Matt Derry locked on lions Travis Rogers locked on Rams Ford Field the site Sunday night for game one we'll cross over here on a Thursday all right Travis what's it going to take for the for the Rams to win what are some keys what are some things you see that could get in an law I I think they're gonna have to get pressure on Jared gof somehow some way that doesn't include Aaron Donald I this is something that I'd been the every dayers listen to lock on Rams will hear me say this over and over and over again it's exciting in one sense to see a defense without Aaron Donald for the first time in 10 years that he's been such a main State he's been so good but it's also terrifying to know that you're going into a new season without never mind the best defensive player in the history of your team maybe the greatest player in the history of your team so and the leadership that he brought I think it's really interesting to see what it might look like with his absence and not just from a does he get to the pr does he get to the quarterback does he fill his Gap it's a lot more than just that I think that's one part of it the other part and and this is super basic but I believe that it's true it's you know something that the the play-by-play voice of the Rams uh JB long always says it's that cqi it's the coach quarterback injury and they have the coach we know that sha McVey knows what he's doing we know that Matthew Stafford knows what he's doing the question is does the injuries that the Rams have had especially on the offensive line put pressure on Matthew Stafford allow him not to make make good decisions allow him have to make quick decisions can they not run the ball can they not keep it uh Detroit honest as far as defending both the run and the pass I think those are the two big things for me uh and then of course we talked about it pref Fleet a second ago can they kick field goals and I'm not talking can you kick 55 yard field goals I'm talking can you kick 42 yard field goals can you can you feel good about kicking something less than 45 yards and feel like you have three points in your back pocket I think it changes the way Shawn McVey calls plays I think it changes the way the end of the game gets managed potentially and whether or not they feel good with him uh I think we're gonna get a pretty good look at it early I I think those are the three keys for me yeah I I I love the pressure thing I I think the fans look that that first home playoff game the first time since 93 that Lions fans got to be in their own building for a playoff game it's hard to replicate that I mean and this these fans are hungry if will be loud don't get me wrong but that stadium and that vitory all for Stafford and just everything that went into last year was unbelievable and I don't know if the lion fans can do that now they're going to be loud and I think a big key is stay loud Jonah Jackson shotgun snaps with with noise hasn't play hasn't played center in the NFL in college I think that can be a big advantage to the Lions couple of low snaps can throw everything off so I think crowd is going to be a factor that will help the Lions um like you said attacking and and getting pressure on gol same with the Lions who's that opposite Edge is it James Houston is it Marcus Davenport Josh Pascal who's gonna Derek Barnes who's gonna get off the edge tackle a little bit shaky for the Rams right now I think that's a definite key and uh again like you said you know Jake Bates can he make these kicks um last year's game was close Maher did his job for the most part for the Rams and of course Badgley for the Lions but I think with offenses that have not worked a ton here in August and September and guys are going to be rusty uh you know I see this maybe coming down to the kicking game and is Jake Bates that guy for the Lions I think we're kind of a lock step on a couple of these Keys traffic yeah you know it's fny it's it's it's does your offensive line protect your quarterback does your quarterback make good decisions and does your kicker make the kicks that they're supposed to make right pretty wild that's basically what it is right well but but there won't be any Center snap problems I don't think with Frank rag now this is no I wouldn't think so I wouldn't think so I I do like the Rams I and sea McVey and Matthew Stafford in particular that even in a loud environment like you mentioned last year in Detroit I I was talking with my co-host DeMarco far who was he does Sidelines uh for the Rams radio broadcast and he played in the NFL for a long time he's a Super Bowl champion you he played in three Rose Bowls as a member of the Washington Huskies so he he knows big venues with big moments said he never heard anything like he heard in that game in Detroit so that they've been in that environment that that those guys have been through big moment moments before I think hopefully if I'm being optimistic we'll serve them well so you see the ram you going to pick the Rams what do you think I my heart picks the Rams my head tells me on the road against a very good team and the Rams are breaking in a lot of new players on defense they've got a makeshift offensive line my brain is telling me that I think that the Lions have a pretty distinct advantage in this particular game uh I never underestimate Shawn McVey I never underestimate Matthew Stafford so I think the Rams will keep it close I do not think that they are going to get stomped I don't think that happens very often in the McVey era but I just don't know if they have enough horsepower right now to beat that team in their own backyard I think that I think that the Lions win it by a field goal or less yeah you know FanDuel has it at three and a half right now for the Lions last year's game finished 2423 I I I see 2321 I see the r sticking around like you said Stafford making plays in that building a building that he was beloved in for years you know 10 plus years and I I I do think the Lions will win but I do like I said before I see some stretches where uh there's just rust offensively and trying to get this thing going but um you know keep an eye too on jir Gibbs and David Montgomery I think those guys are really good and and if they can run the football keep Stafford and that McVey offense off the field I I like the Lions as well uh