Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws the ball during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
On Sunday, the Rams took down Sam Darnold and the 49ers. This game was a battle of backups for the most part that saw San Fransisco in the lead for the majority of the game. Niners’ Jake Moody missed not only a field goal but also an extra point that put Los Angeles in the perfect position to take the lead.
The Rams had the opportunity to close the game out with one minute left. They needed 9 yards but came up short and had to punt, giving the Niners one last chance with 50 seconds left and no timeouts. The drive seemed promising at first, starting with a 20-yard reception. However, it was quickly reviewed and changed to an incomplete pass.
What followed was something many fans were used to seeing from Darnold in his days playing for the Jets. He had the ball on the 30-yard line, only down one point and what did he do next? He scrambles in the presence of pressure and fumbles. The Rams would recover and end the game in victory formation. With this win, Los Angeles clinched the sixth seed, leaving them to play the third seed who is no other than Stafford’s former team, Detroit.
The Rams will travel to Detroit and defeat the Lions. Detroit has been a hot team all season but this Rams team is severely underrated. The Rams have potential Rookie of the Year in Puka Nacua as well as stud running back, Kyren Williams… We all know that the Rams traded a ton of picks over the past few years for their Super Bowl run but they still made the most out of the picks that they’ve retained.
Ezoic
For the Rams to win this game, they just need to get Kyren going. Williams has been fantastic this year and is one of the many surprises in the league this season. He was behind Cam Akers last season and never really got a chance to show his potential. This season, in the starting role, Williams has exploded for over 1,100 yards and 12 TDs.
Dec 21, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) carries the ball against New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
If the Rams have a successful rushing attack, it will open up their passing game and allow Cooper Kupp and Nacua to prosper. Stafford will have the opportunity to take down the team that drafted him. He has all the tools to do it, but the Lions are hungry and will not go down easy, especially in their stadium.
Everything is set up for this to be an offensive battle with Amon Ra St-Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the Lion’s offensive attack. Stafford will likely be pressured by Aidan Hutchinson throughout this game and his presence could impact this game. Sunday at 8 pm EST, be prepared to see an all-out brawl.
