Green Bay Packers v. LA Rams: Behind Enemy Lines Week 12

If the Rams are going to win this game, what does that path to victory look like for them against the Green Bay Packers?

Ramblin’ Fan: The formula for beating the Rams has been almost identical in their two losses. When the Rams offense takes the field, the defense has sold out to defend the pass. And the defense plays a shell to keep everything in front of them.  When the Rams defense has taken the field, they are attacked with plays to make 4-5 yards per play, eventually wearing down the defense. To win in Week 12, the LA Rams will need to do three things.

I – The offense must play mistake-free football and get the Rams out to an early lead. The tell-tale signs of the Rams’ struggles all season have been those games when Stafford throws an early interception. So the opposite of that, not throwing an early interception, must be a component to winning this game. To avoid an early mistake, the Rams will need to run effectively and frequently enough to keep the defense off-balance. To do that, the Rams must be willing to change up personnel packages, players, and even formations to test the Packers, determine what works, and then leverage that strategy to their advantage for the rest of the game.

II – The defense must find a way to create third-and-long situations and then hold on third down, forcing the Packers to punt. Of course, saying that is the easy part. Going out and executing that strategy is the tough part. But the Rams know from recent experience that offenses will work to keep the defense off-balance, and will try to create mismatches on the football field to neutralize the Rams’ best players like Jalen Ramsey or Aaron Donald. That means that other players must be capable of stepping up in this one.

III – The team must find ways to win that are not solely relying on their stars to make the plays the entire game. When the Rams can get key plays out of their other starters, they will have far more success in big games. That means that veterans on offense like TE Tyler Higbee, RB Darrell Henderson, or WR Odell Beckham Jr. must be able to gain huge chunks of yards. On defense, it means that veterans like DB Darious Williams, DL A’Shawn Robinson, and ILB Troy Reeder have to have outstanding games.

The LA Rams played flawless football to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers handily. That is the same strategy necessary to win Week 12.