4 Lions Who Must Step Up Against Rams

On Sunday afternoon, the Detroit Lions will square off with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff for the must-see contest is set for 4:25 p.m. (EST). 

Dan Campbell’s squad has a tough test ahead of itself, facing a Rams team which has won seven of its last eight games and owns the NFC’s No. 1 seed at 10-3.

Without further ado, here are four Lions who must step up in order for Detroit to secure the Week 15 victory.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs 

Last week against Dallas, the Lions wisely used Jahmyr Gibbs, one of the league's most versatile weapons, early and often. He rewarded Detroit with 120 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns.

The game also was the 15th instance in which Gibbs and David Montgomery, Gibbs’ backfield partner, both produced a touchdown from scrimmage in the same contest. This marks the NFL record (in the Super Bowl era) for the most times in which each member of a backfield duo has recorded a score in the same game.

Gibbs now also possesses 47 career touchdowns, tied with Lions legend Barry Sanders for the most through the first three seasons of a career and by a player younger than 24.

The dual-threat runner will be tested in this Week 15 contest, facing a Rams rush defense that has allowed the fewest TDs in the NFL this season (four). Los Angeles has also permitted the 11th-fewest yards on the ground in 2025 (1,345). 

However, if Detroit wants to capture the upset win at SoFi Stadium, it’ll be paramount for the Lions, led by Gibbs, to establish the ground game early and often.  

EDGE Aidan Hutchinson 

The Lions Pro Bowl EDGE didn’t record a sack but still generated nine total pressures and eight quarterback hurries against Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 14. 

Earlier this week, he emphasized that Detroit’s strong pass-rush effort against Dallas needs to be the norm in the season’s final four games. 

“I thought we played at a really, really high level all the way around as a D-line all game,” Hutchinson expressed. “So, it's great to see, and it's something we've got to continue to build on and continue to use that momentum to push us forward through this last stretch of the season.”

Hutchinson has produced 80 pressures thus far in 2025, ranking first among 112 qualified EDGE defenders. Plus, he’s earned a 91.0 Pro Football Focus overall grade, along with the third-best pass-rush mark among EDGEs (92.0). 

It'll be key for Hutchinson and the Lions, coming off a five-sack performance against Prescott, to generate consistent pressure against Rams signal-caller Matthew Stafford. That might be easier said than done, though, as the former Detroit passer has been sacked just 17 times this season.

QB Jared Goff 

Goff and the Lions’ top-ranked offense will be tasked with keeping up with the Rams’ equally potent offensive attack. It could very well lead to a shootout between Campbell’s and Sean McVay’s teams.   

Goff, the No. 1 overall pick of the Rams in 2016, enters this Week 15 matchup with some very solid numbers. Through 13 games, the Detroit signal-caller has thrown for 26 touchdowns, has recorded the third-highest passer rating (110.2) and ranks first in the NFL with completions of 25 yards or more. 

The veteran quarterback is the straw that stirs the drink for the Lions’ offense, and Campbell’s squad will need a productive day from him in order to capture the victory Sunday.  

CB D.J. Reed 

Reed and the Lions’ injury-hampered secondary will have their hands full against Stafford and the Rams’ high-powered passing game. 

Stafford – one of the frontrunners for MVP this season – is currently 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 top-tier 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 secured an NFL-best 14 touchdown catches and has combined for 20 TD receptions with Nacua.

Reed has had a solid season in his first season 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. 

Reed has the task of defending Nacua and Adams on the boundary in this Week 15 matchup. 

It’ll be a tough ask of the veteran defensive back to limit the production of the dynamic receiving duo. However, if he does, it’ll go a long way toward Detroit securing the upset victory against the NFC’s top team.