After a scintillating Saturday and a dramatic Sunday, Week 15 is brought to a close as the Los Angeles Rams travel to Lambeau Field to visit the Green Bay Packers
1. Will Baker make it two wins from two?
Baker Mayfield pulled off what seemed like the impossible last Thursday, leading his new Rams offence to a fourth-quarter comeback over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mayfield asked for his release from the Carolina Panthers that Monday, and arrived in Los Angeles after they claimed him on waivers. The Rams were the only team to put in a claim for Mayfield.
With two days’ understanding of the offense, and little time with his receivers, the former number-one overall pick proved his point. Will he go to 2-0 as the Rams starter tonight?
2. Will the Rams win two in a row after losing six straight?
Last week’s win for the Los Angeles Rams was huge, it was their first in six, and only their second since their Week 3 victory in Arizona to go 2-1 on the season.
The defense stepped up in Aaron Donald’s absence, only allowing 16 points against a Raiders offense that had scored 29.7 points on average in their previous three games.
Detroit Lions fans may want to think twice about rooting against their division rival Green Bay Packers tonight, as a Rams win will see the Lions pick fall to 9th in the draft order.
3. A win for Green Bay will keep them in playoff contention
Somehow the Green Bay Packers are still in contention for the playoffs. Albeit a small chance (6% according to FiveThirtyEight).
Back-to-back wins over the Rams and the Dolphins will but the Packers just under .500 with two home divisional games to close out the season.
Imagine a win-and-in scenario vs the Lions to close the year on Sunday Night Football. No matter how unlikely (very) it is, the thought of it is awesome.
4. Is Green Bay’s offense hitting a groove?
Aaron Rodgers and company have had three of their best offensive performances in the last four games, averaging 27.25 points per game.
That’s a whole seven points higher than their season average of 20.2, which ranks 22nd in the league. The emergence of the impressive rookie, Christian Watson, is a big factor.
If the Packers are to win, they’ll have to do it without star offensive lineman David Bakhtiari. The offensive tackle hasn’t suited up since Week 12, due to him undergoing an appendectomy.
5. Sean McVay vs Matt La Fleur
Former colleagues Sean McVay and Matt LeFleur will meet tonight for only the third time as head coaches. Until this year, neither coach has had a losing season.
Le Fleur was on McVay’s staff in 2017, before moving to become Mike Vrabel’s offensive coordinator in Tennessee. A year later he was named HC of the Packers.
In their two previous meetings, the Packers have come out on top both times. The most notable win was in the divisional round of the 2020 season’s playoffs, where Green Bay put up 484 yards of offense.
