The Los Angeles Rams (10-6) have one more regular season game to play before they enter another playoff run, clinching the NFC West last week. They will prepare for a Week 18 matchup with the team they knocked out of the playoff race, the Seattle Seahawks (9-7).
With this game having zero bearing on the Rams' playoff picture, Rams head coach Sean McVay has said that he is leaning towards resting many of the key starters, including quarterback Matthew Stafford. That means veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo will make his first start of the season.
In a press conference on Tuesday, McVay mentioned that he will likely be sitting many of the team's top starting players which means that Garoppolo will be the starter as he was the second-string coming into the week.
Garoppolo is in his 11th NFL season and first with the Rams. He previously played for the Las Vegas Raiders, went to a Super Bowl as the starter for the San Francisco 49ers, and most famously was the backup for Tom Brady with the New England Patriots from 2014-'16.
The 2014 second-round pick has not played all season and has not seen NFL action since the end of last season. He played in seven games last year with the Raiders and was benched at the end of October. He would throw for 1,205 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Even though the game does not matter for record or playoff standing, the Rams are still going to do everything they can to stick it to their division rival even without many of their impact players. This is an incredible opportunity for Garoppolo to show he can still play in this league.
We have seen moments in the past where Garoppolo looks like an elite starting quarterback in this league. That may have been a few years ago with his most recent football not being his best, but the 33-year old has the ability and knowledge of the game to manage this contest accordingly.
With Stafford staying healthy for the entire regular season to this point, it is never easy to come off the bench after not playing a snap all year. Garoppolo is very familiar in the both roles as a starter and backup over his long career. He will give the Rams their best chance at victory this week.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Veteran Backup Expected To Start For Rams Against Seattle.