The Los Angeles Rams’ 2023 schedule is full of intriguing matchups, from their two battles with the San Francisco 49ers to their midseason games against the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.
It also makes for a difficult slate of games for Los Angeles, but if the Rams are going to make any noise in the NFC, they’ll need to beat good teams in the playoffs anyway.
Here’s an early look at one storyline to watch in every game on the Rams’ schedule, including a Super Bowl LVI rematch.
Week 1 at Seahawks
Rams’ first season opener in Seattle since 2009
The Rams have only played the Seahawks in Week 1 twice, and the last time they played an opener in Seattle was way back in 2009. They were blown out in that game, 28-0, kicking off what would eventually be a 1-15 season for St. Louis. The Rams plan to win this game on the road against the Seahawks but if they do come up short, hopefully their season doesn’t suffer the same fate as the 2009 campaign.
Week 2 vs. 49ers
Rams try to end cold streak vs. 49ers
Since the start of the 2019 season, the Rams have lost eight of their last nine games against the 49ers. Their only win was in the NFC title game, so they’ve gone eight straight regular-season games against San Francisco without a win. They’ll try to snap that streak in Week 2 when they host their division foes.
Week 3 at Bengals
Super Bowl LVI rematch
The Rams and Bengals don’t meet very often, being in separate conferences. But when they square off in Week 3, it’ll be a rematch of Super Bowl LVI two seasons ago. Though they did play last preseason, this will be the first regular-season meeting since the Rams beat Cincinnati in the big game. The Bengals will be heavily favored in this matchup, however.
Week 4 at Colts
Rookie vs. vet at QB?
This could be the Rams’ first and only meeting with a rookie quarterback. Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick, is pegged as the next Cam Newton and assuming he’s the starter from Day 1, he’ll be warmed up by the fourth week of the season. His running ability make him an impact player right away, even if his passing skills do need some work. It could be the savvy veteran in Matthew Stafford against the rookie Richardson.
Week 5 vs. Eagles
Battle of last 2 NFC champions
The Eagles and Rams have very different outlooks heading into the 2023 season, but they do have one thing in common: They each played in the Super Bowl in the last two years. The Rams represented the NFC in Super Bowl LVI, one year before the Eagles reached the Super Bowl against the Chiefs. The Rams finished off their 2021 season with a win but the Eagles came up short against Kansas City.
Week 6 vs. Cardinals
Will Kyler Murray be back by now?
Murray is coming off a torn ACL and the Cardinals are likely to play it safe with their $230 million quarterback. He could possibly be back by Week 6 but if he’s not 100%, Arizona probably won’t risk it. So the Rams could get Colt McCoy or Clayton Tune in this early-season matchup at home.
Week 7 vs. Steelers
T.J. Watt vs. Aaron Donald
Watt and Donald are often battling for the AP Defensive Player of the Year, with one of the two winning the award in two of the last three seasons. This will only be their second meeting all-time and both were productive in their first matchup back in 2019. Donald had one sack and a safety, while Watt had five tackles and two sacks against the Rams.
Week 8 at Cowboys
First game in Dallas since 44-21 loss in 2019
The Rams will return to Dallas for the first time since the 2019 season when they were blown out, 44-21. These teams split the two games they’ve played in Los Angeles since then and have alternated wins and losses in their last four meetings. Since Sean McVay took over in 2017, the Rams are 3-2 against the Cowboys, going 1-1 in games in Dallas.
Week 9 at Packers
Another trip to Lambeau – this time in (potentially) warmer weather
The Rams’ lone schedule request this year was to play the Packers in either September or October – likely with the goal of avoiding a cold-weather game at Lambeau Field. The NFL denied that request, but the game will be on Nov. 5, so the weather should be warmer than it was in the last three games the Rams played in Green Bay the last three years (November, December and January).
Week 11 vs. Seahawks
Bobby Wagner returns to Los Angeles
Wagner signed with the Seahawks after being released by the Rams this offseason, returning to his former team. In Week 11, he’ll play his first game in Los Angeles since being cut by the Rams. He’s played against the Rams in Los Angeles before, so it won’t be a first for him. But there still might be some extra meaning for him against his former team.
Week 12 at Cardinals
LA seeking 9th straight win in Arizona
The Rams have absolutely owned the Cardinals over the last six years, but their dominance in Arizona goes back even further. The Rams have won eight games in a row in Arizona, which dates back to the 2015 season. Only two of those games have been within six points, too, so the Rams have been blowing them out for a long time.
Week 13 vs. Browns
Rams look for 4th straight win vs. Browns
This will be just the fourth meeting between the Rams and Browns since 2011, only squaring off every four years. The Rams have won each of the last three meetings with the Browns, the most recent of which came in 2019 when Los Angeles won 20-13 on the road in Cleveland.
Week 14 at Ravens
Odell Beckham Jr. faces his former team
Beckham sat out the 2022 season as he recovered from a torn ACL, but he’s back on a roster this year and ready to go. As a member of the Ravens, Beckham will face his former team, the Rams, in Week 14 – a home game for Baltimore. Beckham still has love for the Rams and has expressed no ill will toward the franchise, but this is a game he’ll certainly want to help his team win.
Week 15 vs. Commanders
Washington is 8-3-1 all-time in Los Angeles
Washington has only played against the Rams in Los Angeles once since 1995, and that game was held in McVay’s first season in 2017. They obviously met in St. Louis, but the these teams have only played once in Los Angeles in the last 28 years. All-time, however, Washington is 8-3-1 against the Rams in Los Angeles.
Week 16 vs. Saints
2019 NFC title game rematch
The Rams and Saints will always be linked because of the game they played on Jan. 20, 2019. It was the NFC championship, which the Rams won 26-23 in overtime to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. It wasn’t without controversy, of course. The Rams were helped by a no-call on Nickell Robey-Coleman’s clear pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter, which had it been called, the Rams likely lose that game.
Week 17 at Giants
Wild-card implications?
If the Rams make the playoffs, it’s almost certainly going to be as a wild-card team. The same goes for the Giants, who have the Eagles and Cowboys in their division. This game in Week 17 could have big playoff implications in the wild-card race, assuming both teams are still alive at this point in the year. It’s possible that 9-8 or 8-9 will be good enough to sneak into the playoffs.
Week 18 at 49ers
Rams haven’t won on road vs. 49ers since 2018
It’s been tough sledding for the Rams against the 49ers in recent years, but it’s been especially tough in Santa Clara. They haven’t won on the road against the 49ers since 2018, which was a 39-10 victory in October of that year. Since then, they’ve dropped four in a row on the road against the 49ers, a streak they’ll be trying to snap this season.
