The Rams and Packers may not look like the teams that made the playoffs last year, but there’s still talent on both sides. Aaron Rodgers, A.J. Dillon, Jaire Alexander and Aaron Jones are still in Green Bay, and the Rams have Jalen Ramsey leading the secondary again.
Looking ahead to Monday night’s contest at Lambeau Field, we’re previewing five key matchups that could decide the game on the field. It won’t be an easy win for the Rams, but they’re capable of pulling off the upset.
1
Brian Allen vs. Kenny Clark
Clark is one of the best interior defenders in the NFL and gives every center he goes up against some trouble because of the power he possesses. Allen isn’t the strongest offensive lineman because he is slightly undersized, so Clark will have an advantage when he does decide to bull rush, but Allen has proved capable in matchups like this one before.
In their matchup last season, Clark had three pressures, two QB hits and a sack against the Rams, mostly rushing against Allen at center.
2
Van Jefferson vs. Jaire Alexander
Alexander has had a really rough season for the Packers, getting beat for big plays far more often than he has in recent years. Jefferson won’t overmatch anyone with his athleticism, but he is plenty fast enough and his route running is top-notch. That makes this a difficult matchup for Alexander, who’s been caught biting on double-moves and playing too aggressively at times in coverage.
Look for Mayfield to take a few downfield shots to Jefferson when covered by Alexander, specifically on routes such as slant-and-gos.
3
Jalen Ramsey vs. Christian Watson
Ramsey is having a similar season to Alexander. They’ve both given up more big plays than usual, and Ramsey specifically has allowed a league-high seven touchdowns in coverage. Unfortunately, he’ll be going up against a wide receiver who has caught seven touchdown passes and rushed for two.
Watson is 6-foot-5 and has a ton of speed, and despite only being a rookie who’s still developing, he’s a talented player who can cause some problems for opposing cornerbacks. Ramsey has covered every type of receiver there is, so he’ll find a way to keep Watson in check, but the rookie is explosive and dangerous.
4
Bobby Wagner and Ernest Jones vs. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon
Wagner and Jones have their hands full against a talented tandem of running backs who seem to get better as the weather gets colder. With frigid conditions expected, the Packers will probably feature a heavy dosage of Jones and Dillon, with Dillon being particularly dangerous thanks to his power and ability to wear down a defense with his physicality.
The Rams’ run defense has been very good this season, but that was mostly with Aaron Donald and A’Shawn Robinson out there. The defensive line has gotten thin so Wagner and Jones will have to clean up a lot at the second level.
5
Greg Gaines vs. Josh Myers
Gaines is coming off one of his best games of the season and will now go up against the Packers’ impressive center Myers. This is a fun matchup between two very good players on the interior and Gaines isn’t like most nose tackles in the fact that he plays the majority of the snaps, especially now with Donald and Robinson out. Gaines will play a big factor in this game if the Packers decide to go run-heavy, needing to clog up the middle to prevent big plays between the tackles.
