So we meet again, Matthew Stafford. The former Detroit Lions starting quarterback faces his former team for the fourth time in five years in Week 15. In the first matchup back in 2021, the Los Angeles Rams won 28-19, but since then, Stafford hasn’t defeated his former team. The Lions beat the Rams in the 2023 playoffs and in the 2024 season opener.
This season, the matchup has high stakes, as the Lions’ playoff chances are on the line, while the Rams fight to win their division. The Lions can still
make the playoffs with a loss to the Rams, but a win would increase those chances. The Rams are playing some good football this season, and they appear to be a potential Super Bowl favorite.
Let’s take a deeper look at the Rams in my Week 15 scouting report.
Los Angeles Rams
2025 season thus far (10-3)
Week 1: Defeated the Houston Texans 14-9
Week 2: Defeated the Tennessee Titans 33-19
Week 3: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 33-26
Week 4: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts 27-20
Week 5: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers 26-23 (OT)
Week 6: Defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-3
Week 7: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-7
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Defeated the New Orleans Saints 34-10
Week 10: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers 42-26
Week 11: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-9
Week 12: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-7
Week 13: Lost to the Carolina Panthers 31-28
Week 14: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals 45-17
Stats:
- 4th in points scored, 3rd in points allowed
- 2nd in DVOA
- 1st in offensive DVOA (1st in pass DVOA, 1st in run DVOA)
- 3rd in defensive DVOA (3rd pass DVOA, 3rd in run DVOA)
- 24th in special teams DVOA
Before the season began, Stafford was dealing with a back injury that left questions around the franchise. Would Stafford play in 2025? Could he possibly retire? Will this be his last season? We still don’t know the answer to the last question, but Stafford has made people forget all about the injury talk over the summer with how he and his team have played this year. Not only is he playing great, but you could also say he’s an MVP candidate.
Stafford is currently fourth in passing yards (3,354) and leads all quarterbacks by a wide margin with 35 touchdowns, with Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tied for second at 26. Stafford has already brought a Super Bowl trophy to LA, and if he and his team can continue their play, he might help bring another one and call it a career.
What’s helped him be great are the starting wide receivers on the roster. Puka Nacua is still causing havoc for opposing defenses with the second-most receiving yards in the NFL (1,186), and he’s tied for the most catches (93). While Nacua is Stafford’s favorite target, his counterpart, Davante Adams, is finding the end zone, leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 14. Adams is on pace for a career high in receiving touchdowns, as his previous high was 18 in 2020 with the Green Bay Packers.
It’s not just the passing game that’s working for the Rams; the running game is finding success, too. While not flashy, starting running back Kyren Williams has had a good season so far, as he has the eighth most rushing yards (952), and tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns (eight). Backup running back Blake Corum has seen his role increase this year, almost doubling his carries and yards from last season, up to 550 on the ground, and finding the end zone four times.
While the offense has been explosive and taunting, what makes their job even easier is having a great defense. Linebacker Byron Young is having a fantastic season, currently tied for fifth in the NFL in sacks (11), and is becoming a leader on the defense. He isn’t alone, as second-year linebacker Jared Verse has six sacks and is making his presence felt. The secondary has seen its young stars shine too, as cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes each have three interceptions, leading the team.
Overall, the Rams are one of the most complete teams in the NFL this season, and it’s understandable to say they are Super Bowl favorites right now. While they did slip up against the Panthers, they rebounded with a dominant win over the Cardinals last week. After losing to the Lions in back-to-back years, Stafford and the Rams will be hungry to get their revenge on their own turf on Sunday. With their divisional title hopes on the line, they have just as much to play for as the Lions do.
Injury notes
Key players ruled out: OT Rob Havenstein (IR), TE Tyler Higbee (IR), S Quentin Lake (IR), CB Roger McCreary (IR)
Key players to monitor: WR Tutu Atwell (IR), CB Darious Williams (tibia)
Unlike the Lions, the Rams enter Sunday’s matchup light on the injury report. The offense will be without starting offensive tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee, while the defense will be without safety Quentin Lake and cornerback Roger McCreary. The good news for Los Angeles is the Rams should be having more depth return on offense as wide receiver Tutu Atwell is expected to be activated off IR and return against the Lions. Cornerback Darious Williams is the only question mark for the team as he missed last week with a tibia injury and didn’t practice. If he can return to practice this week, it gives him a shot at returning against Detroit.
Biggest strength: Offense
While the defense has been playing well, the offense takes the cake as the Rams’ true strength. Stafford has the highest QB rating in the NFL at 113.1 and is tied with the Buffalo Bills for the most 20+ yard passing plays with 50. What’s also helped the passing game succeed is the offensive line. Despite being down a starting tackle, Stafford has only been sacked 17 times, tied for the fewest in the NFL. The fewest times Stafford has been sacked in a full season of play was 23 back in 2013, and he could break that record this season.
With Stafford playing how he is, he elevates everyone around him to perform at their best, too. First, the offensive line has kept Stafford clean, and according to PFF, they are the best run-blocking team in the NFL (89.4). With that, the running game can be dangerous, and while Williams and Corum aren’t breaking records, they are being methodical and effective. Moving to the receivers, according to PFF, they have the second-best grade (89.6).
You have playmakers everywhere on this offense, much like Detroit’s, but a more stable offensive line. We’ve seen how good the Lions offense can be with a top-five offensive line, and that’s what’s going on in Los Angeles. Their pass-blocking grade is poor (61.2), but I give them more credit than what PFF is if Stafford is tied for the fewest sacks in the league.
Biggest weakness: Special teams
While the offense and defense are elite, the Rams’ special teams unit has been the biggest thorn in its side. The biggest problems lie with kick returns, and field goal kicking. First, they are averaging just 25.0 yards per kick return, ranking 24th in the NFL.
While that is a minor issue for them, the bigger ones are with the kicking game. First, the Rams have allowed multiple kicks to get blocked this season, and there is no discrimination between whether it’s a field goal or an extra point. Between the Eagles and 49ers games, the Rams got a field goal and an extra point blocked, costing them both games.
While the blocking hasn’t been where it should be on the unit, when they do their job, it doesn’t seem the kicker is stepping up when called upon. The Rams had kicker Joshua Karty for eight games, and he made just 66.7% of his field goals and 88.5% of his extra points. They have since released him and signed Harrison Mevis. In five games, he’s been perfect—making 3-of-3 on field goals (long of 53) and 23-of-23 on extra points. Perhaps the change at kicker can help the Rams, but there are still questions about the field goal protection team.
Key matchup: Lions’ defense vs. Rams’ offense
Detroit hasn’t seen an offense like the Rams this season, hands down. They’ve had to deal with some difficult matchups in the passing game or ground game, but no offense has looked this dominant. You could argue the Cowboys were a better offense, but Stafford and his receivers are putting up some great numbers that make me believe they’re better.
In that Cowboys game, the Lions offense had to put up 44 points to ensure it won, and we could see a similar situation happen this week against the Rams. The Lions currently have the highest-scoring offense at 30.3 points per game, and if the defense can’t slow down the Rams’ offense, we might have a shootout on our hands. If the Lions defense can make some stops, create rare turnovers (Rams only have 11 giveaways—t-sixth fewest), it gives Detroit a chance in this game. The Rams’ defense is better than the Lions, so it’s not like the Lions’ offense will be moving the ball with ease either.
The Lions’ defensive line has to generate pressure on Stafford and get him to make a mistake. If they can’t, Stafford will likely test a Lions’ secondary without safety Brian Branch— a possibly Kerby Joseph. We know he won’t be afraid to let it rip and sling the ball deep down the field. Stopping the run game will be huge as well, because Stafford and the Rams build off the run with a ton of play action.
Vegas line for Sunday: Rams favored by 5.5
