LA has a long road ahead in returning to the playoffs
The Los Angeles Rams’ win over the New England Patriots on Sunday helped spark the team’s playoff outlook.
Following the win over the Pats, the Rams’ odds of making the playoffs at FanDuel Sportsbook are: (yes +340, no -470). LA is second in the NFC West behind the 6-4 Arizona Cardinals with seven games remaining.
Rams’ remaining schedule:
Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
Week 13: at New Orleans Saints
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers (Thursday Night Football)
Week 16: at New York Jets
Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Rams should be favored in matchups against the Saints and Jets and at home against the Seahawks, whom they beat 26-20 in overtime in Week 9.
LA has an uphill battle in returning to the playoffs because of its 1-4 start, and more so after losing an ugly one on Monday night versus the Dolphins. With upcoming games against playoff hopefuls like the Eagles, Bills, 49ers and Cardinals, the Rams are unlikely to be favored in most of their remaining seven games.
Despite having the division tiebreaker over the Niners and Seahawks, FanDuel gave Los Angeles the worst odds of winning the NFC West. Arizona has the shortest odds at +100, followed by SF (+270), Seattle and LA (+500). The Cardinals have upcoming games against bottom-feeders like the Patriots and Panthers, so they control their destiny, while the Niners have brutal back-to-back road games against teams firmly in the playoff picture.
Cardinals’ remaining schedule:
Week 12: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 13: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 14: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 15: vs. New England Patriots
Week 16: at Carolina Panthers
Week 17: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 18: vs. San Francisco 49ers
49ers’ remaining schedule:
Week 12: at Green Bay Packers
Week 13: at Buffalo Bills (Sunday Night Football)
Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 15: vs. Los Angeles Rams (Thursday Night Football)
Week 16: at Miami Dolphins
Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions (Monday Night Football)
Week 18: at Arizona Cardinals
These last few games should be interesting in the NFL’s most intriguing division. The West will likely send one team to the postseason based on how things are shaping up. May the best team win, and Rams fans everywhere are praying the Whiners will not be the representative.