LA Rams vs. Green Bay Packers 2021: Prediction, Betting Odds For NFC Divisional Playoffs

What happens when the NFL’s best defense takes on the league’s highest-scoring offense? The biggest NFL question of the weekend will be answered Saturday afternoon when the Los Angeles Rams visit Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in a divisional-round playoff matchup.

The Rams owned the No. 1 scoring defense in the regular season, allowing 18.5 points per game. The Packers led all teams with 31.8 points per game en route to an NFC-best 13-3 record.

The latest betting odds suggest it’ll be Green Bay’s strength that prevails. The Packers are favored by 6.5 points, according to lines compiled by OddsShark. The total is 45.5.

If Los Angeles can force Aaron Rodgers to have a bad game, they’ll be just the second team to do so this season. The clear MVP frontrunner, Rodgers had a passer rating below 91.5 in only one game. Rodgers posted a passer rating north of 107.5 in 14 of the team’s 16 contests.

With a 121.5 passer rating, 48 touchdown passes and five interceptions, Rodgers posted the best quarterback stats of the 2020 season.

The Packers’ quarterback edge could be even more pronounced than usual since it's unknown if it’ll be Jared Goff or John Wolford will take snaps for Los Angeles. Wolford has only made two career starts and left the Rams’ wild-card game with a stinger. Still recovering from thumb surgery, Goff replaced Wolford and completed nine passes in the team’s 30-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

It didn’t matter for Los Angeles that Seattle had the significant quarterback edge with Russell Wilson at the helm. The Rams’ defense stymied one of the league’s top signal callers, holding Wilsoon to 11-27 for 174 passing yards, two scores and one interception.

Back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald was a menace with two sacks and three quarterback hits before leaving the contest early with torn rib cartilage. He’s expected to play through the injury at Lambeau Field.

Donald and the Rams finished second in the regular season with 53 sacks. Led by First-Team All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles held opposing quarterbacks to an 80.4 passer rating.

Since losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, Los Angeles hasn’t given up more than 28 points in any game.

With Wilson, Josh Allen and Tom Brady on the regular-season schedule, the Rams have faced their share of elite quarterbacks. A new challenge awaits them at Lambeau Field, where the two teams will play in freezing temperatures. Forecasts for Saturday show a high of 32 degrees and a low of 18 degrees, with a 25% chance of precipitation.

Prediction: Despite an empty stadium, the Packers still have a home-field advantage. The Rams' quarterback shortcomings may play a key factor as the Packers' defense makes adjustments. Heroics from Rodgers will likely help the Packers advance in a close game.

Predicted Score: Green Bay over Los Angeles, 26-23