There’s going to be a lot of star power in Sunday night’s matchup between the Rams and Lions, from Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp to Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. These are two of the better teams in the NFC and each offense has the ability to put up points in a hurry.
With so many talented players on both sides of the ball, there will be some marquee matchups that could decide the outcome of Sunday’s contest at Ford Field. Can Quentin Lake keep St. Brown in check? Can Rob Havenstein limit Aidan Hutchinson?
Here are six of the biggest matchups to watch this weekend.
1
DB Quentin Lake vs. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Lake has been ascending all season as the Rams’ primary slot defender and he’ll be in the spotlight on Sunday night against St. Brown. There are few slot receivers in the NFL better than St. Brown right now, and while he may not be the biggest pass-catcher, he’s incredibly quick and shifty at the top of his routes.
And when St. Brown gets separation, he can pull away from defenders and create big yardage after the catch. Lake will get help over the top and on the inside from the Rams’ linebackers and safeties, but he’ll largely be responsible for keeping St. Brown in check.
2
RT Rob Havenstein vs. DE Aidan Hutchinson
To put the Lions pass rush into perspective, consider this. Hutchinson has 101 pressures, and the next-closest player has just 34 (Alim McNeill). That’s not to say the Lions only generate pressure from one spot, but Hutchinson is obviously a huge part of it.
Havenstein has had a great season and will need to keep that up on Sunday because if Hutchinson gets going, he can ruin a game plan and create turnovers, either by forcing fumbles or pressuring Stafford into bad decisions.
3
NT Kobie Turner vs. C Frank Ragnow
Rams fans know how badly Jared Goff can struggle when he’s pressured up the middle, and you can bet the coaching staff knows that, too. The Rams will try to generate pressure from the interior with Aaron Donald and Turner, who will be going up against a talented center (and guard, Dan Skipper) on the interior.
Turner will match up with Ragnow most often, assuming Ragnow is healthy enough to play. This season, Ragnow allowed only 18 total pressures and had a run-blocking grade of 90.1, so he’s a top-flight center.
4
WR Cooper Kupp vs. DB Brian Branch
Branch has been the Lions’ top slot defender this season despite only being a rookie. Like Lake, Branch will have a difficult matchup against Kupp, as well as Puka Nacua at times. Knowing how good the Lions’ run defense is, the Rams will need to throw the ball often against Detroit and that should lead to a bunch of targets for Kupp in the middle of the field.
Branch is incredibly talented, but this is a matchup that favors Kupp and the Rams passing game.
5
LB Ernest Jones vs. Lions RBs
As high-powered as the Lions offense is, they can also hand the ball off and pound the rock with their talented tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs is the more dangerous of the two, breaking off a run of at least 18 yards in all but five games this season.
Jones isn’t the fastest linebacker around but his impressive instincts and play recognition allow him to break on plays quickly and limit yardage gained by ball carriers. The Lions love to attack the middle of the field, either by running the ball or throwing to St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, Jones should be busy on Sunday night.
6
CB Ahkello Witherspoon vs. WR Jameson Williams
Williams isn’t heavily involved in the Lions offense but Detroit would be wise to utilize him on Sunday night against a cornerback group that lacks top-end speed and has had coverage breakdowns in recent weeks. Williams can take the top off a defense, as evidenced by his 63-yard catch against the Cowboys in Week 17, and he could have success against Witherspoon on the outside.
The Rams will need to shade a safety to his side whenever he's on the field but there will be times when it's up to either Witherspoon or Kendrick to lock him down.
