The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional round this Saturday. Fresh off their triumph at Seattle, the Rams are a +6.5 road underdog against the number one seeded Packers. The winner of this game will advance to the NFC championship game to battle the winner of the game between the Buccaneers and Saints.
Rams head coach Sean McVay announced that Jared Goff will be the starting quarterback heading into Lambeau Field and Blake Bortles will be his backup. Backup quarterback John Wolford who started in the Rams playoff win last week, will be inactive after being knocked out of the game with a neck injury after a hit from Seahawks safety Jamal Adams.
Goff will enter an environment in Green Bay that will see temperatures in the low thirties and high twenties. He has only played two games in below freezing temperatures and his performances in those games were terrible. In those two games Goff did not throw a touchdown and was picked off five times. With a recent surgery performed on his thumb and the harsh weather at Lambeau this time of year, it will be a tall task for him to reverse that trend against a Packers secondary that includes second team All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander.

The Packers led by MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers are coming off a first-round playoff bye after clinching one of the top conference seeds this year. Rodgers threw for 48 touchdowns and only five interceptions this season. Due to Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones and Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams, Green Bay Head Coach Matt LeFluer’s offense ranked number one in terms of points per game.The top ranked scoring offense will take on the number one ranked defense led by one of the best defensive players in the league, defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

A matchup to watch out for is Davante Adams vs Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey has locked up many of the league’s top receivers this season including DK Metcalf, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans and Stefon Diggs. The Achilles heel for the Packers is undoubtedly their special teams. Green Bay’s opponents purposely do not kick the ball into the end zone and force the Packers to return them. That is how atrocious they have been. Receiver Tavon Austin also fumbled against the Bears in Week 17 on a punt return. The return yardage on special teams has been minimal for the Packers this season and there is almost no threat of any big return plays for the Packers.
It will be tough for the Rams to come out with a win on Sunday, but their defense is great enough to keep them in any game. Goff cannot turn the ball over and give Aaron Rodgers extra possessions. Running back Cam Akers is vital for the offense. The Packers run defense has improved, but can still give up chunks of yardage. If the Rams win they have a chance to advance to Tampa Bay and their second Super Bowl in three years.