday, Green Bay needs to be ready to stop the Los Angeles running back. Despite averaging only 3.5 yards per carry, Williams still gets a healthy amount of touches each game. He also has a knack for finding the endzone, as he is tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns.
The Packers’ defense has already faced Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor this season, allowing both to rush for over 100 yards. With Williams expected to be a focal point of the game plan on Sunday, limiting his impact could go a long way toward stifling the Rams’ offense.
DT Kenny Clark vs. C Beaux Limmer
Clark needs to play better, but he also hasn’t been as bad as some may have you believe. He is still drawing a ton of attention, and even though he hasn’t registered a sack, he is tied with Devonte Wyatt for the most pressures on the team. Wyatt is expected to be out this week with an ankle injury, which means Green Bay will rely on Clark to provide most of the pass rush from the interior.
Luckily, he has a favorable matchup against Limmer, who has already surrendered eight pressures in four games. The Rams have thrown Limmer into the fire this season after taking him in the sixth round. The rookie had better get a good night’s rest before Sunday’s matchup because he’s going to have his hands full.
WR Jayden Reed vs. CB Quentin Lake
Reed has created all sorts of headaches for defensive coordinators in 2024. A large portion of the offense has come through Reed, who has a team-high 336 receiving yards to go along with 91 rushing yards and three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing). The 2023 second-round pick has picked up where he left off as a dynamic threat for Green Bay. Matt LaFleur continues to find creative ways to get Reed the ball, allowing him to use his quickness and run-after-the-catch ability to create problems for defenses.
Roughly 78 percent of Reed’s offensive snaps have come from the slot this season, which means he will spend a lot of time lining up across from Lake, the Rams’ starting slot corner. Outside of the 49ers game, when PFF credited him with allowing six catches for 109 yards, Lake has been pretty reliable in coverage. This week, he is tasked with slowing down one of the league’s top emerging slot receivers.