Cameron DaSilva
September 5, 2024 9:20 am PT
It’s almost time for the highly anticipated Rams-Lions rematch from January’s wild-card round. These two NFC contenders will square off on Sunday Night Football in Week 1, each looking to start the year 1-0 with a win against a quality opponent.
Both teams are loaded with talent on each side of the ball, whether it’s their skill players on offense or their pass rushers up front. That will make for some fascinating and exciting one-on-one matchups at Ford Field, all of which could determine the winner of Sunday night’s game.
Here are six of the biggest individual matchups to watch in the season opener.
1
DB Quentin Lake vs. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
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St. Brown isn’t exclusively a slot receiver, splitting time on the inside and as a boundary receiver. The Rams are much better equipped to cover St. Brown now than they were in January after signing both Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams, but I’m looking at the matchup inside against Lake.
Lake did a nice job against St. Brown last time around, allowing just one catch on two targets for 11 yards. It was Ahkello Witherspoon and Michael Hoecht who allowed the other 99 yards to the Lions receiver as Dan Campbell did a great job exploiting those favorable matchups.
If Lake can play the way he did in that playoff game, the Rams are going to have much more success limiting the damage done by St. Brown.
2
LB Troy Reeder vs. RB Jahmyr Gibbs
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It’s surprising to say Reeder will be the Rams’ starting inside linebacker but that’s the reality of the situation after Ernest Jones was traded away. Chris Shula will find ways to limit Reeder’s exposure in coverage by using more nickel and dime packages with safeties all over the field, but the Lions are still going to get their elusive receiving back matched up with Reeder a handful of times.
No one expects Reeder to lock down Gibbs in coverage, but he does need to limit the yards after catch. He can’t miss tackles in the open field or allow big gains, which will prove to be back-breakers for Los Angeles’ defense, especially if they come on third down.
3
RT Rob Havenstein/Warren McClendon Jr. vs. DE Aidan Hutchinson
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Sean McVay hasn’t said whether Havenstein will be available against the Lions but whether it’s him or McClendon at right tackle, they’re going to have a tough matchup with Hutchinson, who’s a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate this season.
Hutchinson is a game-wrecker at defensive end, both as a pass rusher and run stopper. His ability to convert speed to power is outstanding, which challenges even the strongest offensive tackles. In the wild-card game, Hutchinson was absolutely dominant, recording a team-high nine pressures, two sacks, five quarterback hits and two tackles for a loss. The Rams can’t let him control the line of scrimmage again.
4
OLB Jared Verse vs. RT Penei Sewell
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Verse will be welcomed to the NFL with a difficult matchup against Sewell, who’s one of the best right tackles in the game. Sewell allowed just two pressures in January’s playoff game against the Rams and earned an overall grade of 92.8 last season.
Shula could move his edge rushers around to find out where they fit best, but with Byron Young primarily rushing off the right side last season, it’s assumed that Verse will get most of his reps as the left edge rusher.
Regardless of whether it’s Verse or Young rushing against Sewell, one of them will need to find ways to generate pressure on Jared Goff in the pocket.
5
WR Puka Nacua vs. CB Terrion Arnold
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Arnold is projected to be a starter for the Lions right away, throwing the rookie corner into the fire against the likes of Nacua, Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson. The Lions had no answer for Nacua last postseason when the rookie receiver had a career-high 181 yards on nine catches, but they hope Arnold can help solve some of those woes, along with veteran Carlton Davis.
Arnold, a first-round pick, was terrific in college at Alabama but Nacua is a physical receiver who could have the advantage in that area, using his strength to outmuscle Arnold in 50-50 situations and when it comes to beating the press off the line.
6
WR Cooper Kupp vs. DB Brian Branch
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With Arnold and Davis likely being the primary boundary corners, we could get Kupp against Branch in the slot. Like St. Brown, Kupp isn’t just a slot receiver and he’s sure to move around the formation, but his best production comes from the slot.
Branch shined as a rookie last season and should only be better in 2024, but he’ll be tested right away against a player of Kupp’s caliber. Last postseason, Branch allowed just one catch for 4 yards to Kupp and a total of just four receptions for 27 yards against all of the Rams’ pass catchers.
