The Los Angeles Rams’ bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. Matthew Stafford was able to rest during his time off as he recovers from a thumb injury. Carson Wentz, his new backup, was also given a week to adjust to the team and learn the Sean McVay offense—last year’s first game with Baker Mayfield suggests that Wentz should be ready if Stafford goes down at some point.
Unfortunately for the Rams, the NFC West’s pecking order appears to be shifting. The Seattle Seahawks kept pace with the San Francisco 49ers after a last-second win over the Washington Commanders. The Seahawks travel to Los Angeles this weekend, hoping to improve on their 6-3 record.
Kyler Murray also returned for the Arizona Cardinals this week. While he threw an ugly interception, he also led an impressive game-winning drive that helped the Cardinals beat the Atlanta Falcons and earn their second win of the season. Arizona is now 2-8, just one game behind the Rams.
Now that the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback has returned. Could they make a run for third place in the NFC West, pushing the Rams to last?
Let’s take a look at LA’s upcoming schedule to see when they’ll be able to snap their current losing streak and get back in the win column:
Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks
The majority of the NFL world was taken aback when Los Angeles led a resounding Week 1 victory on the road in Seattle. With a final score of 30-13, the Rams stole the season opener. Geno Smith and the Seattle offense struggled to get anything going against a Los Angeles defense that is making a name for itself.
However, Seattle was somewhat short-handed, as they were missing both of their first-round picks, CB Devon Witherspoon and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. In addition, both of the Seahawks’ starting offensive tackles were injured in the first half of their Week 1 game against the Rams. They are still without Abraham Lucas, but Seattle’s offensive line has been stabilized.
Since their season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Seahawks have only lost one game. These are two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum, and it’s difficult to see the Rams pulling this one off.
Prediction: Seahawks win; Rams fall to 3-7 in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Kyler Murray is back for Arizona, but the Rams defense has historically done well against him. The Cardinals have a new offensive scheme under Drew Petzing. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is expecting reinforcements, including the return of standout running back Kyren Williams for this game.
Nonetheless, Murray performed admirably in his return from an ACL tear. He’s still working off the rust from taking nearly a year off from football, but he’s determined to be Arizona’s quarterback of the future. The first step he can take to secure his job is to put the Cardinals in a position to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the upcoming NFL Draft. A victory over the Rams would undoubtedly help.
Prediction: Cardinals win; Rams fall to 3-8 in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
Though their offense is inconsistent, Cleveland’s defense is among the best in the NFL and makes life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. The Los Angeles Rams have struggled against similarly constructed teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers. If LA can’t hold their own in the trenches, this game could be a disaster in terms of offensive production.
Prediction: Browns win; Rams fall to 3-9 in Week 14 against the Baltimore Ravens.
While the Ravens lost a winnable game to the aforementioned Browns this weekend, the Baltimore offense appears to be unstoppable at times. This season, Lamar Jackson has improved as a passer. The Ravens defense can rush the passer, but they are very thin in the secondary after a slew of injuries.
This game could be an offensive shootout, but it’s difficult to see the Rams keeping up with Lamar Jackson, who seems to have all the answers this year. He can beat you with his legs or through the air, and Baltimore has a stable of running backs with varying skill sets.
Prediction: Ravens win, dropping the Rams to 3-10.
Week 15 against the Washington Commanders
Could Carson Wentz start for the Rams against his most recent former team if the Rams truly lose seven games in a row?
Sam Howell has shown and possibly proven that he is Washington’s future quarterback, but he is still volatile. Ron Rivera is effectively a dormant coach.
Prediction: The Rams win and improve to 4-10.
Which quarterback, Derek Carr or Jameis Winston, will start for New Orleans this late in the season? The Saints have a lot of offensive firepower, but they rarely use it all. They are a frustrating team that will most likely finish around.500, but the difference in quarterbacks between Carr, Winston, and Stafford will be the deciding factor in this game.
Prediction: Rams win, improving to 5-10 in Week 17 against the New York Giants.
The Giants are unlikely to win a game as long as UDFA rookie Tommy DeVito starts, which will likely result in either Williams or Maye being drafted. They are very likely to be the first overall pick.
Prediction: Rams win, improving to 6-10 in Week 18 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Will the 49ers rest starters in the final week, or will the Seahawks push them to the wire in the NFC West title race? This will be the most important factor in determining who wins this game, as a fully loaded San Francisco team intent on winning outclasses this version of the Rams nearly every time.
Prediction: 49ers win, bringing their record to 6-11.
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