5 bold predictions for LA Rams in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions

(4) - Rams defensive front will sack Goff 4.0+ times

The LA Rams (and fans) know that a snug and cozy quarterback Jared Goff can make plays. So the goal for the defense is simply not to allow him to get all snuggly, warm, and cozy in the pocket in Week 1. Easier said than done, right? Well, if you recall, Goff gets throttled by A-gap blitzes. And in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs, the Rams sent ILB Ernest Jones after Goff.

Ernest Jones ended the game with 2.0 quarterback sacks. NT Kobie Turner (0.5 sacks) and OLB Michael Hoecht (0.5 sacks) split another.

But this defense does not have Ernest Jones. So, who can the team send after Jared Goff through the A gap in Week 1? Believe it or not, his replacement, ILB Troy Reeder. That's right, Troy Reeder.

On October 11, 2020, the LA Rams were forced to start ILB Troy Reeder against the Washington Commanders, Leading up to that game, there was a great deal of fretting and consternation, as Reeder was almost exclusively a special teams contributor. And he was tasked with starting at inside linebacker. But the LA Rams had a trick up their sleeve.

Realizing that the Commanders would be targeting Reeder all afternoon, Reeder's game plan for the game was to blitz the quarterback. He was relentless, recording 11 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and 3.0 quarterback sacks in that game. And he did so by blitzing the A gap. See where this is going?

The Lions may have a plan to prevent that. Goff was the quarterback on that afternoon, and the Lions know how the Rams got to their quarterback in the NFL Playoffs. But if they contract the offensive line to keep Reeder at bay, they unleash the fury of OLBs Byron Young and Jared Verse. I believe that the Rams, young though they may be, will be relentless in making Jared Goff uncomfortable in the pocket.

The team recorded 3.0 quarterback sacks the last time these two teams met. Look for the team to get to him 4.0 or more times in this one.