Before the season began, many looked at the Los Angeles Rams as favorites to win the Super Bowl. The team was one game away from making the big game last season and looked, on paper, like it had improved. They traded defensive end Jared Verse and first-, second-, and third-round picks to the Cleveland Browns for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett. They then convinced future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald to return from retirement, creating one of the most fearsome defensive line duos imaginable.
We haven’t seen the duo together this season. Donald missed the first game of the season, and Garrett sustained a knee injury that sent him to Injured reserve. Garrett doesn’t seem likely to suit up anytime soon, as the Rams have opted not to open his 21-day practice window yet.
Garrett isn’t the only Ram to deal with injury issues so far this season. Puka Nacua has missed time, and Davante Adams had to have surgery to repair a ruptured hamstring and is also on IR.
Los Angeles is currently third in the NFC West behind the 6-1 San Fansciso 49ers and the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks. To make matters worse, they have lost both divisional matchups so far: a 27-7 beatdown to open the season against the 49ers and a surprising 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Fortunately for the Rams, their schedule eases up over the next few weeks. They face off against the winless Los Angeles Chargers, who are in the midst of their own disappointing season. Then they face the 1-4-1 Washington Commanders before getting a chance to avenge their loss to the Cardinals. The Rams need to get out of this stretch undefeated to reach 6-4 before heading into an absolutely brutal stretch.
Starting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the Rams face off against the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Seattle Seahawks twice.
If the Rams get through this gauntlet, they will be in good shape and will look like the championship-caliber team many expected. A run to the playoffs starts this weekend against the Chargers, because if they drop to 3-5, their postseason chances take a huge hit.
