The Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers started the season considered as NFL championship contenders. They reached Week 15 of the schedule on Monday night almost playing out the string on lost seasons.
The Rams won the Super Bowl last season, three years after losing in the NFL championship game. But Los Angeles entered Monday night’s game at Lambeau Field with a 4-9 record.
The Packers won 13 games in each of the past three seasons and lost in the NFC Championship Game in two of those campaigns. But Green Bay had a 5-8 mark for 2022.
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The Packers added a win to that record by beating the Rams 24-12 on Monday night. With three games left on its regular-season schedule, Green Bay remains a postseason contender, although just barely. The Packers are 1.5 games behind the Washington Commanders, who sit in the final playoff spot in the NFC, with the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions between Green Bay and Washington.
On Monday night, the Los Angeles offense gained only 156 yards in Baker Mayfield’s second game as the Rams’ quarterback. The Green Bay offense had 25 more snaps than Los Angeles did, and five of the Rams’ 43 snaps ended in sacks.
Green Bay scored on its final full possession of the first half, then scored on both its third-quarter possessions to take a 24-6 lead. A.J. Dillion ran for the first two touchdowns before Aaron Jones caught a 7-yard TD pass from Aaron Rodgers.
Jones ran for 90 yards on 17 carries and caught four passes for 36 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers completed 22-of-30 passes for 229 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Packers kept possession for the final 8:51 of the game. Green Bay moved from its 14-yard line to the Los Angeles 1 with a series that included five first downs before Rodgers closed the game with three kneel-downs a few steps from the goal line.
Two players from Alabama high schools and colleges played in the Los Angeles-Green Bay game:
· Rams offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (Florence) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Rudy Ford (New Hope, Auburn) started at safety for the Packers. Ford made one tackle.
· Jarran Reed (Alabama) started at defensive end for the Packers. Reed made one tackle.
· Rams defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Green Bay visits the Miami Dolphins at noon CST Sunday to kick off a Christmas tripleheader in the NFL. After playing Miami, the Packers have home games against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 1 and Lions on Jan. 8 left on their regular-season slate.
Los Angeles hosts the Denver Broncos at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the second game of the Christmas trio.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
