On deck: Lions set to face NFC-leading Rams, led by MVP frontrunner, armed with a new star receiver, and offering new schematic look
Allen Park — Two weeks after the Detroit Lions hired Brad Holmes to rebuild the roster in 2021, the rookie general manager jumpstarted the process with a blockbuster trade that landed quarterback Jared Goff and a bevy of high-end draft assets from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Clayton Kershaw’s childhood friend.
It was a rare deal where both sides won. With podcaster Kelly Stafford’s husband helming the ship, the Rams went on to win Super Bowl LVI. Meanwhile, Goff paired with those draft picks helped elevate the Lions from perennial cellar dweller to a two-time division winner.
The teams have met three times since the swap. In 2021, the stripped-to-the-studs Lions dug deep into their bag of tricks against the eventual champions, converting a fake punt and recovering a surprise onside kick to establish a 10-0 lead before wilting in the second half and falling to 0-7 on the season.
Two years later, the vastly improved Lions welcomed the Rams to Ford Field for the stadium’s first playoff game. The home team wound up winning a nail-biter for the franchise’s first postseason victory in more than three decades.
The two sides then opened the following season in primetime, with the Lions squeezing by again, in overtime, when running back David Montgomery put the team on his back in the extra frame and ended the game with a 1-yard scoring run.
This Sunday, the teams will match up for the third time in 700 days. The Lions will make the trek to Los Angeles to play a familiar foe, which sits atop the NFC with a 10-3 record.
The less-consistent Lions are 8-5 and will be scrapping for their playoff lives, sitting just outside the current picture, a game back of the Bears and 49ers. They draw more favorable matchups this weekend, against the Browns and Titans, (dis)respectively.
From a personnel standpoint, the Rams won’t look too different than the squad that came to town for last year’s opener.