Even though the Rams finished third in the NFC West last season, their schedule this year isn’t easy – especially for a team with such low expectations. In addition to facing the Eagles, who won the NFC last season, the Rams will take on the Bengals, who represented the AFC in Super Bowl LVI.
The Cowboys, Packers and Ravens are also on their schedule, making for a difficult slate of games. The Rams aren’t exactly a team that’s projected to contend for a Super Bowl, but anything is possible in the NFL.
The start to the year won’t be easy for Los Angeles, facing the Seahawks and 49ers in the first two weeks, but the end of the season gives them a chance to sneak into the playoffs if they can hang around .500 in the first nine weeks or so.
1
Rams will be tested early
There’s no way around it: The Rams’ start to the season is tough. They get the Seahawks on the road, the 49ers at home and the Bengals in prime time in Cincinnati in the first three weeks. They catch a little bit of a break with the Colts in Week 4, but that’s a 10 a.m. PT kickoff on a short week on the road, which is followed by a home game against the Eagles in Week 5.
There’s a decent possibility the Rams will start the season 1-4, quickly falling behind in the NFC West race if they drop their opening games against Seattle and San Francisco. That Colts game could be a must-win in order to stay afloat in the early part of the season.
2
Only 2 prime-time games
The Rams have gotten used to playing prime-time games under Sean McVay, something that rarely happened in the years before he took over in 2017. After playing 26 prime-time matchups from 2018-2022, including at least four in each of those five seasons, the Rams will only play two prime-time games this season: Monday Night Football against the Bengals in Week 3 and Thursday Night Football in Week 16 against the Saints.
The NFL doesn’t usually put teams with low expectations in prime-time slots, so it’s hardly surprising the Rams will play most of their games in the afternoon or early window. But it’s disappointing they won’t be on Sunday Night Football once.
3
Chance to finish strong
Listen, there are really no easy parts of this schedule for a team that many people expect to win between 5 and 7 games. However, the finish to the year gives Los Angeles a chance to sneak into the playoffs – if the Rams can handle the early and middle portion of the schedule.
To close out the year, the Rams will be at home against the Commanders and Saints, followed by road games against the Giants and 49ers. That season finale against San Francisco will be no bargain, but the Commanders, Saints and Giants are all beatable teams for the Rams. Same with the Cardinals and Browns in Weeks 12 and 13, which are followed by a Ravens meeting in Week 14.
4
5 early games, matching total from 2021-2022 combined
In the last two seasons combined, the Rams played a total of five games in the early window at 10 a.m. PT. They had just one 10 a.m. kickoff last season, with four early games in 2021. This year, they’ll plays as many early games as they have in the last two seasons combined.
Their five 10 a.m. PT kickoffs come on the road against the Colts, Cowboys, Packers, Ravens and Giants – which are all obviously road games in the Central or Eastern time zones. The early games on the East Coast are particularly tough for a West Coast team traveling across the country.
5
Weeks 3 and 4 offer Rams chance to limit travel
The Rams will face the Bengals on the road in Week 3, a Monday night matchup in Cincinnati. The following week, they’ll take on the Colts in Indianapolis, an early 10 a.m. PT kickoff. The Rams have taken advantage of road trips to nearby cities by staying over in a nearby location rather than traveling all the way back to Los Angeles in-between.
This two-game stretch against the Bengals and Colts gives them a chance to do the same – especially considering their game in Cincinnati is on a Monday night. By potentially staying in Indianapolis during the week leading up to their game against the Colts, the Rams will save themselves a lot of traveling and also get better acclimated to the time difference.
6
Bye is right in the middle
The Rams love mini-bye weeks after a Thursday night game, and they unfortunately won’t get one until late in the year after they play the Saints in Week 16. However, they couldn’t have asked for a better week to have the bye.
Their week off will come in Week 10, bisecting the 18-week schedule almost perfectly: nine games in the first half and eight games after the bye. That’ll give them a chance to regroup after what could be a tough first half of the season, preparing for a final stretch that could determine whether they finish 5-12 or make the playoffs at 9-8 or 10-7.
7
Early kickoffs in back-to-back weeks before bye
A critical stretch in the Rams’ season comes in Weeks 8 and 9. They’ll face the Cowboys on the road in Week 8, followed by a road game against the Packers in Week 9. Dallas and Green Bay aren’t exactly nearby, so the Rams will likely return home between those NFC matchups.
To make matters worse, both of those games are scheduled for 10 a.m. PT. That’s an absolutely brutal draw for the Rams, who could be gassed from the first seven weeks of the season and will need to get up early for consecutive 10 a.m. kickoffs against strong opponents. Fortunately, they’ll get the bye after that Packers game, but it won’t be an easy two weeks.
