Game-By-Game Analysis For The Rams 2020 Schedule

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti With Rams Fans. Photo Credit: Eric Garcetti | Under Creative Commons License
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti With Rams Fans. Photo Credit: Eric Garcetti | Under Creative Commons License

With the unveiling of their new stadium and new uniforms, the Los Angeles Rams are looking to revitalize the dominance that they saw during the 2018 season. There has been a lot of offseason movement for the team with key departures, but also notable signings. With all of this, expectations for the Rams are high. This new look Rams squad, behind Coach Sean McVay, is looking to recapture the NFC West title and make a deep run during the post-season.

Let’s take a game-by-game look at the Rams 2020 Schedule.

Week 1 – Sunday, 09/13/2020, vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Rams will open their season matching up against the Dallas Cowboys. In arguably the biggest game of the season, the Rams are hoping to secure their first win in the new stadium.

Looking at both teams’ offseason moves, the Cowboys have an initial edge over the Rams—with the signings of Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, in addition to their strong core within their front seven, this Cowboys defense is in position to be a dominant force against the run.

The Rams have a lot of question marks in their backfield going into the season, but if Cam Akers lives up to the hype surrounding his second-round selection this past draft, then this match-up will be very interesting.

The most intriguing match-up in this game, however, is between the star-studded Cowboys’ offense and the Rams’ defense. The Rams front-four has a daunting task ahead of them going up against one of the league’s top offensive lines, one of the league’s best running backs, and a passing game that has bolstered their potential this offseason. If Jared Goff is able to ignite the passing game for the Rams, this game will be an exciting back-and-forth battle. But, because of the difference of talent on paper, I predict the Cowboys handing the Rams their first loss of the season and their first loss in SoFi Stadium.

Prediction: 27-21, Cowboys (0-1)

Week 2 – Sunday, 09/20/2020, @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Rams Week 2 match-up at Philadelphia is set to be an exciting one; the top two picks of the 2016 NFL Draft will go head-to-head. Both have flourished, becoming reliable starters in the League.

The match-up that stands out the most in this game has to be between the Eagles defense against the Rams offense. The Eagles ranked in the bottom half last season in terms of passing defense, but they were among the top three in terms of rushing yards allowed. Despite this, the Eagles secondary has shown great improvement with the signing of Darius Slay and through the development of Sidney Jones.

As a fan of what McVay and Goff have been able to do with the offense thus far, this young offensive line will be tested by top-tier pass rushers early in the 2020 season.

The Eagles offense is more well-rounded than the Rams; they have an established run game, an improved receiving corps, a reliable offensive line, and an MVP-caliber quarterback. I see Philadelphia having a slight edge over the Rams in this match-up but expect this to be a close game.

Prediction: 21-20, Eagles (0-2)

Week 3 – Sunday, 09/27/2020, @ Buffalo Bills

The Rams tough start to the 2020 season will continue in their on-the-road match-up against the Bills. The Rams’ first-year Defensive Coordinator, Brandon Staley, has a lot to prove with this new look Rams’ defense. The defense has the potential to regain their identity against a weaker offensive match-up and may be able to do so by keeping the run-game with the Bills’ running back, Devin Singletary stagnant. Putting the game in the Bills’ QB, Josh Allen’s hands can bode well for the Rams; we will see how big of a leap the young QB from Buffalo takes this season.

Jared Goff and the Rams’ offense will also be tested against a sound, well-coached Bills defense. But, being the best team in sacks allowed per game (1.4) gives the Rams offense an edge over the Bills reputable defense. I see this as a very low scoring game and have the Bills coming out with a narrow win over the Rams.

Prediction: 13-10, Bills (0-3)

Week 4 – Sunday, 10/04/2020, vs. New York Giants

With the more difficult stretch behind them, Rams fans should still have hope for this season. The Rams are back home for their Week 4 game against the Giants. The Giants made some impressive moves during this offseason with the signings of ILB Blake Martinez and CB James Bradberry, as well as the drafting of LT Andrew Thomas and S Xavier McKinney. But, they are a young team and lack the experience in coaching that is needed for a team to make that next step.

I predict a stellar game for Jared Goff, as he and the Rams look to bounce back with a win this week. I also expect a breakout game for rookie, Cam Akers. The Rams’ defense will have some issues with the balanced passing/running attack of the Giants, but it will not be enough to threaten the outcome of the game. I see the Rams taking their first win of the season in a high scoring game for their offense.

Prediction: 31-17, Rams (1-3)

Week 5 – Sunday, 10/11/2020, @ Washington Redskins

The Rams travel back to the East Coast for their Week 5 pairing against the Redskins. Expect the Rams to dominate throughout all three phases of the game. While the Redskins have a strong pass-rush in their front four, especially with the addition of Chase Young out of Ohio State, their front four is overshadowed by a roster with many holes on both sides of the ball. The Rams are expected to win this one; any other outcome would be a jaw-dropper for spectators.

Prediction: 27-10, Rams (2-3)

Week 6 – Sunday, 10/11/2020, @ San Francisco 49ers

The Rams’ first Divisional game comes during Week 6 at Levi’s Stadium against the 49ers. This is one of the more important games for the Rams. If the Rams’ defense is able to slow down the 49ers’ running back committee and force the game into Jimmy Garoppolo’s hands, they may have a chance here; but the San Francisco defense may be just as dominant as they were last season.

There may be a slight regression on the 49ers’ end relative to last season, due to the departure of some key players, but nonetheless, they were able to replace these guys with some very talented and high-ceiling players.

Both teams are coming off of recent Super Bowl losses, which makes this game even more exciting. But the 49ers have a more complete roster and are playing at home, which is why I predict the Rams losing this week in a close game against their divisional opponent.

Prediction: 24-17, 49ers (2-4)

Week 7 – Monday, 10/26/2020, vs. Chicago Bears

The Rams face off against the Bears at home in Week 7. Even with questions regarding their quarterback up in the air, this Bears’ offense needs to see some drastic leaps at almost every position if they want to be a competitive team during the 2020 season.

The Rams’ defense will have one of their best games against the Bears; Aaron Donald and the front four are in for a night if the Bears are not able to clean up their 2.8 sacks given up per game. Newly acquired OLB, Leonard Floyd is also coming in with a chip playing his former team.

In regard to the Rams offense, they might be challenged against a strong pass rush, but they will be able to put up more points than the depleted Bears offense. For that, I see the Rams winning this one.

Prediction: 20-13, Rams (3-4)

Week 8 – Sunday, 11/01/2020, @ Miami Dolphins

LA heads down to South Beach to play the Dolphins in Week 8. The Rams come in as favorites to win this game, but you cannot count out the Dolphins; they will have had one of the best offseason in 2020, strengthening their roster on both sides. However, they are still young, and a lot of their players have yet to establish chemistry on the field.

The young Miami offensive line will have a tough time facing off against this Rams pass rush; regardless of who is at the quarterback position, they will be facing immense pressure from guys like Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. I have the Rams winning this one and bringing their record back up to .500.

Prediction: 24-20, Rams (4-4)

Week 9 – BYE

Week 10 – Sunday, 11/15/2020, vs. Seattle Seahawks

Following their bye week, the Rams have another divisional game. They will host the Seahawks in Week 10. This divisional rivalry has lived up to its hype in recent years, so fans can expect this to be a back-and-forth battle.

The Seahawks’ defense definitely saw the opposite production that the Legion of Boom brought a few years back. They ranked 26th in total yards given up per game and ranked 29th in sacks. If Jared Goff is given a clean pocket with no pressure, expect him to have a great statistical performance.

I think that this game will still be close, similar to their first meeting last season where the Rams lost because of a missed 44-yard field goal. Nonetheless, I have the Rams winning this game considering the Seahawks defensive inefficiency this past year.

Prediction: 30-24, Rams (5-4)

Week 11 – Monday, 11/23/2020, @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Another flight across the country finds the Rams facing off against the Buccaneers in Week 11. At this point in time, it is difficult to predict how well Tom Brady will adjust to a new team, but he has the weapons necessary to make the Buccaneers a very scary team on paper.

Buccaneers’ Head Coach, Bruce Arians, and Defensive Coordinator, Todd Bowles have built a strong defense led by the 2019 NFL sack leader, Shaquil Barrett. Moreover, the Rams secondary led by All-Pro CB, Jalen Ramsey will have to try and contain one of the league’s best receiving and tight end corps. With all of that in mind, I see the Buccaneers pulling away with this one, putting the Rams back at a .500 record.

Prediction: 27-20, Buccaneers (5-5)

Week 12 – Sunday, 11/29/2020, vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Rams are set for another divisional matchup against the 49ers in Week 12, but they will be playing in Los Angeles for this one. I can already picture the atmosphere in the new stadium—there will be plenty of San Francisco fans in attendance: it will be loud, and it will be rowdy. I expect this game to come down to the wire. As mentioned before, the 49ers are a more complete team as far as their depth chart goes and for that, I see them taking the season series and beating the Rams in Los Angeles.

Prediction: 20-17, 49ers (5-6)

Week 13 – Sunday, 12/06/2020, @ Arizona Cardinals

The Rams travel to Arizona for their Week 13 match-up against the Cardinals. The Cardinals’ offense is set for an explosive season with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins has publicly stated that his favorite match-up comes when he and Jalen Ramsey go toe-to-toe, so expect these two to have a physical game.

Jared Goff is in position to light up the Cardinals, as they were the second-worst team in terms of passing yards allowed per game. The Cardinals’ defense is also in the bottom third against the run, therefore Cam Akers may also see an increase in production.

With all of that said, I do not think it will be enough for the Rams to win, especially against a high-powered Cardinals’ offense. The Cardinals take this one in a high scoring divisional battle.

Prediction: 34-30, Cardinals (5-7)

Week 14 – Thursday, 12/10/2020, vs. New England Patriots

With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Rams are looking to spark a late run. They will host the Patriots in Week 14. Teams should have enough respect for Head Coach, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots not to count them out of any game. With that said, the Patriots are in unchartered territory; with the departure of Tom Brady, where do they stand? A lot of this depends on Jarrett Stidham as he succeeds, Brady, one of the best to ever do it.

The Rams’ defense looks to capitalize on the questionable Patriots’ offense. Jared Goff also comes in with a chip on his shoulder, seeing that the last time these two teams met, the Patriots held Goff and the Rams offense to a mere 3 points. The Rams will take this one and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Prediction: 24-14, Rams (6-7)

Week 15 – TBD, vs. New York Jets

The Jets will come to town in Week 15, as the Rams continue their back-to-back home game stretch. The Jets are a young and hungry team with a lot to prove this year. Jets’ Head Coach, Adam Gase is on the hot seat and Sam Darnold’s time as the Jets’ QB may be dwindling away. I like the direction this team is going in, but I do not think it’s enough to stop the playoff-hungry Rams squad. The Rams push their record up back to .500 with this win over the Jets.

Prediction: 27-17, Rams (7-7)

Week 16 – Sunday, 12/27/2020, @ Seattle Seahawks

CenturyLink Field is one of the loudest, and most hostile environments for opposing teams to play in; the Rams will have to make the trek up to Seattle for their Week 16 matchup with the Seahawks. This is an important game for both teams as they look to finish their respective seasons with wins. The crowd will factor into this close game. I see Russell Wilson and the Seahawks’ offense marching through the Rams defense for the win.

Prediction: 24-21, Seahawks (7-8)

Week 17 – Sunday, 01/03/2021, vs. Arizona Cardinals

Playoffs may still be in the picture for the Rams, but perhaps not as close with the Rams sitting at a 7-8 record coming into Week 17. I see McVay pulling the troops together in this offensive shootout. The Rams close their season at home with a win against a young, but dangerous Cardinals team. With the 2020-2021 playoffs expanding by adding a 7th seed to the picture, the Rams may still be in place to secure a wildcard spot. It all depends on how the rest of the NFC Teams finish.

Prediction: 30-28, Rams (8-8)

After a close analysis of their schedule, I predict the Los Angeles Rams finishing the 2020 season with an 8-8 record. The Rams have the 10th toughest schedule in the league, based on opponent win percentage from 2019. It will be an uphill task for this veteran team, but it won’t be anything they can’t handle. Rams’ fans should be excited to see what Head Coach, Sean McVay is able to cook up for the 2020 season.

How do you think the Rams 2020 schedule will shake out?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti With Rams Fans. Photo Credit: Eric Garcetti | Under Creative Commons License

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti With Rams Fans. Photo Credit: Eric Garcetti | Under Creative Commons License