Packers First Playoff Game Will Be Hosting the Rams on Saturday
Once the Bears got their playoff choking out of the way, predictably losing to the Saints, the NFL has announced the divisional playoff round matchups. Also, I shit you not, the Bears game was fittingly broadcast on… *checks notes* …Nickelodeon:
SLIME CANNONS! 🤮
📺: #CHIvsNO on NICK pic.twitter.com/Z9ZkYy5N3r
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 10, 2021
As for the Packers, Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams will visit the Frozen Tundra that is Lambeau in January this Saturday night. Being the #1 NFC seed, the Pack will have homefield advantage after taking the wildcard round off.
The Packers last played the Rams in 2018 which resulted in a loss against a Rams team that was undefeated at the time. The Pack was also at the tail end of coach Mike McCarthy’s tenure in a season that saw them place behind both the Bears and the Vikings in the division. Dark times.
Things are much brighter now under coach Matt LaFleur’s watch with a slew of new talent being fielded since 2018. Matt LaFleur, Kyle Shanahan, and Sean McVay are part of the NFL’s youthful trio wonderboy coaches who have a history together — although the latter two seem to get the most attention. However, after this season, LaFleur’s name will be coming up a lot more often as this season has proved that his winning streak is not just a fluke.
Nov 10, 2019; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looks on during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
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LaFleur vs. Mcvay; Adams vs .Ramsey; Donald vs. Linsley; whoever plays RT vs Floyd; lots of great matchups in this weeks game. How about Rams vs. January weather in GB! Goff is only 12 days removed from having thumb surgery, and that cold temperature WILL affect his passing at some point. (thats if Goff plays). We’ll need mistake free ST play, the defense needs to contain Akers; and I trust Crosby in the cold conditions.
At first glance, this game didn’t look good for the Packers to me.
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But…..the 2016 #1 overall pick has pins in his hands. The thing is, he’s ok, but he doesn’t impressive me much when he’s healthy
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It seems the defense caught another break against a weaker offense. The Rams scoring offense ranks 20th in the league with 23.6 PPG. The Packers offense last season was at 23.5 PPG. So the defense should be able to hold their own at home, you’d think.
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The Challenge….the Rams defense is #1 in a tie with the Ravens giving up only 18.6 PPG. That’s the bad news.
The good news is, the Rams defense is very inconsistent. At home the Rams yield 13,5 PPG. On the road the Rams defense gives up 23.1 PPG. Sound familiar? That’s the exact PPG that the Packers defense yields.
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So all in all….this should be a Packers win.
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I predict the Packers squeaking by the Rams and playing………………..the winner of the Saints/Bucs game.
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The pressure on this game besides the QB’s…falls on the Rams defense. Not the Packers defense.
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The Rams two best productive receivers have caught 9 TD’s….combined.
The Packers two best receivers have caught 24 TD’s….(not including Tonyans)
Jared Goff has thrown 20 TD passes against 13 interceptions.
Aaron Rodgers has thrown 48 TD’s against 5 interceptions.
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At Lambeau, should this game even be close?
Your above points are a couple of the reasons I thought it would be best for the Packers to see the Rams in the divisional round. At this point in the playoffs all teams are going to be good. To me the Rams were the best first round matchup across the board for the Packers. The Packers defense is also inconsistent. The good news is the Packers defense allows 19.5 points per game at home and 26.6 points per game away. Some of that difference may be the quality of offenses faced at home vs away, but as the season has progressed the Packer defense has improved and the Rams offense has regressed.
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Yea, i’m more positive about this game than i thought i’d be.
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But more times than not, games are won up front.
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If the offense struggles, and they could, using the Bucs game as example.
I don’t want to hear any ripping on the offense for not performing “as usual”
The defense has to show it’s worth, they have to come through also.
Lets be honest, if it wasn’t for the offense, we’re not even talking about this.
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The Rams offense is hardly a juggernaut in the NFL. It’s ranked 20th in scoring.
It shouldn’t be that difficult for the Packers defense to step up against them.
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The Rams defense got them the this far.
The Packers offense got them this far.
Nothing is clearer.
It’s not going to be really cold this weekend in GB, but last I heard, there is a slight chance of snow. That will be a factor,. The forecast might have changed since then, and might change before game time. If snow develops, I’ll put all my chips on Rodgers, as I think Goff will struggle in that environment. The marque matchup will be the Rams D vs. Packers O; as PF4L stated.
Yea…Goff would struggle in the snow.
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Hell, with no snow he threw under 50% against Seattle.
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Not worried about him, whatsoever.
The Bucs beat the Packers and Rams have a significantly better pass defense than the Bucs. This is the game where the loss of Bakhtiari is felt, because Lucas Patrick will look like a turnstile, just like he did against several Packer opponents this season that didn’t have nearly as good of defensive line as the Rams. But the thing that bothers me the most is that McVey will know exactly what LaFluer is going to call, just like the Rams did last year. I think this is going to look a lot like the NFC Championship where nothing worked. And if the Packers lose in the divisional round, are they any better than last year?
I’m using every fiber in my being to look at this game in it’s positives, and there are positives over last season.
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So i’m still looking at it in realty, but the positive side of realty. If they lose, they lose, then everyone will bitch.
But i have to say, the Packers have the catbird seat, and i’m FAR more concerned with top teams in the AFC, than i am with top teams in the NFC.
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If the Packers get in the SB, my demeanor may switch…idk But that’s two games away, gotta win the next game.
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If Rodgers gets another SB win…all is right with the world as far as i’m concerned. i don’t care how pretty, well executed, how sloppy, or how ugly it is.
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It’s another Lombardi Trophy
I don’t believe the Packers played the Rams last year. And, this isn’t the Kurt Warner Rams, its the Jared Goff broken thumb Rams. I expect GB will take care of business and send this mediocre team with a world class NT home for the off season.
I think the difference between this and last year, is that the team is more confident in what they can do, more dynamic. They have grown in the 2nd year of LaFleurs’ system. Also, the D has stepped up in the last 4 to 5 weeks. I still have concerns on the STs’. The Rams will come here ready to play, and I hope that the week off doesn’t hinder the momentum that GB has built up. The team will have to be ready to go from the start. These two coaches know each other well, and it will be interesting to watch how in-game adjustments are made. If they can beat the Rams, I’ll feel a lot better about this teams chances moving forward; as I think the Bucs and the Rams have the best defenses left in the playoffs.
The Rams are a somewhat uncommon opponent. I haven’t crunched the numbers but it looks like on average they play about every two years or so.
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I think you are correct Mick on the coaching aspect, that could be where it’s won or lost.
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I know 2 things…..
1) There needs to be receivers open to let Rodgers get rid of the ball, that’s how you negate Aaron Donald.
2) I don’t want this game to turn out like the last time these two teams met in the playoffs….YIKES!!!!
I remember it and where i was, like it was yesterday.