Rams wide receiver Donnie Avery appears on the verge of a breakout game, with TD catches against Minnesota (Oct. 11) and Jacksonville (Oct. 18), and a 50-yard non-scoring catch last week against Indianapolis. But he just can't seem to stay on the field, getting nicked up with a hip injury against Jacksonville and a shoulder problem against Indy. "Donnie is fighting through injuries," offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. "A lot of receivers this time of year are."

If Avery can go a full 60 minutes at Ford Field, he should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. Cornerback may be the weakest position on the Detroit defense. William James has run hot-and-cold this season for the Lions. He has good size (6-0, 200), but Avery should be too quick for him.


When the Rams run the ball

The Lions have a decent front seven with veteran wide body Grady Jackson at defensive tackle and Larry Foote at middle linebacker. But they rank only 20th in rushing defense and 28th in yards allowed per carry (4.6). Lions cornerbacks have had trouble containing the edge on running plays, and Steven Jackson has been successful bouncing plays to the outside this season. So look for more of the same Sunday at Ford Field. After a season-high 134 yards last week, Jackson is third among NFL rushers with 635 yards. But among the league's top 14 rushers, he's the only one without a TD this season. Is this the week? With a bye week following Sunday's contest to rest and recover, there's no reason why Jackson shouldn't get a heavy workload.

EDGE — Rams

When the Rams pass the ball

Detroit has one of the worst secondaries known to mankind, particularly at cornerback. Opposing quarterbacks have completed a staggering 74.2 percent of their passes against the Lions for a league-high passer rating of 118.7, plus 17 TDs. Only Tennessee's defense has allowed more TD passes (19). So if Marc Bulger is going to show he deserves to be the Rams' quarterback in 2010, this is the place to start. Look for the Lions to compensate for their coverage weaknesses with an aggressive blitzing scheme by veteran defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. The Lions have more than 65 blitzes in their package, and will try to take advantage of a revamped Rams line that features Adam Goldberg at right guard in place of the injured Richie Incognito, and Jason Smith making his third NFL start at right tackle.

EDGE — Rams

When the Lions run the ball

Last week, Indianapolis nearly doubled its per-game average with 155 rushing yards against the Rams. Sixty-two of those yards came in the fourth quarter, including a 31-yard ramble in which third-stringer Chad Simpson scored untouched. The run defense, or lack thereof, was a major reason why coach Steve Spagnuolo was upset with his team's intensity in the fourth quarter. Detroit's feature back, Kevin Smith, averages only 3.2 yards per carry. He runs hard and can make you miss, but lacks breakaway speed. Detroit's offensive line has been sub-par most of the season, and desperate to find a combination that clicks, may start grizzled Jon Jansen at left guard Sunday. In his previous 10 NFL seasons, all with Washington, Jansen started 123 games — all at right tackle.

EVEN

When the Lions pass the ball

After missing the past two games with a right knee injury it looks like rookie Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, will start at quarterback. Some observers in Detroit already think Stafford gives the Lions their best chance to win instead of Daunte Culpepper. Stafford is more decisive than Culpepper, and has a quick release. He has "arm arrogance" — in other words, he thinks he can squeeze the ball into tight coverage any place, any time. Sometimes that gets him into trouble. If Calvin Johnson plays, and is anywhere near full speed, the Rams could be in trouble. Big, strong, and fast, Johnson is one of the game's elite wideouts. He can outmuscle you for the ball, or run past you to get it.

EDGE — Lions