The Los Angeles Rams were thrilled to clinch the NFC West on Sunday night when the Washington Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, securing the strength of victory tiebreaker for the Rams over the Seattle Seahawks. It’s remarkable that the Rams went from 1-4 to clinching the division as early as Week 17, giving them a chance to once again rest their starters in the season finale for the second straight year.
The question is, will they?
Sean McVay said on Saturday night that he’s not sure how he would approach the finale if the Rams clinched the division and didn’t need to win in Week 18. There’s a real benefit to resting starters and keeping them healthy for the playoffs, but there’s also motivation to win Sunday’s game against Seattle.
It’s not a completely meaningless game for the Rams despite them already clinching a playoff berth and home game in the wild-card round.
As of now, the Rams are the No. 3 seed in the NFC. If they stay in that spot, they will play either the Packers or Commanders in the first round. If they drop to No. 4, they’ll face either the Vikings or Lions. The only way they can fall to the No. 4 seed is if they lose to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers beat the Saints.
None of those teams will be easy to beat, even at home. But what the Rams must decide is whether they feel they have an advantage over one set of opponents versus the other. If McVay likes the way the Rams match up with the Vikings – who they beat earlier this season – or the Lions, perhaps he’ll be fine with losing in Week 18. If he wants to face Jordan Love again or rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, maybe the Rams try to win in Week 18.
Then there’s also the possibility of going to Philly to face the Eagles in the second round, which would happen if the Rams win in the wild-card round as the No. 3 seed.
It’s by no means an easy decision and it gives Week 18 some meaning for the Rams even though they’ve already clinched the division. McVay and the coaching staff will need to think about what’s best for the team heading into the playoffs, though no matter what the Rams decide to do, they’re in for a battle in the wild-card round.