St. Louis Rams vs. Green Bay Packers: Full Green Bay Game Preview

The Green Bay Packers return home this week and hope to continue their undefeated start to the season Sunday when the St. Louis Rams visit Lambeau Field for a Week 5 matchup.

Green Bay (4-0) is coming off a road victory over the San Francisco 49ers—the 17-3 game was more a defensive battle than offensive outburst Packers fans have grown used to. 

On the other hand, St. Louis (2-2) is fresh off an impressive road win itself after beating the Arizona Cardinals, 24-22, over the weekend. 

At 45-44-2, the Rams own the better head-to-head overall record in the series, but the Packers have won the last four meetings between the two teams.

The Packers will also try to defend a dominant home-field advantage yet again—their 11 straight wins at home is the longest active streak in the league.

Let's examine everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's matchup between the Rams and Packers. 

Viewing Info

Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisc.

Date: Sunday, October 11

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Week 4 Results and Recap

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

NFC North Standings

Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Streak
Green Bay Packers	4	0	0	1.000	113	71	W4
Minnesota Vikings	2	2	0	.500	80	73	L1
Chicago Bears	1	3	0	.250	68	125	W1
Detroit Lions	0	4	0	.000	66	96	L4

Despite playing on a short week with a long trip out West, the Packers went unfazed in their 17-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4 to move to 4-0 on the season.

It wasn't the prettiest game by Aaron Rodgers' standards, but the signal-caller did just enough to the lead his team to victory. 

Rodgers threw for just 224 yards and a score in the contest, but it proved to be all he needed as Green Bay's defense shut down a woeful Niners offense. His lone touchdown pass to tight end Richard Rodgers on the first drive of the game set the tone for the afternoon. 

A 17-yard Rodgers scramble in the second half set up the Packers second score of the day—a one-yard touchdown run by fullback John Kuhn. 

Green Bay's defense allowed 196 yards in the entire game as they tormented Colin Kaepernick and San Francisco's attack. The unit racked up an interception and six sacks—two of which came at the hands of Clay Matthews from his new-found middle linebacker position. The team's defensive leader had some fun at the expense of Kaepernick as well. 

The Niners could muster only a field goal as they were held scoreless in the second-half.

News and Notes

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

Packers Sign Bruce Gaston to Practice Squad

On Tuesday, Green Bay announced the signing of defensive lineman Bruce Gaston to its 10-man practice squad. 

Gaston, an undrafted free agent from Purdue a year ago, made the Packers' 53-man roster coming out of preseason and even saw some regular-season action in 2015. His release last week came after fellow defensive lineman Letroy Guion returned from a three-game suspension. 

Should any injuries crop up on Green Bay's defensive line, 23-year-old Gaston would likely rejoin the active roster as he's one of two players at the position group on the practice squad—2015 sixth-rounder Christian Ringo is the other.

Aaron Rodgers Lights Out at Home

Rodgers' dominance at home has been well covered this season—and for good reason.

"

Aaron Rodgers' incredible streak at Lambeau Field continues. (via @FOXSportsLive) pic.twitter.com/YJiCkNQsg6

— FS1 (@FS1) September 29, 2015"

On Sunday he'll have a chance to stretch his NFL records for most completions, games and touchdowns thrown since his last interception at Lambeau in a home matchup with St. Louis. 

It's safe to say he's the most newsworthy player in Green Bay for the time being. 

OLB Jayrone Elliott to Host Live Chat Thursday

Green Bay's second-year linebacker is quickly becoming a fan favorite after recording two sacks and an interception in four games this season. On Thursday, Jayrone Elliott will interact directly with Packers fans when he hosts an online live chat through Packers.com. 

The chat, slated to start at 5 p.m. CT, will feature Elliott answering fan questions in real-time while logged in at Lambeau Field. You can join the chat here on Thursday.

Latest Injury News

Associated Press

RT Bryan Bulaga was back at practice Wednesday for the first time in three weeks.

Player	Position	Injury	Status
Davante Adams	WR	Ankle	DNP
Bryan Bulaga	RT	Knee	LP
Morgan Burnett	SS	Calf	DNP
Randall Cobb	WR	Shoulder	LP
Jayrone Elliott	LB	Quad	FP
Demetri Goodson	CB	Hamstring	LP
James Jones	WR	Hamstring	LP
Clay Matthews	LB	Quad	FP
Jake Ryan	LB	Hamstring	DNP

Green Bay fans may be surprised to see Bryan Bulaga back at practice so soon after spraining his MCL in practice following a Week 1 win. Yet, the starting right tackle was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice and could be back sooner than expected.

Bulaga's injury was originally projected to keep him out through the Packers' bye in Week 7, but his recovery seems to be ahead of schedule despite undergoing knee surgery three weeks ago.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more from Bulaga.

"

#Packers RT Bryan Bulaga said things went well in practice today, but pads tomorrow will be a bigger test and he'll be evaluated after that.

— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) October 7, 2015"

"

Bulaga: "It’s going to be a day-by-day evaluation. Today was the first day of it. We’re going to go into it tomorrow and see how it feels.”

— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) October 7, 2015"

Two major injuries still loom for the Packers, though. Davante Adams and Morgan Burnett have yet to practice for the second straight week and their status for Sunday is very much in the air.

Adams, who missed last week's game and played just one series in Week 3, is in a "wait-and-see" mode, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. If the wideout's appearance on Sunday night is any indication, fans should be optimistic about his return. Here's Demovsky after the Packers' win over the 49ers:

"

But at least he was able to walk out of the visitor’s locker room at Levi’s Stadium without the boot and without much of a noticeable limp.

“It’s something that was a trial thing at first,” Adams said of the boot. “I don’t think I need to wear it now. It’s not going to do harm, but I probably won’t wear it as much.”

"

Meanwhile, Burnett is still nursing a strained calf he re-injured during practice two weeks ago. The starting strong safety has missed three of Green Bay's first four games. 

** Injury Report courtesy of ESPN's Rob Demovsky **

DNP = Did not participate in Wednesday's practice

LP = Limited Participation

FP = Full participation

Top Matchups

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Packers O-Line vs. Rams Pass Rush

For the fourth straight week, the Packers will face a top-notch pass-rushing defense—and yet again they'll have to do so with a pair of struggling offensive tackles.

David Bakhtiari and Don Barclay will have their hands full Sunday with a Rams' defensive line that's been dominant through the first four games of 2015. As an entire unit, St. Louis' defense is tied for second in the NFL—with the Packers, coincidentally—with 17 sacks on the season. 

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald has 3.5 of those, while defensive ends Robert Quinn and Chris Long have combined for five. 

It's clear Green Bay's offensive success Sunday will come down to holding off a ferocious pass rush and keeping Rodgers clean enough to do his damage. 

Packers Front Seven vs. Rams RB Todd Gurley 

Rookie tailback Todd Gurley broke out last week in his second professional game with a 146-yard performance on the ground in the Rams' win. Although the 21-year-old did so against a tough Arizona defense, he will have an uphill battle replicating the stat line against a unit that's been lights-out lately.

Green Bay's run defense has allowed just 82.3 rushing yards per game over the past three contests and has virtually some of the league's top-tier backs in Marshawn Lynch, Jamaal Charles and Carlos Hyde. 

Gurley saw only six carries in his first game this season, but he bounced back and made his 19 in Week 4 count—the rookie averaged 7.7 yards per rush.

X-Factor

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Packers X-Factor of the Week: LB Clay Matthews

There's a reason Green Bay's defense is a top-10 unit in the league. Clay Matthews has been one of the most versatile players for the team in his transition back-and-forth between a middle and outside linebacker. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Matthews has dropped into coverage more (89 snaps) than he's rushed the passer (82 snaps) during the first four games. Yet, he's racked up three sacks so far and is on pace for his fifth season with more than 10 sacks. 

Matthews' versatility was on full display last week as he took down Colin Kaepernick twice for sacks and held the Niners' speedy dual-threat quarterback in check throughout the game.

Flashback to Week 3 and you'll find Matthews either repeatedly dropping back to cover Travis Kelce, the Chiefs' elite receiving tight end, or filling the gaps up the middle to stop Jamaal Charles. 

In a matchup with St. Louis this week, we'll likely see both sides of Matthews as Green Bay tries to limit the damage slot receiver Tavon Austin can do alongside running back Todd Gurley. 

Either way, it's clear defensive coordinator Dom Capers enjoys using his best defensive player in multiple fronts. 

Capers said of Matthews, via PackersNews.com:

"

He’s an elite guy. I’ve always felt he’d be a Pro Bowl outside or Pro Bowl inside linebacker. But to be able to go back and forth helps the flexibility of your defense.

Against the Seahawks, he was inside the whole time and probably rushed the fewest number of times that he has since he’s been with us, but that was out of necessity.

Our job is to figure out what it’s going to take to go win a game each and every week based on who’s available.

"

Prediction: Packers 23, Rams 20

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Unlike the last few Packer wins, this week's game against St. Louis will be a much closer one. 

The Rams are coming off an impressive showing in Week 3 in a tough environment against one of the NFC's top teams. They traveled to Arizona and beat the 3-0 Cardinals—proving they can play with any of the conference's best squads on the road. 

Yet a road game at Lambeau could be the toughest test of them all. The Packers haven't lost at home in 11 straight games—the longest active streak in the league—and Aaron Rodgers has been even better for longer.

St. Louis' defense is good enough that they'll get to Rodgers a few times and force some bad throws—maybe even a pick (gasp?!)—that will slow the Packers' rhythm on offense.

The Rams also will do some damage with the ball as they begin to feature Tavon Austin more out of the slot. The speedy receiver caught a season-high six passes and two touchdowns last week and still sees a fair share of touches as a back and returner—enough opportunities to break out for a score on any touch.

Ultimately, Rodgers at home will give the Packers a victory. He's shown all season long that it doesn't matter much who his receivers are—and with Davante Adams possibly out again Sunday, he'll have to make do again. 

Final Prediction: Packers 23, Rams 20