For years now, the Green Bay Packers versus Los Angeles Rams has featured two coaches who worked closely together in the past. Originally, Matt LaFleur and Sean McVay were both in Washington under Mike Shanahan from 2010 to 2013. Eventually, when McVay was named the head coach of the Rams, he hired LaFleur to be his offensive coordinator.
Since LaFleur has been the Packers head coach, he has faced his friend four times, including a playoff game. LaFleur have emerged victorious in each of those Green Bay Packers vs Los Angeles Rams contests. Can the Packers beat the Rams in the regular season, for a fourth straight year?
Key Players for the Packers
Jordan Love is back for the Pack. The young quarterback returned to the field in Week 4, still visibly affected by his knee injury. Especially in the first half of the game, Love was almost exclusively throwing off his back foot.
There is good news. First, Love follows the Green Bay quarterback tradition of completing plays from any platform. Like his predecessors, Love can throw accurate passes without having to plant and step into every throw. So in theory, this knee injury would affect Love less than it would most quarterbacks.
Furthermore, Love looked better as the game went on. He seemed to trust his knee more in the second half. Not only did his passing accuracy improve, but so did his decision making. Love had three interceptions during the contest, but two were in the first half.
The key will be to protect Love in the pocket. An emphasis will be on the offensive tackles matched up against the edge rushers. For the past couple of seasons now, Zach Tom has been a stalwart at right tackle. However, as is the case with most NFL teams, blind side protection is the most important.
The current Packers left tackle is Rasheed Walker. He has been decent in pass-protection, but not elite like Tom. Arguably, Walker’s biggest problem is penalties. He will usually commit at least one hold or a false start per game. If Walker can keep the yellow flags off the field, it could mean victory for the Green and Gold.
The Packers certainly struck gold in free agency. Safety Xavier McKinney signed a massive four year, $67 million contract in Green Bay. So far, he paid it off with an interception in each game. Yes that’s right, McKinney has a pick in four straight contests to begin his Packers tenure.
Key Players for the Rams
The Rams roster is currently decimated by injuries. Several key pieces are out. However, one of the currently healthy player is the team’s oldest, quarterback Matt Stafford. But the real question is: who will he throw to? Both of the team’s top two receivers will miss this Week 5 matchup.
Without any top tier pass-catching options available, the run game will be key. Kyren Williams is clearly the Rams best offensive weapon right now. Even if some may say that Williams lacks the true difference making speed, he more then makes up for it with technique. Williams possess great footwork, and has a solid vision for the end zone. While he is averaging only 3.5 yards per carry, Williams already has five touchdowns in only four games this season.
Defensively, the Rams have undergone significant changes. Evidently, Aaron Donald has retired, and he is truly an irreplicable talent. Both Bobby Brown and Kobie Turner have the task of representing the Rams at defensive tackle. If both can elevate their game, they could combine to be a problem for opposing offenses.
The defensive backfield under went some transformations. The Rams brought in Kamren Curl from the Commanders to man the strong safety spot. Additionally, the team added Tre’Davious White from the Bills to be one of their outside cornerbacks. The sooner this new secondary can can gel, the more of a problem they could be for opposing arial attacks.
Keys to Win the Game
Simply put, the Packers need protect Love. If they can keep their quarterback upright, Green Bay has a great chance to win this game.
If the offensive line can keep him clean, Love should have a clean game. Last week, one of Love’s interceptions was especially bad, throwing into triple coverage with little chance of being completed. Those types of mistakes can’t happen. Having good protection in the pocket will help Love focus on optimal decision making.
Defensively, the main factor for the Packers is stopping the run. With all the injuries to the Rams offense, their most important and dangerous weapon is the running back Williams. If Green Bay can shut him down, and keep him out of the end zone, it could be difficult for the Rams to put up points.
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