Detroit is set to reunite within Matthew Stafford yet again. The longtime Lions quarterback will face his former team for the fourth time in five seasons when Los Angeles hosts Detroit in Week 15. Stafford got the upper hand in their first meeting in 2021— a 28-19 Rams victory— but the Lions have taken the last two clashes, winning their 2023 playoff matchup and the 2024 season opener.

This year, the stakes are considerably higher. Detroit is clinging to its postseason hopes, while the Rams are pushing to secure the NFC West crown and maintain their path to a potential Super Bowl run. Although the Lions could still sneak into the playoffs with a loss, a win would give them meaningful momentum. The Rams, meanwhile, are playing some of the most complete football in the league.

Here’s a full breakdown of Los Angeles heading into Sunday.

Los Angeles Rams Snapshot

2025 Record: 10–3

Week 1: Beat Texans, 14–9

Week 2: Beat Titans, 33–19

Week 3: Lost to Eagles, 33–26

Week 4: Beat Colts, 27–20

Week 5: Lost to 49ers, 26–23 (OT)

Week 6: Beat Ravens, 17–3

Week 7: Beat Jaguars, 35–7

Week 8: BYE

Week 9: Beat Saints, 34–10

Week 10: Beat 49ers, 42–26

Week 11: Beat Seahawks, 21–9

Week 12: Beat Buccaneers, 34–7

Week 13: Lost to Panthers, 31–28

Week 14: Beat Cardinals, 45–17

Team Metrics

4th in scoring offense; 3rd in scoring defense

2nd in overall DVOA

1st in offensive DVOA (No. 1 in both passing and rushing)

3rd in defensive DVOA (No. 3 vs. pass and run)

24th in special teams DVOA

Rams Offense: Stafford’s MVP-Caliber Resurgence

A back issue clouded Stafford’s status before the season began, prompting speculation about whether the 37-year-old might be nearing retirement. Instead, he has delivered one of the most impressive seasons of his career. Stafford ranks fourth in passing yards (3,354) and leads the NFL with 35 touchdown passes, well ahead of Jared Goff and Dak Prescott, who sit at 26.

His receiving corps has been a major catalyst.

Puka Nacua remains a matchup nightmare, ranking second in the league in yardage (1,186) and tied for first in receptions (93).

Davante Adams has become Stafford’s go-to scoring threat, pacing the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns and tracking toward a new personal best.

The run game hasn’t been explosive, but it has been reliable.

Kyren Williams sits eighth in rushing yards (952) and has eight scores.

Blake Corum has nearly doubled last year’s production, topping 550 yards and scoring four times.

Rams Defense: Quietly Dominant

Los Angeles’ defense has helped elevate the offense even further.

Byron Young has emerged as a premier pass-rusher with 11 sacks, tied for fifth in the NFL.

Jared Verse has added six sacks in his second year.

In the secondary, Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes each have three interceptions, providing steady ball production.

The Rams play well at all three levels, making them one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. Their lone major misstep came in a surprising loss to Carolina, but they responded by overwhelming Arizona the following week.

With Detroit having beaten them in back-to-back years, Los Angeles enters with added motivation— and with a division title on the line, the Rams are just as desperate as the Lions.

Rams Injury Outlook

Compared to Detroit, the Rams are relatively healthy.
Out for Week 15:

OT Rob Havenstein

TE Tyler Higbee

S Quentin Lake

CB Roger McCreary

Expected to return:

WR Tutu Atwell (coming off IR)

Questionable:

CB Darious Williams, dealing with a tibia injury and yet to return to practice.

Los Angeles’ Biggest Strength: The Offense

The defense is strong, but the offense stands out as the team’s greatest asset.

Stafford leads the league with a 113.1 passer rating.

Los Angeles is tied for the most 20+ yard receptions (50).

Their offensive line— despite missing a starting tackle— has allowed just 17 sacks, tied for the fewest in the NFL. Stafford’s career-low for sacks over a full season is 23, and he’s on pace to shatter it.

PFF rates the Rams:

Best run-blocking line in the league (89.4)

Second-best graded receiving group (89.6)

With elite quarterback play, productive running backs, and one of the NFL’s most balanced offensive systems, the Rams possess playmakers everywhere— similar to Detroit, but with a more consistent offensive line.

Rams’ Biggest Weakness: Special Teams

Special teams has been their Achilles heel all year.

Los Angeles averages just 25.0 yards per kick return, ranking 24th.

Field-goal protection has been a disaster, with multiple blocked attempts costing them critical games, including losses to Philadelphia and San Francisco.

After rookie kicker Joshua Karty struggled (66.7% FG, 88.5% PAT), the Rams turned to Harrison Mevis, who has been flawless so far. Still, concerns linger about the blocking up front.

Key Matchup: Detroit’s Defense vs. L.A.’s Offense

This will be the most complete, high-octane offense Detroit has seen all year. The Lions have faced tough passing attacks and strong run games, but not a team with elite production in both areas simultaneously— and certainly not a quarterback–receiver trio performing at the level of Stafford, Nacua, and Adams.

Against Dallas, the Lions offense needed 44 points to win. A similar shootout could emerge Sunday if the defense struggles to slow down Stafford’s group.

To stay competitive, Detroit must:

Pressure Stafford and force rare mistakes— the Rams have only 11 turnovers, tied for sixth fewest.

Stop the run, which fuels L.A.’s heavy play-action approach.

Survive without Brian Branch and possibly Kerby Joseph, which could give Stafford plenty of opportunities to test a weakened secondary.

If the Lions can create a handful of stops, their own top-ranked scoring offense (30.3 PPG) could keep them in the fight. But if they let Stafford settle in, the Rams have the firepower to overwhelm almost anyone.