Packers won’t face Lions QB Matthew Stafford in Week 17

The Packers won’t face QB Matthew Stafford or DL Mike Daniels in the season finale.

The Green Bay Packers won’t have to deal with veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford in the season finale.

The Detroit Lions, who host the Packers in Week 17, placed Stafford on season-ending injured reserve on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Stafford hasn’t played since Nov. 3 because of a back injury. He threw 19 touchdown passes, averaged 8.6 yards per attempt and had a passer rating of 106.0 in the eight games before suffering the injury.

David Blough, a rookie from Purdue, will be the expected starter in Week 17. He has started the last three games, throwing three touchdown passes and five interceptions – with a passer rating of 67.0 – in the three Lions losses.

The Packers, now 11-3, need to win just one more game – either against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16 or against the Lions in Week 17 – to win the NFC North. They can clinch a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs with two more wins.

The Lions also placed former Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels on injured reserve. Daniels, who signed a one-year deal in Detroit after Green Bay cut him in August, will miss both games against the Packers in 2019.

Clay Matthews makes the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinal list

Will this finally be the year Clay Matthews gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Will this finally be the year Clay Matthews gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? The Browns legend has once again made the cut for the semifinalist list for induction.

Matthews is one of 25 players selected as semifinalists from a more extensive list of 122 initial nominees. It’s the fourth time Matthews has made it to the semifinal ballot after his illustrious career playing linebacker and defensive end for the Browns for 16 seasons.

From the selection committee press release,

The Modern-Era players list will be reduced to 15 Finalists that will be announced on Jan. 2, 2020. The finalists will then be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual meeting on “Selection Saturday,” on Feb. 1, 2020, the day before Super Bowl LIV. The Selection Committee will elect five Modern-Era players for the Class of 2020.

The full list of semifinalists, which also includes LB Carl Banks, who played his final two seasons with the Browns.

Scouting the Los Angeles Rams

A look at the Los Angeles Rams from a playcalling and tendency point of view ahead of Monday Night Football in Week 12

The Baltimore Ravens travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams on Monday Night Football, as they continue their push for the postseason. This will be the seventh meeting between these two teams, but the first time that a game will be played in Los Angeles. The last time the Ravens went on to the road to face the Rams in 2011, the Rams called St. Louis home.

The Ravens own a 4-2 record against the Rams and have won each of the last three games between the two sides. Their last encounter was back in 2015 in a game the Ravens won 16-13 thanks to a Justin Tucker field goal from 47 yards out as time expired.

Let’s take a closer look at the Rams to better acquaint ourselves with what the Ravens are likely to see on Monday night.

Offense

Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams offense which took the league by storm in coach Sean McVay’s first two seasons has failed to hit these heights in 2019. The Kansas City Chiefs were the only team that scored more points and had more yards than the Rams in 2018. But the Rams are a lot closer to the middle of the pack this season. They are 13th in points scored and 15th in total offense. This is largely due to their failings in the run game, as they sit 21st in rushing yards against 7th in passing.

The Rams are predominantly an 11 personnel offense (three wide receivers, one running back and one tight end), and have lined up this way on 77% of their offensive plays this season. This is the second-highest rate in the NFL. They switch to 12 personnel (one back, two wide receivers and two tight ends) 15% of the time, the 8th lowest rate. The Rams like to run the ball out of 12, doing so on 69% of the time. They average only 3.3 yards per rush attempt, however, compared with 4.1 when they are in 11. The Rams average 7.4 yards per pass attempt in either formation.

From a play-calling point of view, the Rams are balanced between pass and run. They have a pass to run ratio of 1.53 this season, which is 17th in the NFL. The Rams slightly favor passing on 1st-and-10, but not by much. Their pass to run ratio in this scenario is 51-49.

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