Saturday’s game between the Rams and Packers will come down to these six matchups.
The Los Angeles Rams are two wins away from reaching their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Unfortunately, the first of those wins will need to come against the top-seeded Green Bay Packers, who went 13-3 in the regular season and are led by MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers.
But this game won’t just come down to stopping Rodgers, or the Rams offense as a whole having success. There are six key matchups in this NFC showdown that will decide the outcome of the game, beginning with Jalen Ramsey vs. Davante Adams, a battle between two first-team All-Pros on the outside.
All eyes will once again be on Jalen Ramsey and DK Metcalf.
After splitting the first two meetings during the regular season, the Rams and Seahawks will square off in a playoff tiebreaker on Saturday afternoon at Lumen Field. The winner will advance to the divisional round, while the loser will head home after going one-and-done in the playoffs.
There are a lot of factors that will decide the outcome of this game, among them individual matchups between players and coaches on both sides. Can Jalen Ramsey shut down DK Metcalf again? Will the Rams be able to move the ball on the ground against the likes of Poona Ford and Jamal Adams?
Here are six of the biggest matchups to watch on Saturday afternoon.
Troy Hill has to lock down Jamison Crowder on Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium.
The Los Angeles Rams should feel great about their chances to knock off the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon, coming into this game as 17-point favorites. The team won’t take the Jets lightly, though, even despite their 0-13 record.
The Rams have the advantage at just about every position, but New York still has some talented players on both sides of the ball. Here are four key matchups to watch as the Rams get set to square off against the Jets in Week 15.
The Rams and Cowboys will square off on Sunday afternoon with several marquee matchups all over the field.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
The Los Angeles Rams are back on the road for their next two games after beating the Seahawks at home in Week 14. First, they’ll head to Dallas where they’ll take on the 6-7 Cowboys, who have lost their way in recent weeks.
As poorly as the Cowboys are playing, though, they’re still a team with an abundance of talent – just like the Rams. There are star-studded matchups all over the field, and many of them will determine which team comes out on top Sunday afternoon.
The Rams have the edge in a lot of areas, but Dallas has a trio of offensive playmakers that rivals any in the league. Here are five key matchups to watch at AT&T Stadium in Week 15.
Rams OTs vs. Cowboys DEs
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
This is the matchup that could dictate how Los Angeles’ offense operates. There aren’t many pass-rush tandems in the league better than Robert Quinn and DeMarcus Lawrence. They both rank in the top six among all defenders in pass-rush win rate this season, which shows just how well each one is playing.
Andrew Whitworth will be the one blocking Quinn, while it’s not exactly clear who will be assigned to Lawrence. Rob Havenstein may return from injury, but the Rams won’t say whether he’ll replace Bobby Evans as the starter. Either way, Evans or Havenstein will have their hands full on the edge.
Aaron Donald hopes to have another huge game against the Cardinals.
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The Arizona Cardinals may only be 3-7-1, but they’re a far better team than their record indicates. They nearly upset the 10-1 49ers twice in the last month and Kyler Murray is finding his footing under center.
Sunday’s game won’t be an easy one for the Los Angeles Rams, especially when analyzing the individual matchups that are set to take place on the field.
Here are the five most important matchups for the Rams against the Cardinals.
Bobby Evans vs. Chandler Jones
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Evans was protected by the Rams against the Bears with a lot of help from the tight ends, but he was left alone more often against Baltimore. He held his own, but none of the Ravens’ pass rushers are as good as Chandler Jones. In fact, very few edge rushers in the NFL are. He’ll have his work cut out for him against Jones, who has 12.5 sacks this season and is someone the Rams have to account for on every snap.
