The Los Angeles Rams are back on the national radar, and for good reason. After a surprise playoff run in 2024 and an aggressive offseason that added elite talent on both sides of the ball, the team appears primed for a major leap. Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano believes the Rams are poised to top the NFC West with a 12–5 record, the very same mark they posted during their 2021 Super Bowl-winning season.
“For the Rams to become legitimate Super Bowl contenders, they will need faster starts than the past two seasons,” Manzano wrote. “They started 3–6 in 2023 and 1–4 last season. With the arrival of Davante Adams, perhaps the Rams can get by the AFC South teams, the Texans and Titans, to jump to a 2–0 start this season.”
A fast start would certainly change the narrative. In 2023 and 2024, late-season surges carried Los Angeles into the postseason—but left little margin for error. This year, the front office loaded up with a mix of proven stars and high-upside rookies to avoid digging that same hole. And with five standalone games on the NFL’s national slate—including two of their final three contests—the league is clearly betting on L.A. being a late-season factor again.
The Los Angeles Rams Schedule’s Hidden Opportunities
Despite being the second-most traveled team in the league at 34,832 miles (trailing only the Chargers), the Rams’ schedule sets up favorably after their Week 8 trip to London. That’s the beginning of a soft mid-season stretch in which they’ll play three of four games at home following a bye. The lone road trip during that stretch? A short flight to San Francisco.
Week 3 should be circled on every fan’s calendar. That’s when the Rams host the Philadelphia Eagles, in a rematch of the snowy 28–22 divisional-round loss that ended their 2024 campaign. Eagles CB Darius Slay Jr. later admitted the Rams were the team’s biggest playoff threat. This time, weather won’t be a factor—and both teams will look to make a statement.
Finishing Strong
Historically, McVay’s Rams find their rhythm late. The bold prediction: they’ll win at least seven of their final 10 games—continuing a trend that’s defined the last two seasons. In both 2023 and 2024, midseason turnarounds turned early disappointments into playoff berths. But if this team starts fast? That 12–5 prediction could mean something much more.
Just like it did in 2021.
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