In the upcoming matchup between the Green Bay Packers (2-5) and the Los Angeles Rams (3-5), both teams have been struggling lately, and their performance in the early part of the game could be crucial. The Packers have failed to reach the end zone before halftime in their last five games and have lost four consecutive games. Meanwhile, the Rams have lost two straight and three of their last four games.
The recent performance of both teams reflects their struggles. The Rams fell behind 33-9 in the first half of their recent 43-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, with their defense allowing three touchdowns and the offense contributing a pick-6. On the other hand, the Packers have scored more than 24 points in a game just once this season, in a 38-20 season-opening victory against the Chicago Bears.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love emphasized the importance of starting the game fast and putting up points early. He believes that once the offense gets rolling, they become challenging to stop. However, they’ve only managed 40 points in their last three games.
The Rams are facing uncertainty at the quarterback position due to Matthew Stafford’s right thumb injury, which has prevented him from practicing this week. The Friday injury report listed Stafford as questionable for Sunday’s game. Rams coach Sean McVay mentioned that they would wait until the last moment to make a decision regarding Stafford’s availability.
If Stafford can’t play, Brett Rypien is likely to start as quarterback. Rypien has thrown eight interceptions and four touchdowns in his career but holds a 2-1 record in his three previous starts. He previously started for the Denver Broncos in 2020 and 2022 and was activated from the Rams’ practice squad last month. Rypien had a limited 5-of-10 for 42 yards performance when he replaced the injured Stafford in the game against the Cowboys.