News Analysis: Rams’ path to playoffs: Analysis of NFC West race for the division crown

Coach Sean McVay congratulates players as they come off the field after the Rams scored a touchdown against Philadelphia on Sunday. Although they lost to the Eagles to fall to 5-6, the Rams still have a path to the playoffs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Rams made the playoffs five times in coach Sean McVay’s first seven seasons, qualifying three times by winning the NFC West and twice when finishing second.

With six games left, including division matchups against the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, the Rams are in postseason contention thanks in part to a division devoid of a dominant team.

The Rams’ 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday dropped their record to 5-6. But the division title — and a guaranteed home game for the playoffs — is up for grabs because the Seahawks and Cardinals are 6-5 and the 49ers are 5-6.

“It’s still wide open,” safety Kamren Curl said this week. “We’re all still stacked on each other.”

The Rams play the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans. They finish with a home game against the Buffalo Bills, road games at the 49ers and New York Jets, and home games against the Cardinals and Seahawks.

The Rams are 2-1 in the division. They defeated the 49ers and the Seahawks, but got routed by the Cardinals.

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“We play everybody again,” Curl said. “So I feel like in terms of the division race, we’ve still got our fate in our hands. We’ve just got to win games.”

McVay said Tuesday that the Rams would not look ahead, and that they cannot concern themselves with how other division teams fare.

“We can’t sit there and watch other people,” he said, “because if we don’t handle what we’re supposed to handle it all is irrelevant. … I’m looking forward to learning about ourselves down this stretch.”

McVay has pending personnel decisions to make as the Rams prepare for the Saints.

Receiver…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/news-analysis-rams-path-playoffs-201403915.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-11-26 20:14:00

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