After a heartbreaking road loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14, the Los Angeles Rams are fortunate to face the Washington Commanders at home in a perfect get-right matchup.
Since offloading some players at the NFL trade deadline, the Commanders have been losing ground to the Rams, who have been strong on both sides of the ball for the past month. With four straight losses, Washington appears to be a team that might want to think about tanking the final stretch in order to improve their draft position.
Since Los Angeles is in the thick of the playoff race, they cannot afford to take any team lightly at this point in the season. In order to catch up to the rest of the NFC, they must play football with discipline.
Rams Offense vs. Commanders Defense
Recently, Matthew Stafford has appeared more like himself, which is encouraging given that he has been recovering from a thumb injury. Stafford should have Tyler Higbee back on the field after the tight end missed last week’s game due to a neck injury. Tutu Atwell, who is presently undergoing the concussion protocol, could be absent.
Since trading for Montez Sweat, the Commanders’ pass rush has diminished, giving Stafford more time to hit downfield targets like Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Demarcus Robinson for chunk plays.
Rams Defense vs. Commanders Offense
Conversely, Washington appears set to continue using Sam Howell as their starting quarterback going forward. Throughout the season, Howell has demonstrated true grit and is a genuine threat with both his arm and legs. But he has a tendency to hang onto the ball for too long, so Byron Young and Aaron Donald ought to get a fair share of sack opportunities.
Brian Robinson was ruled out for the contest, so the backfield should be dominated by Antonio Gibson, who is a dual-threat on the ground and through the passing game. Washington’s also got talented receivers in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson who can stretch defenses, so they should be the focal point of the game plan.
Keys to Victory
1. No special teams meltdowns
The Rams’ overtime loss came from a punt return, and special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn is aware that his team needs to come together. Special teams is exactly the kind of game that Los Angeles can’t afford to lose on the margins.
2. Put the Commanders in situations where they must pass
When the Commanders were having trouble scoring, they might try using their running backs to manage the clock. To create more pass-rushing opportunities, the Rams need to be ready for this and concentrate on early downs.