Heading into a huge NFC Divisional round showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, many people are saying that this is the most important game in Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's career. While that may be the case–and he will be very important for the Rams– we do not see Stafford as the X-factor in Sunday's matchup. In fact, we do not see anyone on the Rams' offense as the x-factor to a win over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
The person that will affect this game the most is the one who will be able to make Brady's life a living hell…so that's Aaron Donald, right? Or if not it's got to be Leonard Floyd's pass-rush or Jalen Ramsey's shutdown cornerback ability? Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
For more insight on the Rams-Buccaneers matchup in the Divisional round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs, listen below:
The answer may surprise you if you are new to the NFL, but any seasoned NFL fan will know at this point that the x-factor is…
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Rams X-Factor vs. Buccaneers in 2022 NFL Playoffs
Von Miller
In the first matchup between these two teams, the Rams were able to sack Brady three times and it ended up being the difference in a game. When two teams are so equally matched as these two teams are, it can come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes, and taking a sack is a huge mistake by the quarterback.
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Miller was not a part of the Rams at that point in the season as he was still a part of the Denver Broncos. Interestingly enough, the player that the Rams traded away for Miller, Kenny Young, was one of the players who recorded a sack in that game to go along with Donald and Floyd. Miller needs to step in right where Young left off if the Rams are going to win this football game.
The rams are 4-1 this season, including the playoffs, when Miller records at least one sack. Their only loss was a three-point overtime loss to a San Francisco 49ers team that is playing some of the best football in the NFL, so it is safe to say that the Rams are in a great position to win the game as long as Miller can get to the quarterback. After starting his Rams career with zero sacks in his first four games, Miller has accumulated six of them over his final five contests of the season.
Miller has also been a force in the run game, as his seven “stuffs” over the last five games is first on the team and he also leads the team in tackles for a loss during that span. Miller is also the only player on the Rams' defense that has won a championship in the league, winning Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos in a game where he was named the MVP.
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While that level of masterful defensive play may not be asked from Miller at this point in his career, if he can turn back the clock for just a play or two, then the Rams will be just fine.
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