With only five weeks remaining in the regular season, each game on the Los Angeles Rams’ schedule will have an impact on their playoff chances. They don’t have much room for error at 6-6, currently sitting eighth in the NFC, but their playoff hopes are very much alive.
Their next big test comes on Sunday afternoon against the Ravens, a road game against one of the best teams in football. As 7-point underdogs, few people are expecting the Rams to win on Sunday, but if they do come away with an upset victory, it’ll dramatically help their postseason chances.
A loss, fortunately, won’t significantly change their playoff odds.
According to the New York Times, the Rams currently have a 48% chance to make the postseason. With a win over the Ravens, that number increases to 73%. A loss only drops it to 37%.
The Vikings, Packers and Seahawks are all tied with the Rams at 6-6, but Minnesota and Green Bay have the tiebreaker edge, so they hold the sixth and seventh seeds. The Rams have the tiebreaker over Seattle after beating them twice.
The Vikings visit the Raiders on Sunday, the Packers face the Giants on the road and the Seahawks are visiting the 49ers, so those games will have significant playoff implications for Los Angeles, too. The first order of business: beat Baltimore. After that, the Rams get the Commanders, Saints and Giants, which are all winnable games before facing the 49ers in Week 18.