Rams have playoff-clinching opportunity against Lions

LOS ANGELES — You’d think if anyone were tracking it on the Rams, it would be Davante Adams. After all, it’s been a while since he was in this position, and it’s for this kind of opportunity that he decided to come to this franchise in the first place.

But when asked this week about the Rams being able to clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Detroit Lions, Adams claimed ignorance. And without any of the dry smiles that typically accompany his sarcastic jokes.

“I didn’t even need to know that to be honest. I don’t think anybody else on the team needed to know it,” Adams said, before parroting one of head coach Sean McVay’s favorite mantras. “I think the best way is to be where your feet are and conquer the day that you’re in. Today is Wednesday and that’s where we are. Then on Sunday, we’ll go out there and if we get to clinch, that’ll be great. If it wasn’t, we’d still go out there with the same intentionality throughout the week to go out there and prepare for the game.”

But, whether the Rams (10-3) care to entertain it beforehand or not, that is the position the Rams are in.

One win and a subsequent tiebreaker against the eighth-place Lions (8-5) and the Rams will be the first team in the NFC to punch its playoff ticket. No small feat in a conference with five teams with at least nine wins and the Lions and Eagles just behind at eight, and while playing a first-place schedule to boot.

“I think there are a lot of really good teams in this conference,” McVay allowed when asked if this is as deep as he remembers the NFC. “You guys know, and it’s the truth and it’s a boring answer for you, but my sole focus and concentration is on our group and trying to be able to play as well as we possibly can with the opportunity that we have this Sunday at 1:25 p.m. against a damn good football team that’s really good in all three phases.”

That’s been the Rams’ approach all season, and it won’t change against a team that has beaten them in consecutive one-possession games, including the wild-card round of the postseason in 2023.

The Lions have had a tumultuous season, navigating changes at coordinator during the early part of the season and injuries throughout. Head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties for the offense in Week 10 and the team has since averaged 31 points per game. The run game’s success rate has jumped, while field-stretching receiver Jameson Williams has become more and more involved.

“I’ve seen a great feel for picking and choosing his spots,” McVay said of Campbell’s play calling. “I think he sequences the game really well. He does a great job of getting a bunch of different special playmakers involved and it keeps you off balance.”

The Detroit defense has tried to keep moving forward despite having four defensive backs and two linebackers on injured reserve.

The latest wound for that back seven was losing safety Brian Branch for the season with an Achilles tear. Branch was in the middle of everything the Lions do defensively, able to fill run gaps, blitz and be an essential part of their coverages.

“He’s a unique playmaker in this league,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “He’s a huge difference maker for them on the back end with his ability to cover receivers, cover tight ends, make plays in the run game and he’s great in zone coverage. He’s a really a complete player. I know that’ll be something they’ll have to adjust to and figure out.”

And even though Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike are sidelined, the Lions’ pass rush is still as ferocious as ever with a sack percentage of 7.97%, eighth best in the NFL.

“[Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson] is an absolute freak in terms of the way he plays on the edge,” Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “They’re that same Detroit. Every time you pop on the tape, your guys better strap up for 60 minutes, three and a half hours, whatever it’s going to take.”

DETROIT LIONS (8-5) at RAMS (10-3)

When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV/Radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 381, 226