Los Angeles Rams 2020 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games
By Matt Conner
If the Los Angeles Rams want to return to the top of their division, they’re going to have to find a way to win these five games on the regular season schedule.
Does anyone know what to make of the Los Angeles Rams? One year after a Super Bowl appearance and the bestowed crown of Next Great Coach upon Sean McVay’s head, the Rams found themselves playing sloppy football and on the outside looking in of the NFL’s postseason.
What exactly happened in 2019? The list is long. The defense was fine but not elite. The offense sputtered. Special teams play was atrocious. They lost to Mason Rudolph and the Steelers (whose defense turned the corner that the Rams did not). They also lost to Bruce Arians and the Buccaneers. They were obliterated by the Cowboys, Ravens, and Niners, and were fortunate to face several pretenders in the process.
So how did they respond so far this offseason? Every single coordinator has been replaced. The defense, which was the brightest spot on the roster, has waved goodbye to numerous starters. The imports? Nothing to write home about. This is a team whose bark is worse than its bite until the Rams can prove otherwise. They’ll need to do against these teams.
Home: San Francisco 49ers
The road to divisional supremacy (and postseason glory) runs through San Francisco these days and an already solid young team should be able to build on an unexpected Super Bowl one run just one year after picking second overall in the draft. San Fran defeated the Rams twice last year, and McVay will need to split the season series in 2020 if he plans on even squeaking into the postseason.
The Rams did well to bring back Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe, but the offense will need to recapture their 2019 form if they’re going to pressure the Niners defensively enough to win. The Chiefs showed that a dangerous offense can put the 49ers away, especially now that DeForest Buckner is gone.
Can Arik Armstead fill in the gaps or was that a contract year talking? What about Dee Ford‘s ongoing back injuries? If the Niners fall back to earth a bit, it will be because teams take advantage of some of these questions and Buckner’s absence and win the battle up front. McVay’s game planning, Whitworth’s return and the emergence of Darrell Henderson could go a long way toward making this happen.