5 Players Lions Need to Worry About against Rams
On Sunday, the Lions have a chance to win their first playoff game since the 1991 season. It won’t come easy against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams’ high-powered offense, though.
Let’s take a look now at five Rams players Detroit should be worried about going into its playoff game with L.A. this weekend.
WR Puka Nacua
Nacua has been one of the best stories in all of football this season. A fifth-round draft pick of the Rams last April, he’s taken the league by storm with not only his great hair but also his Pro Bowl-level production.
In Los Angeles’ regular season finale against San Francisco, Nacua set the NFL rookie record for both receptions (105) and yards (1,486) in a season.
“It’ll say Puka Nacua (in the record books), but I wish it could say everybody,” Nacua said after his record-breaking performance Sunday, per ESPN. “All 11 guys out there, because it really takes all 11. They should all feel that award just as much as I do, because I couldn’t do it without the guys in the front and obviously (quarterbacks) Matthew (Stafford) and Carson (Wentz) out there. Everybody was involved — it was sweet to feel myself, but the enjoyment from everybody made it more sweet.”
In 2023, the first-year wideout also caught six touchdowns, and hauled in 65.6 percent of his targets from Rams signal-callers Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz.
Undeniably, Nacua will receive a healthy dose of targets Sunday. So, it’ll be interesting to see if Detroit’s defensive backs group, which has been frequently exploited, is up to the task of defending the rookie phenom.
QB Matthew Stafford
The former beloved Detroit passer returns to Ford Field for the very first time in this primetime matchup Sunday.
Since being dealt to the Rams, he’s won a Super Bowl, and has continued to put up solid numbers. In 2023, the 15th-year pro threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdowns in 15 games. He also recorded a 63.7 QBR.
They weren’t as gaudy of numbers as he’s put up in the past. Yet, he still got the job done, plus led the Rams to nine wins (in his 15 starts) and a wild-card playoff berth.
Additionally, he has a chance to have a big day through the air Sunday against the Lions’ 27th-ranked pass defense.
