The Los Angeles Rams are scheduled to play the Green Bay Packers on Monday in what is expected to be a bitter cold night at Lambeau Field to close out Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season.
The temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 9 degrees with a wind chill of -5.
The game was listed as pick-’em last May when odds were first offered, but now the Packers are a favorite ranging from 6.5 to 7 points at the DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and PointsBet sportsbooks.
Let’s take a look at our Rams vs. Packers odds on Monday Night Football, as well as a prediction.
MNF Odds: Point Spread, Moneyline, Total
Here are Monday Night Football odds from around the sports betting marketplace.
From Super Bowl Contenders to Slim Wild-Card Berth Hopes
This matchup is between a pair of well-rested teams that opened the season tied with the fourth-shortest odds to win Super Bowl 57 (+1200) but now have slim, slim hopes of even earning a wild-card berth. Especially the defending world champion Rams who could be eliminated from postseason contention before waking up on Monday morning. That would be the case if Seattle beats San Francisco on Thursday night and if Washington and the NY Giants don’t play to a tie in their game on Sunday night.
LA is 4-9 (4-7-2 against the spread) but coming off an exhilarating and highly improbable 17-16 home victory against Las Vegas last Thursday, overcoming a 16-3 deficit in the final 3:19 behind QB Baker Mayfield, who was claimed off waivers from Carolina only two days earlier.
The highlight of his performance was driving the Rams from their 2-yard line to a touchdown in the final 1:45. Yikes! That was the worst starting field position LA had for any possession in the past 22 games.
Green Bay (5-8 SU/5-8 ATS), meanwhile, is coming off a bye and also had a come-from-behind victory in its last outing, rallying from a 10-0 hole at Chicago in Week 13 to beat the Bears 28-19 behind banged-up QB Aaron Rodgers. He played despite a broken right thumb and a rib injury. And since the Packers haven’t been eliminated from postseason contention, he vows to be out there against the Rams.
The Packers enter this week’s play 2.5 games out of the wild card mix with four games to go. They have a tough remaining schedule, with a trip to Miami next week (what a temperature shock that will be) and then home meetings with NFC North leader Minnesota and hard-charging Detroit.
The Rams and Packers last met in 2021 in Week 12 at Lambeau, with Green Bay prevailing 36-28 and QBs Matthew Stafford of LA and Rodgers both throwing for 300-plus yards. A big Packers’ advantage was a 15-yard edge in averaging starting field position (40-25) that resulted in four short fields.
And now more about that weather:
This by far will be the coldest temperature for a league game since last year’s wild-card round when Buffalo played host to New England with the temperature at 7 degrees and a -5 wind chill. With an Over/Under total set at 42.5, the Bills won 47-17.
There have been 11 previous games at Lambeau with a temperature at kickoff of 9 degrees at kickoff or colder, according to Stathead.com, with the most recent being nine seasons ago when the Packers and Rodgers were losers to San Francisco 23-20 as a 3-point underdog in a wild-card playoff game. The thermometer reading for that one was 5 degrees at kickoff and a wind chill of -10.
In Rodgers’ only other outing at Lambeau in such frigid conditions, the Packers were 24-21 losers to the Houston Texans as a 7-point choice in 2008 with a temp of 3 and wind chill of -3.
Overall, Green Bay is 6-5 in such cold conditions.
Bet MNF at BetMGM: Use promo code TODAY for a $1,050 bonus
Rams vs. Packers MNF Prediction
Pride will likely be the motivating factor here, especially for Rodgers who might opt to sit out the end of the season (and let the Packers get a better look at backup Jordan Love) if GB is eliminated from playoff contention before the end of the season.
Outside of Mayfield, will any of the other Rams’ key veterans, who already have Super Bowl rings, have an overflowing adrenaline reservoir for a game in such conditions that is pretty much meaningless to the team? For instance, what would be the point of injured All-Pro DT Aaron Donald rushing back into the lineup after his recent high-ankle sprain? And for sure injured standout WR Cooper Kupp (ankle) almost surely won’t be back till next year.
In summary, the Packers warrant an edge with the home field, facing a team that is tied for most sacks allowed and has the second-worst running attack in the league (3.7 a carry). Plus, in what seems most important, Rodgers said the week off did wonders for his aches and pains and he’s eager to give it a strong stretch run.
It’s not like Mayfield is a superhero all of a sudden. He was indeed just named the NFC’s Offensive Player of the Week, but after all, he’s also the league’s 31st-rated passer and will be operating behind a makeshift line.
Prediction: Packers 28, Rams 13
Get ready for Week 15: Betting tips and strategies | Betting picks and predictions
DraftKings Sportsbook
Claim $50 Free Bet, $1,000 Deposit Match BonusGrab a $50 free bet and a 20% deposit match up to $1,000 at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking here.
About the Author
