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NFL Divisional Playoffs: Trends which will decide each game

By Russell S. Baxter

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs leads players onto the field prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Arrowhead Stadium on December 27, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs leads players onto the field prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Arrowhead Stadium on December 27, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 03: Davante Adams #17 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Aaron Rodgers #12 after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter in the game at Soldier Field on January 03, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 03: Davante Adams #17 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Aaron Rodgers #12 after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter in the game at Soldier Field on January 03, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Saturday, Jan. 16

Los Angeles Rams (11-6) at Green Bay Packers (13-3), 4:35 pm

Rams: Sean McVay’s club comes off a pummeling of the Seahawks in Seattle. Now the league’s top-ranked defense and the club that allowed the fewest points in the league heads to Lambeau Field to take on a Green Bay team that led the NFL in scoring. Offensively, quarterback Jared Goff gets the start but the key to last week’s road win was the ground game as rookie Cam Akers rolled up 132 yards rushing and one score on 28 attempts and Los Angeles finished with 164 yards on the ground. And Aaron Donald and the Rams’ defense sacked Russell Wilson five times and kept him from completing at least 50 percent of his passes. All told, McVay’s team owned the ball for 33:39.

Packers: Talk about efficiency? The NFC North champions totaled an NFL-best 509 points, finished fifth in the league in total yards per game (389.0) via a balanced attack that finished eighth in rushing and ninth in passing. Matt LaFleur’s team committed an NFL-low 11 turnovers and the Packers allowed only 21 sacks. Aaron Rodgers finished as the league’s top-rated passer, hitting on 70.7 percent of his throws for 4,299 yards, 48 scores and only five interceptions and aided by wideout Davante Adams, running back Aaron Jones and tight end Robert Tonyan. The defense is coming into its own. Including playoffs, the Pack is combined 15-1 at home the past two seasons.

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