The bye week gave the Rams a chance to reset after a 3-3 start to the season. They’re coming out of the week off healthier than they have been in the last few weeks and up next on the schedule is a home meeting with the 49ers.
Looking ahead to their remaining 11 games, which are the biggest left for the Rams? We ranked the top six, five of which are conference matchups in the NFC.
1
Week 8 vs. 49ers
Yep, the Rams’ biggest game of the season is also their next one. Not only is this a divisional game for them, but it’s against their biggest rival – and a team that’s beaten them in seven straight regular-season meetings.
If the Rams beat the 49ers on Sunday, they’ll improve to 4-3 and possibly take over first place in the NFC West, depending on the Seahawks’ result. If they lose, they’ll be 3-4 and a half-game back of the 49ers without the benefit of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
This is a huge game for both teams, particularly after they went head-to-head in the Christian McCaffrey sweepstakes. It’ll give us a good idea of which team is actually the favorite to win the division.
2
Week 10 vs. Cardinals
The Rams already beat the Cardinals once this season, so a second victory in Week 10 would give them the sweep and tiebreaker in case the West comes down to these two teams. In all likelihood, that won’t be the case because the Cardinals simply don’t look like a complete team – even if some are saying the same about the Rams.
A loss to the Cardinals would be painful for Los Angeles, especially if they trip up against the 49ers and Bucs. All of these divisional games matter more than the rest, which is why the Rams will need to show up for this one at home.
3
Week 18 at Seahawks
Week 13 against the Seahawks will also be an important contest, but the season finale on Jan. 8 could decide playoff seeding. It’s entirely possible the Seahawks will regress in the next 10 weeks and fall out of contention with Geno Smith as their quarterback. But through seven games, they look like they’ll be a tough out regardless of their record.
The Rams are the more talented team on paper but going up to Seattle is never easy, especially against a Seahawks team that’s playing sound football on offense behind Smith and running back Kenneth Walker.
4
Week 9 at Buccaneers
The Bucs may not be the powerhouse many teams expected them to be, enduring similar struggles to the Rams’. But in Week 9, these two underwhelming teams will square off in an attempt to right their seasons.
Both of their divisions are wide open, but if the Rams and Bucs can’t get back on track, they could find themselves competing for wild-card berths in January. The head-to-head tiebreaker could come into play then, which makes this Week 9 tilt an important one.
5
Week 15 at Packers
We can group the Packers together with the Rams and Buccaneers as some of the most disappointing teams so far. They look like the worst of the three, but Week 15 at Lambeau Field will be a meaningful game for both teams.
Depending on where the Rams and Packers stand on Dec. 19 for this Monday night matchup, the winner could really hurt the other team’s playoff chances. At best, the Rams will be 10-3 if they win each of their next seven games. But more realistically, they’ll be somewhere around 8-5. If so, falling to 8-6 with a loss to the Packers would be costly with the Broncos, Chargers and Seahawks in the last three weeks.
6
Week 12 at Chiefs
This isn’t a conference matchup, but the Chiefs will be what’s called a measuring stick game for the Rams. If they can keep up with Kansas City and potentially beat the Chiefs, it’ll show they’re legitimate contenders in the NFC. If they get blown out the way the 49ers did on Sunday, it’ll put a real damper on their Super Bowl hopes.
The Chiefs are one of the two or three best teams in football and while they aren’t untouchable, any team that beats them gets an immediate boost of confidence. Hopefully the Rams can do that at Arrowhead in November.
