Who do the Rams play next in the NFL Playoffs?
By Kinnu Singh
The Los Angeles Rams weathered plenty of storms, from injuries to devastating wildfires, in order to get where they are today.
Los Angeles lost four of their first five games to start the season, the worst start to a season during coach Sean McVay’s tenure. The Rams were largely written off as key offensive injuries piled up, but they took a page from Geno Smith’s book and chose not to write back. Their bye in Week 6 allowed the team to take a collective breath, and they rallied back to win nine of their remaining 11 games.
The team’s patchwork roster slowly began to mesh together. The second-year players from last season’s rookie class, aging veterans and free-agent acquisitions all settled into their roles, and the Rams clinched the NFC West title due to a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles became the first team in NFL history to reach the playoffs in back-to-back seasons after being three games under .500, according to ESPN Research.
Not only did the Rams draw the toughest wild-card matchup, but they also lost home-field advantage. Los Angeles were scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium for the wild-card round, but the game was relocated to Statefarm Stadium in Arizona as Southern California wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles County area.
Rams will get a rematch against the Eagles in the divisional round
The battle-tested Rams were unbothered, and they easily handled the Vikings in a 27-9 victory on Monday Night Football. The victory earned Los Angeles an opportunity to exact revenge against the No. 2 seed Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the divisional round.
The absence of Aaron Donald was never more apparent than it was when the Rams suffered a lopsided loss to the Eagles in Week 11. Los Angeles’ defensive front was overpowered by Philadelphia’s offensive line, and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley gashed the Rams defense for 255 rushing yards, including two runs that went for 70-plus yards. The game dropped Los Angeles to a 5-6 record, but they ultimately used it as the turning point in their season. With no more room for error, the Rams rattled off five consecutive wins before resting their starters in Week 18.
Once again, the Rams will face a difficult test. The Eagles played on Sunday, which means Los Angeles will have one less day to get ready for the game. The team will begin preparations on Tuesday before traveling to Philadelphia on Saturday, which leaves just four days for rest, film study, install and practice.
The game is scheduled to kickoff at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, and the winner will advance to the NFC Championship Game.
Since the Washington Commanders upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, they will face the top-seeded Detroit Lions. If Los Angeles wins next week, they’ll either host the Commanders at SoFi Stadium or travel to face the Lions at Ford Field.