There are just a couple of months until meaningful games are being played in the NFL. That means prediction articles are going to be permeating your Twitter timelines in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, Pro Football Focus’s Ben Linsey took a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team in the NFL by using “a large number of simulations of the 2021 season.”
Within the article, Linsey highlights that the 10th percentile outcome (the worst) for the Los Angeles Rams is a 7-10 season. Linsey proceeded to pinpoint the losses of Troy Hill and John Johnson III as reasons why Los Angeles should expect a slight dip in its defensive production. Not to mention, the Rams lost defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who led them to have the No. 1-ranked defense in his lone year with the team. Staley is now the lead man of the Los Angeles Chargers and the Rams replaced him with an experienced assistant in Raheem Morris.
You could definitely make the argument that the Rams are going to need time to adjust to the changes on defense. Losing a leader like Johnson is a big blow to the entire team. However, Terrell Burgess, Jordan Fuller, and Taylor Rapp are poised for expanded roles, and having Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey help mitigate the losses the defense endures. Darious Williams has also become a stud as the No. 2 cornerback opposite Ramsey, making Hill’s departure feasible to overcome.
The best-case scenario for the Rams is a 12-5 season, according to Linsey. The reasoning behind Los Angeles’ potential successful season stems from the addition of Matthew Stafford this offseason. Stafford is a talented signal-caller and giving Sean McVay a quarterback of his caliber instantly makes the Rams a contender. But when you consider the weapons that Stafford has in Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Tyler Higbee, Cam Akers, and Van Jefferson, you see why Los Angeles is viewed as a threat in the NFC.
The quarterback position reigns supreme in the NFL and the Rams were able to upgrade under center by landing Stafford. Even though the defense lost pieces, they still have a formidable group in place for the upcoming campaign. Despite playing in an ultra-competitive NFC West — barring injuries — it’s tough not to expect a season closer to PFF’s best-case scenario from the Rams in 2021.