Rams should have manageable schedule in 2025
Over the past several year, the Los Angeles Rams have typically had one of the NFL’s most difficult schedules. Part of that is playing in a tough NFC West that regularly sends multiple teams to the playoffs. The Rams have also finished first or second place in the NFC West in six out of Sean McVay’s eight seasons. That has resulted in them playing a first or second place schedule.
The NFL’s schedule won’t release until May 14, but the opponents for each team have been known since the end of the season. With free agency and the draft completed, the vegas win totals for each team will be generally stable between now and the beginning of the season. Using these numbers, Sharp Analytics put together the 2025 strength of schedule for each team. Per Sharp Analytics,
“While there are no perfect strength of schedule metrics, using 2025 Vegas win totals is much better than most widely used metrics that incorporate the previous season’s record. NFL teams often undergo significant changes between seasons, including roster adjustments, coaching staff changes, and player development. Strength of schedule calculations based on prior season records do not effectively predict future team success…Projected win totals incorporate current information about team strength, including offseason acquisitions, injuries, and coaching changes. These projections are crafted by sportsbooks aiming to predict future performance, making them more reflective of a team’s current capabilities.”
Sharp Football Analytics
Based on this metric, the Rams are set to have the 13th-most difficult schedule for the 2025 season. If using 2024 win totals, the Rams would have the 17th-most difficult schedule for the upcoming season.
Either way, while the Rams are coming off of an NFC West division title, their schedule should be manageable. A lot of this is because they are set to play the AFC and NFC South divisions which have typically been two of the worst divisions in football. With that said, they will play five playoff teams from 2024, including the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. 2023 playoff teams like the San Francisco 49ers will be looking for a bounceback season. The Jaguars, Seahawks, and Colts will also have high hopes heading into the season.
At the end of the day, games are played on the field. However, who a team plays and when they play certainly matter. The Rams have high expectations heading into the 2025 NFL season as they look to make a push for a Super Bowl.