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Detroit Lions to host L.A. Rams, former QB Matthew Stafford in first round of NFL playoffs
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- Detroit Lions to host L.A. Rams, former QB Matthew Stafford in first round of NFL playoffs
The Detroit Lions playoff matchup is set and it couldn't get much juicer than this: The Lions will host the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round of the NFC playoffs in the first-ever home playoff game at Ford Field.
The Lions are looking to win their first playoff game since Jan. 5, 1992, and standing in the way is the team that was on the other side of the franchise-altering trade that sent Jared Goff and a bundle of picks to Detroit in exchange for former franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford , who went on to win a Super Bowl.
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After being hailed as the man to get it done for the Lions and falling short three times in the playoffs, Detroit now must get through Stafford and the Rams to break the longest active streak of 32 years without a playoff win. This is the first matchup between the two teams in Detroit since the blockbuster trade, and the second game overall between the two squads, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford following the victory against the Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium, Dec. 17, 2023 in Inglewood, Calif.
Here is a quick breakdown of the Lions' first playoff game since the 2016 season:
Rams season resume
The Rams are back in the playoff fold after finishing the 2022 season 5-12 and sending over the No. 6 pick in the 2023 draft to Detroit, which turned into Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta after a trade. L.A. purged plenty of the veterans on the roster from the Super Bowl team two years ago and embraced youth for this season. The change resulted in a resurgence to a 10-7 record, good enough for a spot in the playoffs.
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The Rams started the season 3-3 before dropping three straight games to playoff teams — the Steelers , Cowboys , and Packers — to enter its Week 10 bye with a 3-6 record. After the bye, the Rams won six of their next seven games, with the only loss coming to the AFC No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens in overtime.
Rams offense breakdown
The Rams entered the final week of the regular season with a top-10 offense in both yards and scoring, thanks in large part to Stafford's ability to sling it around the field. The 35-year-old missed two games this season, including Week 18, but still threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 62.6% of his passes in Sean McVay's quarterback-friendly offensive system. Stafford showed no signs of being impacted by the neck injury that caused him to miss eight games in 2022.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford throws the ball during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Dec. 31, 2023.
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The offense, however, has been balanced between the run and the pass despite Stafford's return to being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Running back Kyren Williams , who played sparingly as a rookie in 2022, has emerged as one of the most consistent backs in the NFL. In just 12 games, Williams ran for 1,144 rushing yards, good to lead the NFL with a 95.3 average per game, and 12 touchdowns after dealing with an ankle injury midseason and resting in Week 18.
Stafford's two favorite targets are former All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp and rookie Pro Bowler Puka Nacua . Kupp started the season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and missed the first four games, but has rebounded to average nearly eight catches per game in his 12 appearances entering Week 18. Nacua is one of the favorites to win Offensive Rookie of the Year after entering the league as a relatively unknown fifth-round pick, and becoming one of the most prolific receivers in the league by setting the NFL record for most receptions and yards by a rookie wide receiver.
Rams defense breakdown
The Rams' defense has been weaker than its' top-ranked offense but has shown improvement from 2022 after embracing youth on all three levels of the defense, while still being anchored by future Hall-of-Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald .
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Donald recorded eight sacks and 26 total tackles in 16 games as a double-team drawing force in the middle of the line, freeing up rookies Byron Young and Kobie Turner , who entered Week 18 as the top two rookies across the NFL in terms of sacks recorded.
Prediction
The Lions vs. Stafford feels like it was written in the stars after the fateful trade that made L.A. into a Super Bowl winner and resulted in a comprehensive rebuild for Detroit, culminating in the franchise's best team since the last playoff win in 1992. Dan Campbell will have the team fired up to make sure the Lions don't squander their best chance at the divisional round in three decades, and the crowd will be rocking as fans go hoarse watching the first home playoff game in Ford Field history. However, Stafford and the Rams' offense will go toe-to-toe with the Lions' top-ranked offense and answer every punch with a consistent and deadly passing attack. Campbell will be aggressive, as usual, to keep his best unit on the field in crunch time and keep Stafford on the sidelines instead of completing a comeback he was famous for during his 12 seasons in Detroit. Pick: Lions 34, Rams 31.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions to host Rams, Stafford in first round of NFL playoffs
