NEW ORLEANS (7-7) at LOS ANGELES RAMS (7-7)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime
BETTING LINE: Rams by 4 1/2 according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Saints 5-8-1; Rams 7–5-2.
SERIES RECORD: Rams lead 43-35.
LAST MEETING: Saints beat Rams 27-20 on Nov. 20, 2022, in New Orleans.
LAST WEEK: Saints beat Giants 24-6; Rams beat Commanders 28-20.
SAINTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (19), PASS (14), SCORING (T-12).
SAINTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (24), PASS (6), SCORING (6).
RAMS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (11), PASS (11), SCORING (9).
RAMS DEFENSE: OVERALL (18), RUSH (14), PASS (21), SCORING (19).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Saints plus-5; Rams minus-2.
SAINTS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Alvin Kamara had 110 yards from scrimmage last week (66 rushing and 44 receiving). That increased his season total in scrimmage yards to 1,076 in 11 games since returning from a three-game suspension to start the season. He has eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards in all of his seven NFL seasons. He also has five TDs rushing and one receiving this season.
RAMS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Derion Kendrick did not play well in the fourth quarter versus the Commanders, getting worked on a 29-yard touchdown catch and another 48-yard grab by WR Terry McLaurin. Coach Sean McVay expressed confidence in Kendrick after the game, but expect New Orleans to get top WR Chris Olave into one-on-one situations where the second-year defender will have to be more disciplined.
KEY MATCHUP: Rams RB Kyren Williams vs. Saints LB Demario Davis. Williams rushed for a season-high 152 yards against Washington, but his two fumbles nearly cost Los Angeles a win critical to its playoff hopes. Williams got some redemption by being able to run out the clock, giving him some confidence going into a showdown against a Saints defense that has allowed 200 yards rushing in two of its past four games. Davis leads the team in tackles (102) and is second in tackles for loss (9). His activity level was key in holding New York to 60 yards on the ground.
KEY INJURIES: Olave will play after being limited by an ankle injury. Saints RT Ryan Ramczyk is missing his second straight game with a knee injury. DE Carl Granderson, the team sacks leader, will play after injuring his shoulder on Sunday. DE Cameron Jordan has been limited by an ankle injury, but it hasn’t cost him a game. The Saints are hoping rookie RB Kendre Miller (ankle) is questionable with an ankle injury that has sidelined him for five games. DE Isaiah Foskey (quadricep) will miss his third straight game. DE Payton Turner (toe) is also out. … The Rams expect to get RT Rob Havenstein (groin) back after he didn’t play last week, which is all the more important as swing tackle Joe Noteboom is questionable because of a foot injury. WR Tutu Atwell will return after clearing concussion protocol. CB Ahkello Witherspoon is available after hurting his groin Sunday. RB Ronnie Rivers will return from an eight-game absence with a sprained knee ligament.
SERIES NOTES: The Rams are 2-0 at home against the Saints since moving back to Los Angeles in 2016, with wins in 2017 and 2019 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. … The Rams scored a controversial victory in the NFC championship game after the 2018 season, a game known for the pass interference penalty that wasn’t called against CB Nickell Robey-Coleman.
STATS AND STUFF: QB Derek Carr completed 23 of 28 passes — a season-high 82.1% — for 218 yards and three TDs without an interception last week. It was his eighth start with a completion rate of 80% or higher, tied for fourth most among active QBs. … Carr has 3,098 yards passing in 2023 and is just the third QB in NFL history (joining Peyton Manning and Denver’s Russell Wilson) with 3,000-plus yards passing in each of his first 10 seasons. … Carr’s 3,503 completions make him and former QB Matt Ryan (3,630) the only NFL players with 3,500-plus completions during their first 10 NFL seasons. … Kamara leads all RBs in catches (68) and ranks third among RBs in yards receiving (446) this season. … Olave, a 2022 first-round draft choice, needs 82 yards receiving for his second-straight 1,000-yard season. … TE Jimmy Graham, who did not play last season, has four TD catches this season and one in each of his past three games. He has 89 regular-season TD catches, the fourth most by a TE in NFL history. … Jordan has 16 1/2 sacks and 20 TFL in 14 Thursday games. … Granderson has sacks in his past two games and leads the Saints with 7 1/2 .. DE Tanoh Kpassagnon had a career-high three sacks last week. … Rookie DT Bryan Bresee had his first-two-sack game last week. … LB Demario Davis had 10 tackles, two TFL and a sack in Week 15. He needs one more TFL to reach 10 for a seventh straight season. … CB Paulson Adebo has 15 passes defensed in 2023, tied for fifth most in the NFL … The Rams have won three in a row at home. They have not won four straight at home since opening SoFi Stadium in 2020 with four victories. … DL Aaron Donald does not have a tackle for loss in his past two games and has one in his past four. Donald has 173 career tackles for loss, which is fourth most in NFL history. Julius Peppers is third with 175. … Matthew Stafford has come on strong in the past month, throwing 12 touchdowns to one interception. He has not been picked off or lost a fumble in the past three games. … Los Angeles has run for at least 120 yards in each of its past four games and totaled at least 399 yards in that span. … WR Puka Nacua had five catches for 50 yards against the Commanders. It was the ninth time in his stellar rookie season Nacua has had at least five receptions and 50 yards.
FANTASY TIP: Rams WR Cooper Kupp is back in elite form, catching all eight passes thrown his way for 111 yards and a touchdown for his second straight 100-yard game. With a touchdown reception in three straight games, Kupp will be a difference-maker in the fantasy playoffs for anyone who was able to navigate his injuries.
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