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The Los Angeles Rams Week 17 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens is a rematch from a game two years ago in which these two teams were under opposite circumstances. On November 25th, 2019, the Ravens came to Los Angeles and throttled the Rams 45-6. The loss signaled the end of the Wade Phillips era as defensive coordinator in LA and gave the Rams a huge piece of humble pie. In a season the Rams had Super Bowl hopes, the Ravens proved that Los Angeles was not contenders and were in fact pretenders.
This time, the Ravens come into the matchup hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive and the Rams are the team hoping to play executioner to a Baltimore season that has had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster. All-time, the Ravens lead the series between the two clubs 5-2, including four straight wins for Baltimore. In fact, the Rams have not beaten the Ravens since 2003. Here are four predictions for Sunday's Rams-Ravens game that can help the Rams get their decades-in-the-making win.
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Rams Week 17 Predictions
4. Matthew Stafford will be error-free
Let's start with the least of the four predictions to come true. We have to face it at this point, Stafford is a gunslinger-type quarterback that will throw an interception every game or two that has you scratching your head. Last week it was three interceptions and the week before it was just one, and this was after two straight games without an interception. Once you think Stafford has grown past his “rookie” mistakes, another one pops up. You just have to live with it because he creates so many great plays that the negative ones every once in a while seem dignified.
In the last two games, Stafford has thrown four interceptions and gotten sacked four times. This week, though, he will put on his “dad pants” and start protecting the ball. The Rams +3 turnover differential is 13 better than the Ravens -10 differential and that will show this week as Stafford will be able to protect himself and the ball in a way that Baltimore has failed to do all year.
3. Von Miller will get two sacks
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Not only has Miller not recorded a multiple-sack game for the Rams since coming over in a mid-season trade from the Denver Broncos, but he has just one sack in total. This game is the perfect spot for him to get back on track, however, as Baltimore is tied with the Chicago Bears for the most sacks allowed in the league (49.)
This week, Miller will take advantage of the attention being paid to Aaron Donald and get himself two sacks. Whether it is Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley under center for the Ravens, Miller will be licking his chops in anticipation for this matchup against his former AFC rival.
2. Troy Reeder will have ten tackles
With stud rookie Ernest Jones going down last week and being placed on injured reserve, it will be up to linebackers Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom, and Travin Howard to step in and fill his shoes. Howard, though, is more of a coverage linebacker and Rozeboom has limited playing time in the league. This week, against a Ravens team that runs the ball at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL, Reeder will be needed to stop the run.
That will lead to a very busy day with lots of tackles for the third-year pro out of Delaware. On the year, Reeder has averaged just under five tackles per game but has reached the double-digit mark on two occasions, once against the San Francisco 49ers, and once against the next week against the Green Bay Packers. Both of those teams are notorious running teams with multiple running backs, just like Baltimore. For what it's worth, the Rams also lost both of those games…
1. All three Rams receivers will have 75+ yards
The Ravens allow 280.5 passing yards per game. That is almost ten yards higher than the second-worst pass defense in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks (270.9). Sean McVay and company will be looking to take advantage of the weaknesses of their opponent and it will lead to a big day for all three of the Rams starting wide receivers, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Odell Beckham Jr.
Sony Michel has been a revelation in the backfield for the Rams and they might even get Cam Akers back this week after missing just five months with a partially torn Achilles tendon. If the Ravens devote too much attention to stopping the run game, the Rams need to use that against them and pass the ball more frequently.
