When the Lions and Rams exchanged quarterbacks Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford in 2021, not many predicted how beneficial it would be for both sides: Stafford delivered a Super Bowl title to the Rams, while Goff has helped elevate the Lions into one of the league’s elite teams — aided by the draft picks Detroit gained from the deal.

Both the Rams and Lions are expected to be in playoff contention again this season, making their Week 15 showdown a high-stakes affair. The two teams are scheduled to face off on Sunday, December 14, at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. With potential playoff consequences on the line, Stafford expressed enthusiasm about going up against Goff, Lions head coach Dan Campbell, and his old teammates.

“That’ll be exciting,” Stafford said on NFL Network. “We’ve had some intense matchups. Dan, Jared, and that whole team have done a fantastic job steering that organization in the right direction. They’re playing excellent football. Losing some coordinators is tough, but that’s part of the game. Every year you hit reset and compete.

We’ve had some memorable games in recent seasons against them. Hosting them this December should be interesting. It’s shaping up to be another tough, competitive game.”

Stafford has faced his former team three times so far — once in the playoffs and twice during the regular season. The Rams won the first meeting at home in 2021. The Lions took the next two games, one in the 2023 postseason and the other in the 2024 opener. Stafford now looks to even the series in Week 15.