In Week 17, the Los Angeles Rams clinched a playoff berth with a little help from a team they lost to earlier in the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30–23 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday helped the Rams, who took care of business against the New York Giants hours earlier, punch a ticket to the playoffs. On the heels of last year’s pitiful 5–12 campaign, the Rams silenced their critics in a surprising upturn of a 2023 season and could even be considered a dark horse contender for the Super Bowl.
Los Angeles made sure to thank the Pittsburgh "Big Dog" Steelers for aiding them in their hopes for postseason glory. However, the Rams’ social media account also took a playful dig at the black-and-gold who beat them in October under controversial circumstances.
This makes up for that spot of the ball. https://t.co/rAfIpDQvaC
— x - Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 1, 2024
The early-season 24–17 loss to the Steelers included a questionable call in which the officials gave a very generous spot to the Steelers, resulting in a critical first down during the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh’s latest benevolent (though unintentional) act may nonetheless convince the Rams to let bygones be bygones and focus on the future instead.
In the current NFC playoff picture, the No. 6 Rams would play the No. 3 Lions in the wild-card round, the ultimate homecoming game for former Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford. As for the more immediate future, Los Angeles (9–7) will play the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.
