We’ve reached the point in the NFL season where it’s still relatively early, but it’s also fair to start looking at the playoff picture and division standings. A couple of weeks ago, that wasn’t even a discussion for Rams fans after the team’s 1-4 start, but after winning two games in five days, Los Angeles is back squarely in the mix.
In fact, there’s a chance they could find themselves in first place in the NFC West as early as next week. That would’ve been hard to believe when the Rams were just 1-4, but the division is wide open.
Here’s the path to the Rams grabbing the lead in the division.
- Seahawks lose to Bills on Sunday
- Cardinals lose to Dolphins on Sunday
- 49ers lose to Cowboys on Sunday night
If those three things happen, the NFC West will look like this after Week 8:
- Seahawks: 4-4
- Rams: 3-4
- Cardinals: 3-5
- 49ers: 3-5
Then, all the Rams would need to do in Week 9 is beat the Seahawks on the road, which would make them 4-4 and the Seahawks 4-5. The 49ers are off in Week 9, so at best, they’ll be 4-4 and the Rams own the tie-breaker with their head-to-head win. The Cardinals have the Bears in Week 9 but if they lose this week, the best they can be is 4-5 after Week 9.
It’s still very early and the Rams have to face the Seahawks twice and the Cardinals and 49ers each once more, but there’s no question Los Angeles is in the mix to still win the NFC West. They could go from last to first in a span of three weeks.
