The Los Angeles Rams dug themselves a hole early in the season by starting 0-2, losing a heartbreaker to the Detroit Lions and then a 41-10 blowout to the Arizona Cardinals. They got back on track by beating the San Francisco 49ers but after dropping their last two games, they’re now 1-4 entering their Week 6 bye.
Their playoff odds plummeted after their 0-2 start, with only 9.8% of teams making the postseason since 1970 after losing their first two games, and they’re in an even worse situation now.
Historically, very few teams go on to make the playoffs after starting 1-4, which is hardly a surprise. Going back to 1970, 253 teams have opened a season at 1-4. Only 15 of those ended up making the postseason, with the last team being Washington in 2020. That was the first year the playoffs expanded to 14 teams.
That means only 5.9% of teams have made the playoffs after such a terrible start, none since the schedule was lengthened to 17 games in 2021. Those are the long odds the Rams now face with 12 games remaining.
They did overcome a 3-6 start last season to make the playoffs and they nearly beat the Lions in the wild-card round, but this year’s team doesn’t seem as capable of making such a run with all the injuries it has suffered.
After their Week 6 bye, the Rams will face the Raiders, Vikings, Seahawks and Dolphins in their next four games. If they don’t go at least 3-1 in that stretch, their playoff hopes will be on life support.