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If you look back at the 10 games played by the Rams this season, there haven’t been an overwhelming number of real challenges up to this point. The Buccaneers are a good team, as are the Colts and Cardinals. But the Rams also benefited from facing the Bears, Seahawks, Giants, Lions and Texans, all of whom they beat fairly easily.
The second half of the season is much more difficult, beginning with a battle against the Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 12. Sean McVay was asked Monday about the challenges that the Packers present and after having a week to study Matt LaFleur’s team, he sees no weaknesses on Green Bay’s roster right now.
“They’re one of the best. They’ve been one of the best for the last handful of years. You could argue that they’ve been the standard in the NFC going 13-3 in the last two years and then losing the conference championship game,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready to go. That’s what you love as a competitor because this is a great challenge. There’s no weaknesses. That’s what you love about this game and the opportunity to go play in a historic venue like Lambeau against a great football team, great players, great coaches.”
The Packers are unquestionably banged up right now, nowhere near full strength entering this matchup with the Rams. Aaron Rodgers has a toe injury, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins are both out, Jaire Alexander has been sidelined since Week 4 and Aaron Jones isn’t certain to play, either.
Yet, the Packers just keep rolling along thanks to Rodgers, Davante Adams and role players stepping up.
McVay elaborated on what he’s seen from the offense, beginning of course with Rodgers and Adams.
“That’s a great football team,” he said. “The success speaks for itself. They’ve got great players across the board on all three phases. They’re very well coached. They’re disciplined. I think they’ve got the guys at the key spots that really carry the torch. Aaron Rodgers, his resume speaks for itself. Davante Adams. I don’t know exactly what Aaron Jones’ status is, but (A.J.) Dillon has played at an extremely high level.”
McVay also pointed to the job done by tight end Josiah Deguara in place of Robert Tonyan and the challenges presented by Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling at the receiver position, given their big-play ability.
On defense, the Packers are led by a familiar face, Joe Barry. McVay has been impressed by the job Barry’s done in Green Bay, utilizing players such as Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark, who McVay called “one of the best players in this league.”
“Then you flip the tape on defensively and you’re looking at a really good job that Joe Barry’s done,” McVay said. “Being able to go in there, there’s some continuity personnel wise, but I’ve been so impressed with the way that they’ve played on all three levels. Preston Smith shows up over and over again. Rashan Gary, even though he didn’t play yesterday, does a great job. He’s only gotten better. I thought he was playing really good football when we played them in the playoffs last year. And then, Kenny Clark’s one of the best players in this league that isn’t talked about enough. I’ve been so impressed with him.”
Even at less than full strength, the Packers are up there with the Cardinals and Bucs as arguably the best team the Rams will face this year. They desperately need a win to not only snap their two-game losing streak, but to prove they can beat even the top contenders in the NFC.
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