Lions look for first win against improving Rams: Rams vs. Lions preview
A month ago, football fans probably would have thought a match-up between the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions would only mean the loser would have the number one overall draft pick. That doesn’t appear to be the case now, as the Rams have rallied to a
2-2 record under rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. The Lions may still be win-less, but their improvement is evident and they have come close to victories. With a little more luck they could easily be 2-2 themselves. They will have a chance when they host the
Rams this Sunday, as these teams are more evenly matched than their records suggest.
The Lions will still be without their franchise quarterback in Matthew Stafford who is still recovering from a separated shoulder. Shaun Hill will make his fourth straight start. Hill has thrown for a lot of yards (991) and five touchdowns but he has thrown
seven interceptions. That has doomed the Lions and Hill simply has to cut down on his mistakes.
Hill will look to keep getting Calvin Johnson the ball as he did last week when Johnson scored two touchdowns in Green Bay. Johnson is their best receiving threat and can spark Detroit’s offence. In hopes of some balance, the Lions need to get Jahvid Best going.
After an impressive start to the season, Best leads the NFC in touchdowns but scored none last week and has not racked up the yards. The Lions need him to have a big day because the Rams have played pretty good defence over the first four weeks of the season.
The Rams have given up a lot of yards, but not a lot of points. While they’re 23rd in the league with 340 yards allowed per game, they’re fourth in the league with just 13 points allowed per game. Ultimately that’s what’s mattered as they allowed just 19 points
in their two victories.
The Rams’ offence could have a big day against a weak Lions secondary. Detroit has allowed on average 375 yards a game, 26th in the league. That’s not good news when you’re facing a hot quarterback in Bradford and a workhorse like Steven Jackson in the backfield.
The Lions are ranked 26th against the pass and 25th against the run so Jackson has an opportunity to have a big day and should be the catalyst of the Rams’ offence. Jackson has 312 yards from scrimmage in two games against the Lions in his career.
What the Rams will have to worry about is the stellar play of the Lions’ defensive line. The most improved aspect of their team is this line with rookie Ndamukong Suh playing as advertised and the veteran leadership of Kyle Vanden Bosch on the end. This front
line will have to prevent Jackson from getting to the second level and will have to bring the heat on Bradford.
The Lions desperately need a win, as their schedule gets tougher over the next few weeks. First they head to New York to play the Giants, then home to face Washington and host the New York Jets. If they can’t get their first win now, you have to wonder when
it’ll come. The Rams meanwhile can maintain their shared lead of first place in the NFC West. It’s a huge opportunity as the Rams can go over .500 for the first time in four years. This game is a lot more intriguing than what it looks like on paper.
Tags: