Rams vs Lions: Prepare for a crazy wild Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs

Lions and Rams are remarkably similar

The Detroit Lions boast the NFL's third-ranked offense in terms of yards gained (394.8 YPG) while the LA Rams boast the NFL's seventh-ranked offense in terms of yards gained (359.3 YPG). The Lions have the fifth-ranked scoring offense in the NFL (27.1 PPG) while the Rams have the eighth-ranked scoring offense (23.8)

On the defensive side of the ball, the similarities continue. The Detroit Lions boast a 19th-ranked defense in terms of yards allowed (336.1YPG) while the LA Rams are just behind them with a 20th-ranked defense in terms of yards allowed (337.9 YPG). But in terms of points allowed, the Lions have the 23rd-ranked defense (23.2 PPG) while the Rams are the 19th-ranked defense in terms of points allowed (22.2 PPG).

In terms of turnovers, the Detroit Lions ended the season with a net turnover of 0, while the LA Rams ended the season with a net turnover of (-3).

The Detroit Lions offense is led by quarterback Jared Goff, who passed for 4,575 yards, 30 TDs, and 12 INTs this year. He was aided by RBs David Montgomery (219 runs for 1,015 yards and 13 TDs) and Jamyr Gibbs (182 runs for 945 yards and 10 TDs). In terms of receivers, the Lions loved to pass to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who piled up 1,515 yards and 10 TDs.

In terms of rookie TE Sam Laporta and his injury, he is not ruled out for this game.

Laporta was a huge weapon for the Lions offense, putting up 889 yards and 10 TDs this season.

For the LA Rams, Matthew Stafford threw for 3,965 yards, 24 TDs and 11 INTs. But that was only 15 games, as he sat in Week 9 and 18. For the Rams ground assault, the Rams loved to hand the football to RB Kyren Williams, letting him churn out 1,144 yards and 12 TDs.

In terms of receivers, the LA Rams have a dual threat of rooke WR Puka Nacua, who gained 1,486 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, and veteran WR Cooper Kupp, who put up 737 receiving yards and five TDs. While only Kyren Williams put up 10+ TDs this season, the Rams found contributors up and down their roster.

In terms of pure quarterback statistics, you can see in the chart above that Stafford and Goff are remarkably similar. But where the two players differ is in big games, and under intense scrutiny.

While Goff will give the Lions everything he's got, Stafford seems to kick it into overdrive whenever the game intensifies. And let's face it, the 2024 Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs between the LA Rams and the Detroit Lions suffer intense scrutiny for this game.

The LA Rams may be 10-7, but this team has won seven of their last eight games. I love this matchup, and believe that the Rams can advance to the Divisional Round.

Stay tuned . . .