3 bold predictions: Kyren Williams gets another hat trick

Special teams earns LA’s second win of the season

The Los Angeles Rams will take on the Green Bay Packers with hopes of avoiding a 1-4 start to the season.

It will not be an easy task. Sean McVay has lost his last four matchups against his former offensive coordinator, Matt LaFleur, including a playoff loss in 2021. Nothing is impossible though, which brings us to this week’s bold predictions.

Kyren Williams gets his second hat trick of the year

The problem for LA’s offense has not been their ability to move the ball up and down the field, but rather the issues lie in their red zone efficiency. After Thursday Night’s games the Rams rank in the middle of the pact in total yards (19th) and yards per game (14th) but rank near the bottom in the red zone with an efficiency rate of 41% (28th). There are some variables likely leading to their deficiencies with Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Tyler Higbee sidelined early in the season but Sean McVay will be the first to take blame for the play calling within the 20-yard line.

That problem could be fixed this week against the Green Bay Packers with Kyren Williams seemingly revved up and hot after a month into the NFL season. Against the Chicago Bears last week the former Notre Dame running back continued his scoring streak with his seventh consecutive game with a touchdown dating back to last season. The Packers will have their hands full against the talented running back after allowing opponents to score on 60% of their red zone opportunities (ranked 23rd in the league).

Stafford’s interception troubles in the end zone without his main targets give McVay every reason to stray away from passing and elect to hand the ball off to Williams as many times as possible—that is why Williams will extend his streak to eight consecutive weeks with a touchdown and get his second hat trick of the season on Sunday.

Jordan Love has less than 18 pass attempts

The Packers nearly pulled off an impossible comeback against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings despite a 28-0 deficit in just the first half of play. A lot of that had to do with Jordan Love who was a mixed bag. The Packer QB had four touchdowns and threw for 389 yards but also doomed his team with three interceptions. He was asked to do a lot coming back from injury, finishing the game with 54 passing attempts. This week he is taking on one of the most unproven and inefficient defenses in the league. LA currently ranks dead last in rushing yards allowed per game and 31st in total yards per game while surrendering the second most points to their opponents in the league.

Defensive coordinator Chris Shula will have to hope some of the most recent changes to the roster will help with the run defense but it is unlikely, especially with his unit leading the NFL in missed tackles. They will be going against a Green Bay rushing attack that ranks second in the league in rushing with 174.5 yards per game lead by former Las Vegas Raider Josh Jacobs. That could mean an off day for Love who will likely be on the field for handoffs instead of drop backs for the majority of the game—that is why I am predicting that Love’s final stat line will have less than 18 pass attempts.

Special Teams will play a pivotal role in Rams win

It could be argued that LA’s lone win this season was won by Special Teams. The unit converted on a fake punt to reverse the momentum in the game which was followed by a huge punt return by Xavier Smith that set up the Rams offense in optimum field position to get Joshua Karty’s first game winning field goal.

In order to avoid going 1-4 to begin the season the Rams will once again need to reach into their bag of tricks to find a way to come away with a victory. Despite their loss last week, the Packers have looked dangerous even with their starting QB nursing an injury for two weeks. With the defense likely to continue to struggle and an offense missing three of their top targets and injuries on the offensive line, the team will need to get something from their Special Teams if they hope to steal a win. Could it be a Kickoff returned for a touchdown? A blocked punt? Or a 50+ yarder from Karty? Let’s hope all of the above.

I predict that the Rams’ special teams will once again have a huge role in Sunday’s victory against the Packers with a Xavier Smith punt return that ends in the endzone.