As encouraging as the Rams’ recent three-game winning streak has been, odds are still against them making the playoffs. At 4-4, they’re one game behind the division-leading Cardinals in the NFC West, with a chance to narrow the gap by beating the Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
It won’t be impossible for Los Angeles to make the playoffs, but the second half of the season needs to be better than the first – starting with tonight’s game against Miami.
According to NFL.com, the Rams currently have a 20% chance of making the playoffs. With a win, that number increases to 26%. If they lose, the Rams’ odds drop to only 12%.
The New York Times has a similar projection based on its simulation model. The Rams have a 28% chance to make the playoffs right now, per the NY Times. If they beat the Dolphins, it jumps to 35%, but if they lose, it plummets to 18%.
It may not be a divisional game but this is a huge matchup for the Rams, one with sneaky playoff implications. They need to keep things rolling at home against a banged-up Dolphins team, starting the second half of the season on the right foot.
A 4-5 record is still possible to overcome, but it’ll be much harder to make the playoffs if they lose to Miami.
