Key Matchup Detroit Lions Must Win Against Los Angeles Rams

On Sunday afternoon, D.J. Reed and the Lions’ injury-ravaged secondary will have their hands full against Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ high-powered passing game.

Stafford – one of the leading candidates for MVP this season – is presently playing some of the best football of his career. He’s thrown for an NFL-leading 35 touchdowns and the fourth-most yards in the league (3,354). Plus, he’s recorded the fifth-highest QBR (68.8).

He’s also equipped with a duo of highly talented receivers in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Nacua is tied for the most receptions in the league (93) with Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, and has accumulated the second-most receiving yards in the league (1,186). It marks the third-year pro's second season with more than 90 catches and over 1,100 receiving yards.

Meanwhile, Adams, a free-agent acquisition of the Rams this past offseason, has caught an NFL-best 14 touchdowns and has combined for 20 TD receptions with Nacua.

Reed has had a solid season in his debut campaign with the Lions. He’s compiled two interceptions, and has recorded a 67.1 Pro Football Focus pass-coverage grade. Plus, he’s earned a 69.2 overall mark from PFF, the 27th-best grade among 109 qualified corners.

Additionally, he secured a game-sealing interception against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14.

Meanwhile, Amik Robertson, the Lions’ other starting outside corner with Terrion Arnold out for the season (shoulder), has struggled in coverage all season. He’s amassed a PFF coverage grade of 48.6, the sixth-worst pass-coverage mark of 109 qualified corners, and a passer rating against of 111.9. He’s also coming off a dismal performance in coverage vs. the Cowboys, in which he allowed eight catches for 112 yards on 11 balls thrown his way.

In total, Reed and Robertson allowed 17 catches on 24 targets for 242 yards and a touchdown against Dallas, a less than optimal effort in coverage. With that said, over the last two games, they’ve permitted 27 catches on 39 targets for 389 yards and three scores.

"I had the task of going against CeeDee (Lamb) and to be honest, he got the better of me before he got hurt. And on the island, sometimes that’s how it goes," Reed said. "And then I moved over to (George) Pickens. They’re both phenomenal players. Sometimes it’s a bad day in the office, but I’m glad we got the W."

Reed and Robertson will have the unenviable task of defending Nacua and Adams on the perimeter in Detroit’s Week 15 contest with Los Angeles. Additionally, they won’t be helped out by the fact the Lions are down both of their starting safeties for the game: Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee).

It won’t be easy for Detroit’s secondary, in its injury-decimated state, to curtail the production of the Rams’ dynamic receiving tandem. However, if Reed & Co. are able to pull it off, it’ll go a long way toward Detroit securing the upset win against the NFC’s current No. 1 seed.

At this present juncture, I’m willing to predict that Nacua and Adams combine for 133 receiving yards and two scores in the Rams’ showdown Sunday with Dan Campbell’s team.

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