Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams – prediction, team news, lineups
Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Fresh from a dramatic fourth quarter game win last Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams head to Lambeau Field for Monday Night Football to face it Green Bay packers.
Green Bay ended a two-game losing streak last Sunday with a 28-19 win over the Chicago Bears, while the reigning Super Bowl champions defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16.
game preview
A balanced offensive attack and a monstrous fourth quarter a week ago allowed the Packers to move to a wildcard spot in the NFC in the span of two games.
They conceded 400 yards for a fourth straight game but rushed for 175 yards and threw for 182 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per game against the Bears.
Defensively, this group has played aggressively all year, printing 30.2% and blitzing 40.3% of the time, yielding 24 sacks but none in their previous encounter.
Given the best rushing attack in the NFL Matt La Fleur‘s team failed to advance as Bears QB Justin Fields averaged 11.8 yards per carry against the Cheeseheads, while Green Bay allowed 155 total yards on the ground.
So far in 2022, Green Bay has conceded an average of 5.0 yards per carry to opposing running backs, while their risky strategy of heavy blitzing often came back to bite them, giving wide receivers a 93.2 rating this year.
The Packers have outplayed their fourth-quarter opponents in three of their previous four meetings, including in the big last 15 minutes at the Windy City when they scored 18 points and missed none.
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First impressions stay, as the saying goes, and Rams QB Baker Mayfield made quite the debut for his new team on Thursday Night Football that we won’t soon forget.
It wasn’t just his dramatic swing that gave his team the win that impressed, but his demeanor under pressure was exceptional as well, scoring 10/12 on his shots against the Blitz and earning a 128.5 rating.
Those are some amazing numbers for a pivot who had less than 48 hours to learn a new offense, however Sean McVayThe offensive line still struggled with pass protection, allowing the Raiders four sacks and six quarterback hits on Mayfield.
All season, their running game was nonexistent and ranked 30th in the NFL, but they were particularly good at stopping opposing ground plays, allowing a 3.9-yard average for running backs in 2022, and being the leading rusher in the to hold NFL Josh Jacobs to an average of 3.7 yards in their last encounter.
A week ago her secondary by the committee was probably as good as we’ve seen all year, interception Derek Carr twice and kept the Raiders QB at a low 36.9 rating, with the Packers defense having accumulated at least one pick in three straight games.
LA has won just one away game this season and has been winless away against NFC North teams since Boxing Day a year ago.
Form of Green Bay Packers:
Form of the Los Angeles Rams:
Team News
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Packer QB Aaron Rodgers hasn’t thrown a pick in three of his last four games, and he’s tied with Christian Watson for another touchdown against the Bears as the 23-year-old has at least one TD grab in four straight contests.
AJ Dillon averaged 5.2 yards on the ground last week for the Packers and Allen Lazard made five catches for 67 yards.
Keisean Nixon and Jaire Alexander Each had interceptions in their previous encounter, as did the former Louisville cornerback along with De’Vondre Campbelleach had six tackles in that game while Aaron Jones has averaged 5.2 yards per carry this season.
Darnell Savage could be completely healed from his sore foot, Elgton Jenkins might have to sit out because of a sprained knee, Rudy Ford practiced all week after previously suffering a wrist injury while David Bakhtiari probably won’t see the field due to a problem with his knee and stomach.
While Mayfield got the most attention for the Rams last Thursday, and with good reason, it did Van Jefferson who scored the winning score, his second in three games, Cam Akers had a TD run but only averaged 3.5 yards on the ground, Tutu Atwell made five catches while was her leading receiver Ben Skowronekwho had seven grabs for 89 yards.
Troy Hill and Bobby Wagner Each made seven tackles to lead the way for LA Taylor Rapp and Ernest Jones Both had an interception.
John Wolford remains a doubt with neck tension, Robert Rochell has a sore wrist Aaron Donald and Marquis Copeland previously suffered ankle sprains and Brian Allen could be sidelined with a knee injury.
head to head
The Packers have not lost to the Rams since 2006 at Lambeau Randall Cobb had a TD catch in Wisconsin last November while Rasul Douglas had a pick of six and helped Green Bay win 36-28, giving them a 48-47-2 all-time series advantage.
It was a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter Greg Zurlein which gave LA their previous win over Green Bay in 2018 (29-27).
In 2021, these teams met in the NFC Divisional Round Mason Crosby Booted a few field goals in this encounter while Lazard and Davante Adams Everyone caught a touchdown pass from Rodgers, himself running for a goal as the Packers won 32-18 and advanced to the NFC Championship game.
We say Green Bay Packers 22-18 Los Angeles Rams
It was difficult not to be intrigued by what Mayfield accomplished last week, but we don’t expect a repeat of him this weekend.
To be successful in these cold conditions at Lambeau, you need to run the ball efficiently, and the Rams haven’t shown they can do that all year. So look for the ground game to tip the scales in Green Bay’s favour.
For a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, goal scores and more for this game, please click here.
