NFL play-offs
Green Bay face Rams, Bills meet Baltimore in divisional round
LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Jared Goff is back in the starting line-up for the Los Angeles Rams when they visit the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional round today.
Goff required surgery on a thumb injury late last month, giving undrafted rookie John Wolford the start for the Rams in Week 17 and last week at Seattle in the wildcard round.
However, Wolford left that game with a neck injury and was transported to the hospital for tests, but returned to the stadium before the game was over.
“He’s played in a lot of big games, and this is a great opportunity for us and with him leading our offence, we feel great about the chance,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said of Goff.
Wolford was ruled out of today’s game at Lambeau Field due to lingering effects of a neck stinger he suffered against the Seahawks.
Goff gets the ball in below-freezing temperatures with a questionable grip.
Goff has started two games in sub-32-degree temps and is 0-2 with five turnovers.
“When you watched him throw last week to this week, it is definitely trending in the right direction that’s more in alignment and, really, looks like the Jared that we’re accustomed to,” McVay.
Meanwhile, MVP favourite Aaron Rodgers and the top-seeded Green Bay Packers are coming off a bye.
The quarterback and star wideout Davante Adams (tied Sterling Sharpe’s franchise record of 18 touchdown catches) have been terrorising defences all season.
Green Bay figure to keep their foot on the pedal early and often as they know the Rams aren’t equipped for a shoot-out.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said 0n Thursday that Green Bay focused their preparation on Goff early in the week.
The head coaches were assistants with the Washington Football Team from 2010-13, and when McVay became a head coach at age 30 in 2017, he hired LaFleur as offensive coordinator at Rams.
“We still talk pretty regularly. That’s one of my closest friends in life. He’s like a brother to me ... but the gloves will be off on Saturday,” LaFleur said.
McVay said, “He’s a great coach. He’s a great friend of mine. It’s pretty crazy that we’re getting an opportunity to play
against one another. It’ll be fun.”
Green Bay have won six consecutive games since a Nov 22 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Rodgers was consistently great in 2020, leading the NFL with 48 touchdowns, a 70.7 percent completion rate, a 121.5 passer rating, a league-tying-low five interceptions and a loud and clear statement that he’s not done at age 37.
He is 10-8 all-time in the playoffs with 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
BUFFALO V RAVENS
In today’s other game in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills are slight favourites at home against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills are the No.2 seed in the AFC and the Ravens fifth.
Today’s forecast for Buffalo calls for a 40 percent chance of snow, which could greatly impact both offences.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said he has never played football in the snow.
“That definitely would be my first time playing football in the snow, if it does [snow],” said Jackson, a native of Florida. “Hopefully, it doesn’t.”
The Bills were able to lasso Jackson a few times in last season’s meeting at Buffalo.
He managed just 40 yards on 11 rushes with a long of 16 yards, but Baltimore won the game 24-17 as Jackson threw for three touchdowns while accumulating 145 passing yards. Bills quarterback Josh Allen passed for 146 yards and a score.
MEYER NAMED JAGUARS COACH
Urban Meyer has been hired as the next coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team announced on Thursday.
It is expected Meyer will be paid in the range of US$12 million a year.
Meyer, 56, had a 187-32 record in 17 seasons as a college head coach, winning three national championships.
Two of those titles came down the road from Jacksonville at the University of Florida. He grabbed a third title at Ohio State.
He retired after the 2018 season and has been working as a college football analyst.
The Jaguars fired Doug Marrone after they finished the 2020 season at 1-15.
FIXTURES
(kick-offs Thai time)
Today
LA Rams at Green Bay (4.35am, Sun), Baltimore at Buffalo (8.15am, Sun)
Tomorrow
Cleveland at Kansas City (3.05am, Mon), Tampa Bay at New Orleans (6.40am, Mon)