First Look: Rams head to Green Bay to take on Packers in divisional round
The sixth-seeded Rams are Green Bay-bound to take on the top-seeded Packers on Saturday at Lambeau Field in the divisional round of the playoffs, in what will be just the third-ever postseason meeting between the two teams in series history. Kickoff on Jan. 16 is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. pacific time on FOX.
In advance of the contest, here is your first look at Rams-Packers, including notable Packers additions, Green Bay's top performers in Week 17 and key storylines:
Notable Packers additions
Claimed DL Damon Harrison off waivers from the Seahawks on Dec. 31. The nine-year veteran was brought in to bolster Green Bay's run defense, and while he only played 12 snaps in his Week 17 debut against Chicago, he still made an impact in limited action in the eyes of his new teammates and coaches.
Drafted running back A.J. Dillon in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. While the Boston College product has been behind Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams in the running back rotation, he's the biggest of the bunch at 6-foot, 247 pounds and worth keeping an eye on.
Top performers in Week 17 (Green Bay had a first-round bye)
QB Aaron Rodgers completed 19 of 24 pass attempts for 240 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-16 Packers win over the Bears which clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Jones led Green Bay's backfield with 11 carries for 42 yards and one touchdown, also finishing with four receptions for 43 yards.
WRs Marquez Valdes-Scantling (two receptions, 87 yards, one touchdown) and Davante Adams (six catches, 46 yards, one touchdown) did the most damage in the passing game. TEs Robert Tonyan (two catches for 18 yards) and Dominique Dafney (one for 13) were on the receiving end of Rodgers' other two passing touchdowns.
LB Krys Barnes led the Packers' defense with 14 total tackles, while S Adrian Amos added nine plus an interception. CB Jaire Alexander chipped in a forced fumble and OLB Rashan Gary a fumble recovery.
On special teams, K Mason Crosby made all five of his extra point attempts, while P JK Scott averaged 43.5 yards per punt on two punts.
Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams
The Packers present a formidable challenge for the Rams this weekend. They won six straight games to close out the regular season and earn the top seed in the NFC, produced the league's highest-scoring offense in 2020 and have the NFL-MVP front-runner in quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center.
While Green Bay has looked virtually unstoppable and commands the respect it deserves, its three losses offer clues for how Los Angeles can increase its chances of winning.
In losses to the Buccaneers (Week 6), Vikings (Week 8) and Colts (Week 11), the Packers were out-gained in rushing yards and lost the turnover battle. Put another way: Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Indianapolis found ways to either keep Rodgers and Green Bay's offense off the field, or come up with enough timely stops and takeaways to win those games.
Of course, checking any of those boxes is easier said than done. The Packers committed the fewest turnovers (11) of any team in the league during the regular season and had the NFL's No. 8 rushing offense, so they're plenty capable of avoiding mistakes and controlling the clock themselves (as their 13 wins might indicate).
That being said, if the Rams can lean on Cam Akers and their run game, and their No. 1-ranked defense can create takeaways that lead to points either directly or by the offense, then their chances of success on Saturday will get a boost.
