Desperate for a win, the Los Angeles Rams once again came up short in a one-score game. They lost to the Green Bay Packers at home, 24-19, dropping their record to an unsightly 1-4 through five weeks.
They sit in last place in the NFC West and are tied for the worst record in the NFL with the Panthers, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars and Patriots. While their point differential isn’t quite as bad as the Panthers’ minus-82 mark, they’ve still been outscored by 45 points in their five games, fourth-worst in football.
Rams fans have been through a lot of lows throughout the franchise’s history but under head coach Sean McVay, there have been far more highs. Three division titles, two Super Bowl appearances and one world championship, along with five playoff appearances in his first seven seasons at the helm.
Yet, the Rams have reached a new low in the McVay era with their 1-4 start. Not since 2014 have they opened a season with a record as bad as 1-4 through five games. Even in 2016 when they finished 4-12, they started the year 3-1.
It’s the franchise’s worst five-game start in a decade, going all the way back to 2014 when they were also 1-4. They’d never been worse than 2-3 under McVay since he took over in 2017, so this is unfamiliar territory for the 38-year-old head coach.
That’s not to say this Rams team is as bad as the 2014 team in St. Louis that finished 6-10 and finished 28th in total yards. It certainly doesn’t mean they’re worse than the 2016 team that went 4-12, ranking dead last in points and yards.
However, there is unquestionable concern about how far this team can go as its currently constructed. Injuries have played a major role in their struggles. But beyond that, the offense hasn’t executed at a high enough level, particularly in the red zone. And for a defense that added pieces such as Tre’Davious White, Kamren Curl, Braden Fiske and Jared Verse this offseason, expectations have not been met.
Their Week 6 bye couldn’t have come at a better time, giving players like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua an extra week to recover. It’s also an opportunity to evaluate where things have gone wrong and what changes need to be made.
The 2014 Rams won their sixth game. Can the 2024 Rams do the same?