This is a game between two really awful football teams.  The Rams have lost 17 games in a row dating back to last season and they are 2-21 in their last 23 games.  The Lions are 1-21 in their last 22 games so something will have to give in this game.  The last time that the Rams played on the road they lost 23-20 in OT at Jacksonville.  This could be the game that the Rams’ offense gets back on track.  The Rams will likely mix it up more than usual.  Steven Jackson will still be the focal point of the offense against a Lions’ D that is allowing 112.3 yards rushing per game and 4.6 yards per carry.  If the Rams can keep Marc Bulger upright he will likely be able to shred the Lions’ D through the air.  The Lions are allowing 258.5 yards passing per game this season and opposing QBs have a 118.7 QB Rating against them this year.

The Lions still aren’t sure who will start at QB this week as all three of the active QBs (Matt Stafford, Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton) are all hurting right now.  It’s looking like Stafford might get the start for the Lions.  The Rams are allowing 249.6 yards passing per game this season so if Calvin Johnson is able to play he will have a huge game.  But, Kevin Smith will be the major guy in the offense in this game for the Lions.  The Rams are allowing 135.9 yards rushing per game this season and 4.3 yards per carry so Smith will have more running room than he has had this whole season.

PREDICTION:  LIONS 30, RAMS 27

Danny Amendola has been a outstanding addition to the Rams after not starting the season with the team.  He has returned 29 kickoffs for 705 yards (24.3 avg) and he has returned 8 punts for 65 yards (8.1 avg) this year.  He is not only a very solid special teams player but he is starting to get the ball thrown to him at WR.  He has caught 14 passes for 115 yards (8.2 avg) so far this season.  In a season where the Rams seem to be auditioning players for the future it looks like they might had a keeper in Amendola.

The Rams have signed 26-year old Ryan Neill to take over as the starting long snapper.  He played in all 16 games for the Bills last season in the role of long snapper.  Neill has now played in 3 years in the NFL appearing in 32 games.  Hopefully he’s good on snapping the ball to the punter which he will do much more than snapping to a holder.

The Rams have lost 23-year old CB Brandon Fletcher for the rest of the season as he needs surgery to repair a hyperextended knee.  Fletcher played in all 7 games for the Rams this season and he had 23 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and he defensed 1 pass.  This hurts the depth of the Rams’ secondary.  Fletcher was the teams’ third round pick out of Iowa in last April’s NFL Draft.

The Rams have lost starting guard Richie Incognito indefinately with a low grade LisFranc injury in his foot.  LisFranc injuries are often more serious than it first appears.  This is bad news for the Rams as Incognito is a player that brings a nasty attitude to the field which the offense will miss.  Adam Goldberg will start in his place and that’s likely bad news for both Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson.