The Los Angeles Rams are the current No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff picture with a 7-3 record entering Week 12. With the Rams pacing behind the 9-2 Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West, Los Angeles is considered to be a heavy favorite to earn the fifth seed in the NFC when the season concludes.
The four teams ahead of the Rams as of now are the Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For those that like to use the phrase, “If the season were to end today,” Los Angeles would be traveling to take on Tampa Bay in the Wild-Card Round.
NFC playoff picture, per FPI:
-all four divisions have a high probability winner.
-Arizona a coin flip to be No. 1 seed.
-LAR likely No. 5 seed
-Giant battle for last two wildcard spots pic.twitter.com/LD5gw1Uo3T
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) November 22, 2021
The Rams have defeated the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers twice in the past two seasons, but having to face them on the road in the first round is far from ideal. So with that in mind, the next few weeks are crucial for the Rams as they hope to better their positioning in the NFC.
It all begins with a road matchup with the Packers in Week 12 as the Rams come out of their bye week. Then, following a potential trap game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13, Los Angeles will meet with Arizona for the second time this season.
Also, the Rams have upcoming games against the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, giving them the toughest remaining schedule in the NFC. We’re going to find out a lot about this current team by how they handle their business in the coming weeks.
Another loss to the Cardinals in Week 14 would almost ensure that the Rams won’t win the NFC West this season. After two straight dismal performances before the bye week, the Rams have their work cut out for them in the remaining games to possibly improve their seeding and to potentially host a game in the playoffs.