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— Sunday, January 02nd Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens
With just two weeks left in this new 17-game regular season, the Los Angeles Rams (11-4) have clinched a playoff spot and still have hope for the top seed in the NFC. In Week 16, they will travel cross country to face the slumping and desperate Baltimore Ravens (8-7), who need a win to realistically keep their playoff hopes alive. The kickoff at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore is set for 1:00 pm. ET on Sunday, and the game will air on FOX.
These teams have met just once as Baltimore and Los Angeles with a 45-6 Ravens win in California two seasons ago. The Rams last went to Baltimore as the St. Louis Rams and lost in 2015, with the franchise the last winning in the city in 1971 when they beat the Colts. All-time, the Ravens are 5-2 against the Rams, 3-0 in Baltimore, 1-0 in LA, and 0-2 in St. Louis.
Kupp In Position for Record Breakers
The Rams can clinch the NFC West on Sunday with a win and a loss by Arizona in Dallas. They got into position with a 4-0 December, on the heels of an 0-3 November, coupled with the Cardinals’ recent slump.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford hit a slump in November and didn’t light up the stat chart last week, but he is fourth in the NFL with 4,339 passing yards on the season. He has 36 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on the season but hasn’t thrown for over 300 yards in the last four games. This could be a great spot for him, with the Ravens ranking dead last in the NFL at 280.5 passing yards allowed per game, including 525 last week against Cincinnati.
Yes, he has an extra game, but wideout Cooper Kupp is on the brink of entering the NFL record books. He has 132 catches for 1,734 yards and 14 touchdowns, needing 18 receptions and231 yards in the final two games to break both records. Odell Beckham Jr. has four touchdowns in the last five games, while Van Jefferson has three in that span.
Running back Sony Michel gashed Minnesota for 131 yards and a touchdown last week and has at least 79 yards in four straight games. With Darrell Henderson Jr. now on injured reserve, the Rams have no proven backup for Michel, who has 728 yards on the season.
The defense is led by Aaron Donald with 12 sacks, while Leonard Floyd has nine. Both Jalen Ramsey and Taylor Rapp have three interceptions as the Rams have forced 21 turnovers.
Lamar Still Hurting
The Ravens are currently on the outside looking in as they lose the tiebreaker for the last playoff spot with Miami. They can’t be eliminated with a loss on Sunday, but five other teams can clinch a playoff spot or division title with a Ravens loss.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson has missed most of the last three games with illness and an ankle injury and is listed as questionable after missing practice on Thursday and Friday. Tyler Huntley had completed over 70 percent of his passes in two of those games, accounting for 485 passing yards, 118 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns. With Huntley out last week, Josh Johnson went 28-for-40 for 304 yards and two touchdowns and will be the backup if Jackson is out Sunday.
Jackson leads Baltimore on the season with 767 rushing yards. Devonta Freeman scored last week but had just 17 yards on six carries, and he has 479 yards with five touchdowns on the season. Latavius Murray, who missed three games, has 370 yards with five touchdowns on the season.
Tight end Mark Andrews leads Baltimore on the season with 93 receptions, 1.187 yards, and nine touchdowns. Marquise Brown has 85 catches for 953 yards and six touchdowns but missed practice this week with an illness and is listed as questionable.
Betting Analysis
- Los Angeles Rams -6 (-110). Money Line -265
- Baltimore Ravens +6 (-110). Money Line +115
- Total: 46.5 points. Over -110. Under -110
This is a bad matchup for the Ravens, especially without Jackson. The offense leads the NFL with 49 sacks allowed, going against Donald and the fearsome Rams pass attack.
Meanwhile, the defense has been picked apart by good quarterbacks allowing over 800 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two weeks alone.
Look for Stafford and company to roll even closer to the NFC West title before they sit back and root for the Cardinals to lose.
Betting Pick: Rams 6 (-110)
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