A Potential Nightmare Scenario for the Rams in 2025
The Los Angeles Rams are gearing up to contend for a Super Bowl this season, but Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports believes they could face more challenges than expected. 
While the Rams have added key pieces like veteran wide receiver Davante Adams, Schwab warns that the team might struggle more than many anticipate.
“It’s easy to focus on the Rams’ late-season surge after their bye and overlook their rough 1-4 start,” Schwab pointed out. “That slow start still happened. Plus, they allowed Saquon Barkley to rush for a franchise-record 255 yards against them in Week 12, were 26th in yards per rush allowed, gave up 29 passing touchdowns (the fifth most in the NFL), and were 31st in yards per rush allowed.”
Schwab also noted that much of the offseason narrative has focused on how close the Rams came to beating Philadelphia in the playoffs. However, he reminded that Los Angeles trailed 28-15 with under five minutes remaining in that game before a late rally. “Maybe that game wasn’t as close as we like to remember, and maybe we’re ignoring some of the team’s weaknesses heading into this season,” Schwab added. “They won eight games by seven points or fewer, which is hard to replicate.”
In terms of advanced stats, Schwab pointed out that the Rams had a negative point differential of -19 last season, with many metrics ranking them around the middle of the league. “For teams in that range, the difference between being celebrated and overlooked often comes down to catching a few breaks. If the Rams don’t get those lucky breaks this season, they could fall far short of contending for an NFC West title.”
Earlier this offseason, head coach Sean McVay acknowledged the team’s slow starts in the past two seasons and expressed hope that they can stay healthier in 2025, which was a key issue in one of those rough starts.
While McVay didn’t make excuses, he recognized how challenging it is to win when key players are sidelined.
“The good thing is when you look at the last two years, you realize that momentum can only carry you so far,” McVay said. “You have to learn from each season. Even with a strong finish, like our 7-1 stretch to close out 2023, we started 1-4 last year. There are plenty of reasons for that, but experience teaches us that every year is a fresh start. You can’t take for granted setting the foundation right.”
McVay emphasized that while the Rams have confidence heading into this season, it still has to be earned. “We’re in a good position to be confident, but we have to prove it on the field and, most importantly, stay healthy, which is crucial for every team in this physically demanding league.”
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