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The Green Bay Packers will host the NFC Championship game next Sunday after beating the Los Angeles Rams by 14 points on Saturday at Lambeau Field.
The win was an impressive overall performance for Matt LaFleur’s team that needs further consideration.
Break down the how and why of the Packers’ 32-18 win over the Rams:
Running on a trend
AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps
The Rams have played as light in the box against the run as any NFL team this season, feeling their defensive front was good enough to disrupt the run while allowing more resources to be spent on defending the passing game. . For much of the year, the plan worked. On Saturday, the Packers took advantage. Running inside zonal concepts for much of the game, the Packers rushed 32 times for 191 yards with Aaron Jones (14 for 99), Jamaal Williams (12 for 66) and AJ Dillon (6 for 27) , intimidating the No. 1 Rams. classified the defense in submission. The Packers’ offensive line set the tone early and controlled the game from start to finish. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and appellant Matt LaFleur happily ran football when the Rams defense played his identity. The Rams had not given up more than 136 rushing yards in a game all season. The Packers finished with 188 on Saturday.
Pass rush turns up the heat
Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary (52) celebrates the sacking of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the third quarter during their NFL Division Playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, at Lambeau Field of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Rams quarterback Jared Goff played well in some places, but the Packers’ pass rush eventually took over. According to Next Generation Statistics, the Packers pressured Goff on 48.4% of his season-high setbacks. Goff took four sacks, and Rashan Gary and Za’Darius Smith both took seven sacks in total. The bags were also arriving at large places. Gary forced a punt with a third out in the first half, and he practically ended the game with a sack on fourth in the end of the fourth quarter. On the other two sacked practices, the Rams eventually kicked in, including once in the fourth quarter down seven points and with a chance to tie the game. Goff finished with just 148 clear passing yards, including the 26 yards lost by sacks.
Situational dominance offense
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrates after battling for a second quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in their Divisional Playoff game on Saturday, Jan.16, 2021, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Packers finished the regular season second in the NFL converting third downs and opening ones by scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Once again, offense dominated the two big game situations. The Packers have converted 8 of 12 third downs and scored touchdowns on three trips to the red zone. The third down conversion led to 72 total games and over 36 minutes of possession. Scoring touchdowns inside the 20-yard line meant another 30-point game. On the defensive end, the Packers limited the Rams to just two conversions on nine occasions on the third and fourth failures.
No big mistakes
TODAY NETWORK Dan Powers-USA
The Packers flirted with costly mistakes including a botched extra point, two interceptable passes from Aaron Rodgers late in the first half, an abandoned touchdown pass from Allen Lazard and a fumble by rookie AJ Dillon, but the only big mistake never really happened. Hunter Bradley’s bad snap helped injure Mason Crosby and changed some of the game’s decisions after touchdowns, but the point alone doesn’t matter. The Packers got a basket after the two dropped interceptions, Lazard made amends with a 58-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Rodgers was in the right place at the right time to recover the fumble after the botched trade with Dillon. The Rams needed a takeout or two to have a chance. The Packers ended up with zero turnover.
Contain the difference factors
Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers (23) is tackled by the Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Preston Smith (91) during the first quarter of the Green Los Angeles Rams NFC Division playoffs Bay on Saturday January 16, 2021, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Without Cooper Kupp (inactive, knee) and facing the best offense in the NFL, the Rams needed a massive afternoon from running back Cam Akers and wide receiver Robert Woods to follow the Packers to the scoreboard. Akers was productive but wasn’t much of a difference maker, and Woods wasn’t having a big impact. Akers rushed for 90 yards, scored a touchdown and converted a two-run conversion, but the Rams needed more. Probably much more. Woods caught eight passes for just 48 yards, with a long catch of just 10 yards. Overall, the Rams only had one play on 20 yards. Without consistent production of Akers and Woods or big plays, the Rams produced just three scoring discs.
Fourth quarter dominance
Allen Lazard of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a 58-yard touchdown during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo / Matt Ludtke)
The Rams scored seven points at the end of the third quarter and effectively had football in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie the game. From there, however, the Packers took over. The defense made a save, forcing a punt with 9:53 remaining, and the offense walked 73 yards in just five plays to score what turned out to be the late-game touchdown on a pass from 58 yards from Aaron Rodgers to Allen Lazard. After the score, the Packers forced a low roll with a Rashan Gary sack on the fourth down. Coming up from 14 and back in possession, the Packers ‘offense killed the remaining 4:59 on the clock and knelt three times in the Rams’ red zone to close it. The finish was dominant for Matt LaFleur’s team. The Rams gained just 30 yards in 14 games in the fourth quarter, while the Packers produced 113 yards and the only points in the quarter.
Secondary targets escalate in the passing game
Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan (85) against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (20) after a second-period reception in their divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan.16, 2021, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Rams held Davante Adams to just 66 yards on nine catches, a laudable effort even as he found the end zone on a beautifully crafted play from the 1-yard line in the second quarter. The Packers kept the ball moving through the air with the secondary targets. Allen Lazard caught four passes for 96 yards, including the 58-yard touchdown. His numbers would have been even better had he landed a probable touchdown in the third quarter. Robert Tonyan caught his four targets for 60 yards, including a 33-yard first-half that set up a pre-half field goal. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a crucial third conversion ahead of Lazard’s touchdown. And Equanimeous St. Brown had a 27-yard catch on a candid play that opened the basket. Together, the four combined for 13 catches, 216 yards and one touchdown.
Protection wall
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) is all smiles as he approaches the line of scrimmage to drop the ball to finish the game and a win over the Los Angeles Rams in their NFL playoff game on Saturday January 16, 2021 at Lambeau Champ in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Even without Pro Bowl left tackle David Bakhtiari, the Packers haven’t allowed a single sack to a team that finished the regular season with the second-highest number in the NFL. In fact, Rodgers has only been hit once the entire game despite falling back to pass 36 times. Aaron Donald (13.5 sacks) and Leonard Floyd (10.5 sacks) had four total tackles and no quarterbacks. As has been all season, Rodgers has been surgical from clean pockets. The Packers quarterback said offensive line play was “stellar.” Saturday night was the fifth time Rodgers hasn’t been sacked in a game this season. The Packers are averaging 36.2 points per game in those five games.
Other factors to know
– The Packers hosted 8,456 fans at Lambeau Field, and they made some noise, which was noticeable even through the TV show. Every player said it made a difference. It’s hard not to gain a little energy from the first home crowd of the year.
– The Packers scored in their first five offensive possessions, putting enormous pressure on the Rams. Back-to-back first-half touchdowns produced a 16-3 advantage, and the Packers scored nine points on possessions before and after halftime to come up 25-10.
– The Packers had just three penalties for 22 yards. One was a very questionable detention penalty on Rick Wagner. Matt LaFleur’s team played a clean game overall.
– Cornerback Jaire Alexander allowed just one catch in his cover, according to Next Gen Stats.
– Defensive lineman Kenny Clark finally saw all his good results in the penalty area. It was in two different bags.
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