RAMS (3-5) at PACKERS (2-5)
When: Sunday, 10 a.m.
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
TV/Radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 387, 230
Line: Packers by 3
Notable injury designations
Rams: OUT: LB Ernest Jones (knee); QUESTIONABLE: QB Matthew Stafford (thumb), RT Rob Havenstein (calf), WR Puka Nacua (knee), CB Cobie Durant (shoulder), DT Larrell Murchison (knee)
Packers: QUESTIONABLE: LB Quay Walker (groin), S Rudy Ford (calf)
What’s at stake? The Rams are one bad day away from entering the bye week on a three-game losing streak and three games below .500. It’s not the end of the world in a weak and tight NFC wild-card race, but would be a big psychological blow to spend their week off stewing on a three-game slide and the hole they have dug for themselves. Beat the Packers, however, and the Rams are 4-5 and have more reasons to enjoy their bye.
Who’s better? Most weekends, it’d be fairly straightforward to say the Rams. But the Rams might be without quarterback Matthew Stafford, who may or may not be able to grip a football at this time with the sprained UCL in his right thumb. Though backup Brett Rypien has a handful of NFL starts under his belt, Stafford’s absence makes this a much more playing field even against the Packers’ struggling first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love.
Matchup to watch: WR Cooper Kupp vs. Packers CB Rasul Douglas. Green Bay is 11th in the league in passing yards allowed per game, but part of that is the result of the team spending most of its time trailing its opponent, which is why the Packers allow the seventh-most rushing yards per game. But if Stafford is out, or even if he is playing but somewhat limited, the Rams will depend on Kupp to be both their passing and run game in some ways, helping to move the chains and pick up chunks of yardage to keep second and third downs manageable for Rypien. Douglas is among the best in the NFL with six passes defended and an interception this year, and Kupp will likely have to beat him on a number of plays to keep the Rams offense moving.
Rams win if: The defense keeps the pressure on Love, with at least three sacks and an interception. … The running game produces more than 140 yards on the ground. … Rypien (if he starts) does not turn the ball over.
Fantasy sleeper: RB Darrell Henderson was relatively quiet last week against the Cowboys. But the combination of the Packers’ poor run defense and a backup quarterback starting should allow the veteran rusher to have a big day.
Prediction: Rams 20, Packers 13. Beat reporter’s record: 5-3 for the season; 4-4 against the spread.
