It was critical that the Los Angeles Rams beat the New England Patriots on Sunday after suffering a disappointing and deflating loss to the Miami Dolphins the week prior. They got the job done with a 28-22 victory, a game that was much closer than it should’ve been.
Considering the Patriots were 3-7 entering Week 11, it wasn’t exactly a statement win for the Rams like their victories over the 49ers, Vikings and even Seahawks were. But in the NFL, a team will take any win it can get.
Analysts weren’t terribly impressed by the Rams’ win, barely moving Los Angeles up in their Week 12 power rankings. After having an average ranking of 18.0 last week, the Rams’ average is now 16.7.
Here’s where various outlets put the Rams heading into their Week 12 game against the Eagles.
USA Today: 17th (last week: 19th)
ESPN: 15th (last week: 18th)
NFL.com: 19th (last week: 21st)
CBS Sports: 18th (last week: 18th)
Bleacher Report: 15th (last week: 16th)
ProFootballTalk: 15th (last week: 16th)
Yahoo Sports: 19th (last week: 19th)
The Athletic: 15th (last week: 18th)
FOX Sports: 20th (last week: 21st)
The Ringer: 14th (last week: 14th)
High: 14th – Low: 20th – Average: 16.7
At 5-5, the Rams are still considered an average football team. They rank in the middle of the pack as a group that could be a playoff contender, but also could come up short if they keep playing the way they have been.
There will be plenty more tests along the way for Los Angeles in the final seven games, too. The Rams still have to face the Eagles, Bills, 49ers, Cardinals and Seahawks in the last seven weeks, all of whom are currently above .500. Their other two opponents are the Saints and Jets, who can be dangerous opponents, especially on the road.
