Expectations for the Los Angeles Rams have been tempered heading into next season after a disappointing 2019 campaign. They finished third in the NFC West at 9-7 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The offseason has done Los Angeles no favors, either, losing players such as Dante Fowler Jr. and Cory Littleton, and parting ways with both Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks. The overwhelming sentiment among NFL analysts is that the Rams will finish around .500 again in 2020, having an uphill climb to the playoffs in the NFL’s toughest division.
ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) projected win totals and playoff odds for every team in the league, while also ranking them from No. 1 to 32. The Rams came in at No. 11 in the rankings, which is a reasonable placement for Sean McVay’s team.
The FPI set the Rams’ projected wins at 8.3 and gave them a 45% chance to make the playoffs. Their postseason chances are the lowest of any team in the top 14, largely because of how tough the NFC West is expected to be.
Some teams the Rams are notably ahead of are the Steelers (12), Vikings (13), Packers (15) and their SoFi Stadium roommates, the Chargers (20). The Rams have a ton of talent still on their roster, led by Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Jared Goff and Andrew Whitworth, but they also have holes to fill at inside linebacker, along the offensive line and also at edge rusher.
The modified offseason and lack of on-field work isn’t doing the Rams any favors, either, after McVay essentially hired a completely new coaching staff with Brandon Staley, Kevin O’Connell and John Bonamego all stepping in as his coordinators.
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