To say that there have been a ton of great games thus far this year in the NFL would be an understatement. We as football fans have been treated to highly anticipated games between great teams, division foes, and long standing rivals. This week’s match-up between the Rams and the Lions however will not be one of those games. In fact, if the Rams do not get a win this week it is very possible that they could share the fate of last year’s Lions and be entered into the discussion of worst team in NFL history. So just for fun, we decided to take a closer look into this battle of the bad and make a few predictions for Sunday.
Matt’s Prediction…
The Detroit Lions have long been considered the worst team in the NFL; after all they are the only franchise to finish a season 0-16. This coming Sunday, however, they will finally be the better team on the field. The St. Louis Rams come to town, owners of a 0-6 record and they will be leaving town with a seventh loss. While the Rams have Steven Jackson, a talented running back, at their disposal, they have struggled to get the ball into the end zone all year long. The inconsistent play of Mark Bulger at quarterback will continue even against the Lions. The Lions will have no such struggle to score touchdowns, even if their talented rookie quarterback, Matthew Stafford cannot play. Stafford or his backup, Daunte Culpepper, will rely heavily on the ultra-talented wide receiver, Calvin Johnson and serviceable running back, Kevin Smith. Ultimately, I believe this game will not be close, as the Detroit Lions will distance themselves from the lowest tier of NFL teams, with a convincing 28-9 victory over the Rams.
Nick’s Prediction…
Matt is right about one thing, the Rams do have Steven Jackson. On a mildly competitive team, Jackson would be a perennial MVP type player; he is that talented. He enters the game third in the league in rushing yards but has yet to find the endzone yet this year. In a match-up such as this, one great player might be just enough to decide the outcome. While the Lions have some talented offensive players in their own right, neither one of these teams boasts anything closely resembling a good NFL defense. So if Jackson gets any support what so ever from former Pro-Bowl quarterback Marc Bulger and the passing game, the Rams should be able to leave Detroit with their first win and end their 17 game losing skid. Matt says a nice round score, but this game will be far from normal so let’s say the Rams take it 25-19.
