Last season may have just been the first step in a renaissance for the Rams under head coach Sean McVay. The Rams won the NFC West with an 11-5 record, getting off to a good start in their first season back in Los Angeles. Unfortunately for the Rams, they couldn’t hold serve at home in the playoffs against Atlanta, going out in the wild-card round.
However, the Rams showed enough promise and potential in 2017 to have people excited about what they could achieve in 2018. With a young quarterback, one of the game’s elite running backs, and a potentially dominant defense, the sky is the limit. In fact, many are looking at the Rams as one of the leading Super Bowl contenders heading into the season.
The oddsmakers list the Rams at +1200 to win the Super Bowl. Those are the same odds as the Steelers, a perennial contender, so Vegas is serious about Los Angeles. At the same time, the team’s projected win total is only 9.5, which is puzzling since the Rams only figure to get better. Taking the over on the Rams winning 9.5 games is a potential steal, and their Super Bowl odds make for a good bet too.
A year ago, there were questions about quarterback Jared Goff. But he more than answered those questions with his performance. If he can take another step forward this season, he could cement his standing as a top-10 quarterback. He also has a new weapon in Brandin Cooks, who should be considered an upgrade over the departed Sammy Watkins. With Cooks stretching the field, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp should have plenty of space to make plays underneath, setting up Goff for a big year.
Speaking of big seasons, Todd Gurley is poised for another one after being runner-up in the MVP race a season ago. It’ll be tough for Gurley to top last year’s productivity. But if he gets anywhere close to matching it, the Rams will be happy. He’s essentially a one-man wrecking crew who helps take a lot of pressure off Goff. As long as the aging offensive line can avoid the injury bug, there’s no much that can stop the Los Angeles offense this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams made some big moves to help a defense that was 12th in the league last year. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib were both brought in to form a dynamic duo at cornerback. Ndamukong Suh was also signed, and if the team can get Aaron Donald in camp, those two should be a nightmare on the defensive line.
To be fair, there are some concerns about the pass rush with Robert Quinn no longer around. But the power of Suh and Donald inside should help. Also, Wade Phillips, who orchestrated Denver’s historic, Super Bowl winning defense a few years ago, is pulling the strings for the Rams and their talented defense.
With a young team like the Rams, one does have to worry about buying into their own hype too much. But the veterans brought in on defense should provide some much-needed leadership. If Goff and the offense can take another step forward, the Rams will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2018 and a clear Super Bowl contender.
| Date | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 10 | @ Oakland Raiders | 10:20 PM |
| Sep 16 | Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 PM |
| Sep 23 | Los Angeles Chargers | 4:05 PM |
| Sep 27 | Minnesota Vikings | 8:20 PM |
| Oct 7 | @ Seattle Seahawks | 4:25 PM |
| Oct 14 | @ Denver Broncos | 4:05 PM |
| Oct 21 | @ San Francisco 49ers | 8:20 PM |
| Oct 28 | Green Bay Packers | 4:25 PM |
| Nov 4 | @ New Orleans Saints | 4:25 PM |
| Nov 11 | Seattle Seahawks | 4:25 PM |
| Nov 19 | Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 PM |
| Dec 2 | @ Detroit Lions | 1:00 PM |
| Dec 9 | @ Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM |
| Dec 16 | Philadelphia Eagles | 8:20 PM |
| Dec 23 | @ Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 PM |
| Dec 30 | San Francisco 49ers | 4:25 PM |
With the Rams slated to face just four playoff teams from a season ago, their schedule appears to work in their favor. However, that doesn’t include two games against the feisty Seahawks, two games with the much-improved 49ers or a late-October matchup with the Packers. That game against the Packers comes on the heels of three straight road games against Seattle, Denver, and San Francisco and is followed by a trip to New Orleans. In short, this schedule is littered with tricky games.
Even with such high expectations, things aren’t going to come easy for the Rams. However, they should be able to secure at least 10 wins. That ought to be enough to get them to the playoffs. They will still have to prove themselves in what should be a loaded NFC playoff. But there’s no doubting the Rams will be a tough out and a team with enough pieces in place to win it all.