1 of the Rams toughest 2025 opponents facing early adversity onslaught

The Los Angeles Rams host the Detroit Lions in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season. Historically, the Lions have played the Rams tough of late. The Rams lost the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs to the Lions by a score of 24-23. It was a heartbreaker, a game that found the Rams the better in many statistical categories, save the most important: The final score.

The Rams opened the 2024 NFL season on the road to face the Detroit Lions one again. Despite the team facing the Lions without two starting offensive tackles and a starting cornerback, and losing WR Puka Nacua and the starting center during the game, the Rams pushed the Lions all the way into overtime before losing that game as well. This time, the score was 26-20.

But there are reasons to believe that this year's outcome may go the Rams way. You see, the sudden retirement of venerable center Frank Ragnow is a huge loss for the Lions' offensive line, which has historically been one of the NFL's best. The Lions are still reeling from the exodus of former OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn.

Now the team has learned that young inside linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, a young player who was very much in the mix for a significant role on the Lions' defense, is not expected to be back from a serious knee injury until November 2025.

That is rather late in the season to make a return. And since that date is more than 20 weeks away, that could be a rather optimistic return date.

The Rams host the Lions in Week 15, a game that falls on December 14, 2025. That game is sandwiched between two consecutive two-game road trips for the Rams. The team must travel to face the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals before facing the Lions. After the Lions game, the team must pack its bags once more and head out to face the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons.

While I am no fan of injuries, I cannot ignore the fact that the Lions' early onslaught of adversity creates a greater chance for the Rams of winning that game.

In 43 appearances for the Lions over the past three seasons, Rodriguez had started 24 games. He would have appeared more often last season, but was shut down by being placed on IR at the end of November 2024. He continues to fight back from injury.

Rodriguez competed against the Rams in 2023 and 2024. He played 14 defensive snaps in Week 1, emerging with four tackles. In the postseason, he was dedicated to special teams, failing to make an impact in that game. He did play a huge role against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, getting 42 defensive snaps, six tackles, and one interception.

It's still quite early, and there is plenty of time for new developments for the Lions. You can be certain that Lions GM Brad Holmes will not sit back and let questions accumulate over the roster in the weeks leading up to the opening day kickoff. But for now, the team that encouraged safety Kerby Joseph to hit Rams TE Tyler Higbee low and cause an ACL injury that had him on IR for nearly a full year faces a similar challenge.

Injuries to any player are both disappointing and regrettable. But it's just one more ding against the Lions' chances of contending in 2025. That could play a factor when the Lions show up at SoFi Stadium this season.

As always, thanks for reading.

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