Jared Goff vs Matthew Stafford; Who needs this game more?

Closure through victory

The NFL’s first 17 game season will also hold one of the biggest matchups in Detroit Lions history. A matchup that will see the Honolulu Blue and Silver square off against their own all-time leading passer.

For almost every Lions fan and even the Rams fans in Los Angeles, there is something at stake in this game. Both teams will be led by quarterbacks that will have to face a former team for the first time in their lives.

The Los Angeles Rams are among the favorites to play in the Super Bowl. The Lions are among the favorites to have a third straight top 10 pick in the draft. Two teams believed to be headed in opposite directions. At least for this season.

But no matter how you break it down this will be a big game for both teams. For the Rams, this will be expected to be about taking care of business.

After all, the Rams are contenders. Part of being contenders is winning the games you’re supposed to win. There is no way that anyone can logically look at this game and not consider the Rams to be favorites against the Lions in their own building.

This is the game that could cause angst in Tinseltown if they should falter. This would be the crack in their armor if the Lions should find a way to cruise into Hollywood and gather a victory.

For the Lions, this game will be like playing with house money. They’re on the road against a serious Super Bowl contender and if they lose, then expectations haven’t been shattered.

If Dan Campbell’s Lions give great effort, play tough, and even look like they belong on the field with the Rams for a while before losing, then they still come out winners because of showing progress towards what they are building.

Both franchises would love to get this win and put closure to their past. However, for Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, this game will mean a little bit more. Make no mistake about it, both quarterbacks want to win it, but perhaps not to the same degree.