Sunday is a huge test for the Detroit Lions. They will face the No. 1 seed Los Angeles Rams, who have a 10-3 record, at SoFi Stadium in a potential playoff preview.
Last Thursday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys was significant because it kept them alive in the NFC playoff race, both in the divisional round (1.5 games behind Green Bay) and the wild-card round (1 game behind San Francisco and Chicago). But after Brian Branch tore his Achilles late in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, they now must get through the final four games and into the playoffs without their top two safeties.
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It’s eerily similar to last season, when injuries really put a damper on Detroit’s path to the playoffs. Only this time, Detroit isn’t the favorite to grab the No. 1 seed and is fighting for a playoff spot. Facing a Rams team that has played extremely well for much of the season and has a depleted secondary is an extremely difficult task.
The Lions, on the other hand, still have an incredibly efficient offense – the only team averaging 30 points per game – behind RB Jameer Gibbs, WR Amon-La St. Brown, Jameson Williams and QB Jared Goff. Detroit will score on the Rams, who themselves are vulnerable in the backfield.
That’s the biggest key for the Lions heading into Sunday’s game: whether they can score enough points to not only keep up with the Rams’ offense (which ranks fourth in scoring at 29.2 points per game) but also give their defense a chance to contain wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and limit explosive offense. Adams is questionable with a hamstring injury, but head coach Sean McVay said he would be surprised if Adams didn’t play Sunday.
Ultimately, it will be a shootout — the over/under is set at 54.5 — but in that case, the Rams may have trouble overcoming defensive injuries. Their former quarterback beat them this time.
prophecy: Rams 34, Lions 31
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Last minute thoughts and predictions for Lions vs. Rams in Week 15