On Sunday Night Football in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, we will be treated to one of the best matchups of the weekend between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions.
In the marquee spot of NFL Wild Card Weekend, we will be seeing the Los Angeles Rams face off with the Detroit Lions. For the Lions, this will be a wild atmosphere, as they won the NFC North and are in the playoff for the first time in a long time.
While the crowd will be going wild to see their team, they will also be going wild to cheer against Matthew Stafford. Stafford was a very good quarterback for the Lions, who after a long career in Detroit went to Los Angeles and won a ring.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams Updates
Certainly, fans in Detroit will want to see their team beat Stafford to move on to the next round of the playoffs. With that being said, here are three bold predictions for the game on Sunday night.
Stafford has a big day
This will likely be one of the most memorable games in their very good career Stafford, as a city that he played for a long time will be rooting hard against him. As a quarterback who has won a Super Bowl, Stafford should be able to control his emotions in this one, but there’s no doubt he will hear the Lions faithful.
Even though it will be a raucous crowd in Detroit, Stafford, and the Rams’ passing offense should be able to perform well against the Lions. While the Lions’ defense is vastly improved, they can be exposed through the air.
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Stafford had a very good season for the Rams and has two very good weapons on the outside in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Even though it will be an emotional game, expect a big one from Stafford.
Prediction: Stafford totals 325 passing yards
Lions shut down Williams.
One of the reasons why the Rams have had such a nice bounce-back season in 2023 has been the performance of their emerging star running back Kyren Williams. Williams has been playing great in the last month of the season, as he has totaled over 100 rushing yards in three of the last four games.
While Williams is playing well for the Rams, he will be going up against the second-best run defense in the league. The Rams have certainly benefitted from being able to both throw the football and run the football down the stretch. However, that might not be an option against Detroit. It’s hard to imagine the Lions getting gashed by Williams at home in this one, even though he has been very good of late.
Prediction: Williams totals under 60 rushing yards
Lions keep roaring
This is one of the biggest games in decades for the city of Detroit and many fans across the country are excited to see the return of Stafford. With a few storylines, this is arguably the best game of the weekend, as the two teams are fairly even.
In the matchup department, the Rams figure to have an edge in the passing game, but the Lions’ run defense could make them one-dimensional. With arguably the better overall defense and a very good offense in their own right, the Lions are in a good position to win this game.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams Updates
It will be great to see some playoff football in Detroit, and expect this place to be wild.
Prediction: Lions win 28-24
