No ... not the 103-yard interception pick-six.

Not the diving 2nd interception inside the five-yard-line either.

It's funny how you can miss something that is a huge factor in a big win. I was watching a re-play of Sunday's win for the 4th time; and there was a tremendous play by Kinchens that I had not previously focused on.

In Overtime, with the Seahawks driving, we all remember the 4th-and-1 stop .... AND ... we all remember the 3rd-and-1 stop to set-up fourth down. However, it's the second down play that I wanted to note. The Seahawks had 2nd-and-7 from the Rams' 22. Kenneth Walker went over the left-side and cut up-field untouched headed for a certain first down inside the 15-yard-line.

Kinchens came flying-up from inside the 10-yard-line. He and Walker were running at full speed and met head-on, chest-to-chest just inside the 17. There were no blockers or other defenders on the play. It was just Kenneth Walker (at 211 pounds) and Kamren Kinchens (at 207 pounds).

Kinchens stopped him cold ... dead-in-his-tracks. It was a beautiful one-on-one run-stuff by the rookie safety.

That play set-up the 3rd-and-1, which led to the 4th-and-1.

If any of you guys have access to view that play, I would strongly recommend taking a few minutes to do so.

These should all be good games this week. Jets and Buccaneers are capable of helping us!

Jets at Cardinals
Dolphins at Rams
49’ers at Tampa Bay
Seattle on BYE



NEW YORK JETS VS. ARIZONA CARDINALS (-1)

Storyline of the game: Don’t count these teams out just yet

After starting the season with a 1-3 record in September, this Cardinals team has gone on to facilitate a fantastic stretch of games, coming away with a 4-1 record in the five games to follow. The Cards were the cardiac kids in October, winning three of their four games by two or fewer points. To start November, this team produced one of its best outings of the year on both sides of the ball, smashing the Bears by three scores.

Week 9 also saw the Jets halt a five-game slide with a win against the injury riddled Texans. Credit is in order to this Jets pass rush that absolutely blasted C.J. Stroud at every chance it got, rackings up 33 total pressures and eight sacks. That performance catapulted this Jets defense into the top five of pressure rate (41.0%) on the season.

Matchups to watch: Cardinals LG Evan Brown vs. Jets DI Quinnen Williams

Quinnen Williams has been wreaking havoc as a pass rusher on the interior of this Jets defense over the past few matchups. Since Week 6, Williams owns an impressive 85.7 PFF pass-rush grade — the highest at his position over that span — due largely to racking up five sacks and a 17.4% pass-rush win rate.

Interestingly, Brown has been producing similarly impressive marks as a pass protector over that span. Since Week 6, the formerly undrafted guard has generated a 77.0 PFF pass-blocking grade, having surrendered just two pressures across 121 pass sets.

Additional news:

Arizona has acquired Ege Baron Browning from Denver in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
New York has traded WR Mike Williams to Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick.

MIAMI DOLPHINS VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS (-1)

Storyline of the game: Turnarounds on the horizon for these franchises?

A handful of weeks ago, this matchup would not have carried anywhere near the same intrigue as it currently does. That’s due to the recent performances these two teams have produced to varying degrees.

The Rams look like an entirely different squad after returning both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to the lineup. This offense is proving difficult for even some of the league’s more savvy defenses like Minnesota and Seattle.

While the Dolphins have yet to convert a win since the return of Tua Tagovailoa to the lineup, they’re played far more inspired offensively. Tagovailoa has some ways to go before he’s fully dialed back in, but producing a 74.5 PFF passing grade over his two games since return is a step in the right direction.

Matchups to watch: Rams WR Puka Nacua vs. Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey

After going down in Week 1 and missing the next five games, the dynamic receiver returned in Week 8 to produce a vintage Nacua outing. But the following week, he was again missing from the lineup for an extended period, this time ejected after getting into an altercation on the field and throwing a punch. If he’s able to put together a full game, Nacua has the potential to eclipse the 81.8 receiving grade he produced in his return.

The veteran corner Ramsey has been on his game in the first half of 2024 and is coming off one of the top performances of his career. In Week 9, Ramsey recorded the 10th-game of his career, having earned a 90.7 coverage grade while coming away with his first interception of the season and a 44.4 passer rating allowed into his coverage.

Additional news:

Rams first-year Edge Jared Verse captured the honor of being named PFF’s midseason Defensive Rookie of the Year.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-6) VS. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Storyline of the game: Christian McCaffrey possible to return

After missing the first eight games of the 2024 campaign due to concerns over a calf/Achilles injury, Christian McCaffrey has returned to practice in limited fashion to start the week, with the potential for him to be able to make his season debut. With some tough matchups to come in the latter half of the 49ers’ schedule, getting back your best player is always good news.

Unfortunately, the Bucs still find themselves navigating uncertain waters regarding injury. However, despite being down their two best receivers, Baker Mayfield and this Bucs offense managed to take the Chiefs to overtime — just to never possess the ball, losing 30-24 in Kansas City. That marks this team’s third-straight loss, dropping below .500.

Matchups to watch: 49ers RG Dominick Puni vs. Buccaneers DI Calijah Kancey

Getting the talented second-year DI Calijah Kancey back from injury in Week 6 was supposed to help fix this struggling run defense for the Bucs, but it hasn’t netted the results many would have expected. Kancey currently holds just a 28.9 run defense grade this season — ranking 128th out of 129 qualified interior defenders. While he may have recorded two tackles for loss or no gain since his return, he also has surrendered a negatively-graded snap over 33% of his run fits.

Paving the way for McCaffrey’s possible return will be rookie RG Puni. While the young blocker has performed well overall this season — earning a top-15 run-blocking grade at the position — some issues with consistency have sprouted. Over his last two outings, Puni has earned just a 58.0 PFF run blocking grade, due in part to being defeated on 12.2% of his run blocks.

Additional news:

San Francisco has signed FS Tashaun Gipson Sr. to the practice squad.

hey you guys... how about that rams pass rush!!?...

i was pretty buzzed (as usual) during my rams watch at my local moose lodge...

so i'm BS'n with one of my friends at the lodge...

now for more context, this was pretty early in the season...

and in my less than 100% having it together ability, i remember telling my buddy (a raider fan) that the rams just might have the best young d-line in the league...

what a bunch of bullshit that turned out to be...

the rams have nowhere near the best young pass rush in the league...

they just might have THE best pass rush in the league...

get on board people...

i'm driving the bus...

best pass rush..

best QB when you need it most...

by far one of the best coach's / playcallers.. thanks to matt staffords coach on the field ability..

with all that...

no way is this team a superbowl contender... lmao

go rams

slo

Thursday Night Football November 07, 2024

Bengals at Ravens 8:15 pm ET - Prime TV

RamsOnDemand Sportsbook

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/gvNPZwDQJK8?si=3C8LMN93xIArVFhj


This is a good look at how well Fiske played against the She-Hawks.

First, the good news.

The Rams upcoming UFA class does not have any “break the bank” or “make or break” impending free agents. That said, there are a few players who could be worth retaining.

Here is my priority list based upon the following factors: value, replaceability and anticipated cost.

1. Alaric Jackson (LT)
Jackson is a solid player. The Rams’ offense has definitely looked better since he returned from suspension in week 3. He also was a steady performer in 2023. But is he worth a long-term deal at LT, one of the higher paid positions? I’m on the fence on this one. My concern is that the market could overvalue him, as the LT UFA class (apart from the Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley) is pretty thin. On the other hand, early projections of the OT draft class are likewise not all that promising. This one will be a dilemma, and the Rams’ decision on his status could greatly impact their offseason plans.

2. Bobby Brown (DT)
I put Brown a hair behind Jackson at this point. He has been playing well, and he brings true NT size to the unit. I suspect he’ll be fairly affordable. If not, he certainly can be replaced with a mid-round pick. I’d like to see a 2-3 year deal (maybe 2 and an option) at a fair market price.

3. DeMarcus Robinson (WR)
Robinson fits the Rams scheme very well. While he clearly is not a No. 1 WR, when he’s able to draw single coverage, he can create mismatches, particularly in the Red Zone. His age (30) dictates that we’d be looking at a short term (1-2 years) deal. I think we could make that happen. Of course, if the Rams really like Jordan Whittington, maybe they save some money and let him walk.

4. Tutu Atwell (WR)
Atwell is younger than Robinson, and brings a unique speed factor to the WR corps. That said, his size limits his ability to take on that WR/TE-type role that the other Rams WRs. I’d say that the final 9 games of this season, perhaps more than any other member of the upcoming Rams UFA class, could result in a significant swing in either direction. And, of course, I don’t think we re-sign both Atwell and Robinson, so they almost need to be considered in tandem.

5. Jimmy Garoppolo (QB)
The fact that I’m even talking about a player who has not and, hopefully, will not play shows how shallow the UFA pool is. Still, the Rams will need to have a Stafford insurance policy in place for 2025 and (given that I’m on record as being someone with no faith in Stetson Bennett) Garoppolo is a solid No. 2.
Potential Bargain-Bin Keepers: Michael Hoecht, Larrell Murchison, John Johnson

Others (who I don’t really care if we retain): Joe Noteboom, Christian Rozeboom, Tyler Johnson, Troy Reeder, Hunter Long

Congrats to the rookie. Clearly a huge difference maker in the game!!

you know what to do....

... seriously, a 103 yd TD return is what we drafted this kid for. I think he's just as deserving as anyone else on this list!!

Haven't seen a thread dedicated to this yet so I thought I would get things started. What do you think the rams will do, if anything? I know we are trying to unload Tre'Davious White but are we going to add? Personally, I would like to see a tight end like Evan Engram or David Njoku. Maybe some secondary help.

per Jourdan:
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Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Seahawks in Week 9​

cameron dasilva
Mon, Nov 4, 2024, 12:42 PM MST·4 min read



SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 03: Jaylen McCollough #39 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a interception during the first quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on November 03, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Make it three straight wins for the resurgent Rams, who are back in the mix in the NFC West at 4-4. They took down the Seahawks on the road Sunday, beating their rivals 26-20 in overtime on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Demarcus Robinson.
Now that they're getting healthy, the Rams are a team to watch down the stretch, looking like a legitimate playoff contender in a weak division that's completely up for grabs. And though their win over the Seahawks wasn't always pretty, it did show that the defense is hitting its stride and the offense has found a rhythm with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back.
Here are the best and worst performers from Sunday's game based on PFF's grades (min. 10 snaps).

Top 5 offense​

Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (15, middle) celebrates with teammates, including wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10, left), after catching a game-wining touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks during overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn ImagesMore

• RG Kevin Dotson: 86.9
• WR Demarcus Robinson: 86.5
• WR Cooper Kupp: 79.5
• C Beaux Limmer: 73.3
• RT Warren McClendon Jr.: 70.9

Dotson was decent in pass protection, allowing just two pressures, but he was downright dominant as a run blocker (89.2).
Robinson hauled in six of his nine targets for 94 yards, including the game-winner in overtime.
Kupp caught 11 passes for 104 yards, picking up four first downs and forcing two missed tackles.
Limmer didn't allow a pressure all game long and McClendon only gave up one in relief of Rob Havenstein.

Top 5 defense​

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 03: Kamren Kinchens #26 of the Los Angeles Rams catches an interception during the fourth quarter of a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on November 03, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

• S Kamren Kinchens: 87.8
• NT Bobby Brown III: 79.5
• S Jaylen McCollough: 74.1
• OLB Jared Verse: 72.2
• CB Darious Williams: 71.5

Kinchens had the best game of his career on Sunday, picking off two passes and making three tackles. He returned his first interception 103 yards for a touchdown.
Brown had an 82.4 run defense grade, the second-best on the team.
McCollough intercepted his fourth pass of the season, stepping up with Kam Curl banged up.
Verse tied with Kobie Turner for a team-high seven pressures, but it was his outstanding 88.3 run defense grade that really stood out. He was all over the field for the Rams.
Williams was targeted five times and allowed three catches for 63 yards, also making five tackles.

Bottom 5 offense​

Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) intercepts a pass intended for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

• WR Tutu Atwell: 54.6
• WR Puka Nacua: 49.4
• TE Hunter Long: 48.7
• LG Justin Dedich: 47.2
• TE Colby Parkinson: 41.9

Atwell and Nacua had minimal impacts on this game. Atwell caught one pass for 16 yards and Nacua caught one for 11 before being ejected.
Long caught one pass for 4 yards and his 60.8 run blocking grade was a bit disappointing, too.
Dedich allowed a team-high four pressures and finished with a 45.9 run-blocking grade, which was the lowest of any Rams lineman.
Parkinson saw his role shrink against the Seahawks, only running 21 routes and seeing zero passes thrown his way.

Bottom 5 defense​

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 03: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks catches a pass in front of Cobie Durant #14 of the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field on November 03, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

• DT Desjuan Johnson: 55.0
• CB Ahkello Witherspoon: 52.7
• DT Kobie Turner: 50.1
• S Kam Curl: 50.0
• CB Cobie Durant: 30.0

Johnson only played 10 snaps and had zero pressures and zero tackles in that limited playing time.
Witherspoon gave up three catches for 40 yards on four targets, missing two total tackles in the win.
Turner's grade is shockingly low considering he had seven pressures and made three stops. PFF has never been very high on him when it comes to grading.
Curl only played half the game and struggled when he was on the field, missing two tackles and allowing 25 yards in coverage.
Durant was torched by Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks' receivers all game, giving up 93 yards on five catches (seven targes).

Other notables​

Nov 3, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske (55) celebrates following a sack against Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

• DT Braden Fiske: 62.3
• RB Kyren Williams: 60.2
• QB Matthew Stafford: 60.0
• S Quentin Lake: 57.8

Somehow, Fiske only had a grade of 62.3 despite recording five pressures, missing zero tackles and consistently blowing things up in the backfield. PFF seems to have whiffed with his grade because he was undoubtedly one of the best players on the field.
Williams was limited to 69 yards on 22 carries, but he should've had much more than that. He had at least 40 yards called back due to holding penalties on the offense.
Stafford led the Rams on a game-winning drive in overtime and made three big-time throws, but PFF pinned him with four turnover-worthy plays, his most all year.
Lake had one pressure on a blitz and missed one tackle, but he finished second on the team with eight total tackles. He was blamed as the man in coverage on Smith-Njigba's 46-yard reception, though.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Seahawks in Week 9

I can't remember the last time we beat these clowns...I did see that we're 2-12 all time...I think Monday it starts with shutting down Achane and Mostert, and get after Tua...

Not all that surprising.
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What a cray-cray win... the media agrees. Here's one so far, there's some SC clips by hackers but I'll try to post legit vids:
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJxZ5ZZuUUs

Off


Def


ST

Monday Night Football - November 4, 2025

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN and ABC

RamsOnDemand Sportsbook

I was at the game, this guy was a few rows from me.

I still haven’t figured out why he chose a player who hasn’t played one snap for his team yet…

I never left.

Let's hear it rams brothers!

Sunday November 3, 2024 - Week 9

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

———

Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

While we all get fired up watching the game, please remember our core principles; we always show respect for our team and each other.

Despite the emotional highs and lows watching a game, we will moderate this thread with that in mind, however please refrain from name calling. This applies to players, the Rams organization, and each other.

This is the core rule of the GDT. Moderators are tasked to issue thread bans, at a minimum, to maintain this standard.

This is our team. Win or lose. Good days and bad. We are here for FUN, not to be dragged down.

A more loosely moderated atmosphere can be found in the chat room.

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

Game Day Room

.

Sunday Night Football November 3, 2024

Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

RamsOnDemand Sportsbook

Week 9 - Sunday November 3, 2024

*All times are listed as ET

LATE GAMES
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. on Fox
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

EARLY GAMES
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. on Fox
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. on CBS
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. on CBS
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. on CBS
Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. on Fox
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. on CBS
Washington Commodes at New York Giants, 1 p.m. on Fox
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. on Fox

SNF
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. on NBC and Peacock

Monday November 4, 2025

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN and ABC

Week 9 - Sunday November 3, 2024

*All times are listed as ET

EARLY GAMES
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. on Fox
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. on CBS
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. on CBS
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. on CBS
Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. on Fox
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. on CBS
Washington Commodes at New York Giants, 1 p.m. on Fox
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. on Fox

LATE GAMES
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. on Fox
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. on Fox

SNF
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. on NBC and Peacock

Monday November 4, 2025

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN and ABC

Great to see our former star looking well on duty presenting a trophy at the Breeders Cup in Del Mar just now:




Apologies for the crappy photo taken off my TV, by the way.

Damn… The top 3 games I want to watch are in the late game slots.

Nothing super sexy in the early group.

The NFC West is in a dead heat: Examining the four-team race at midseason​

At this time last week, the Seattle Seahawks were alone atop the NFC West at 4-3.

But by Sunday night, they could find themselves in last place. A loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field would assure as much regardless of whether the Arizona Cardinals win or lose on the road against the Chicago Bears.

Such is life in the NFL's tightest division.

Entering Week 9, the Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks are all tied at 4-4, and the Rams are just half a game behind at 3-4. Arizona holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its 2-0 start in NFC West play. The Rams-Seahawks game on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox) is the first of eight NFC West matchups to close the season.

Elsewhere in the NFC, the gap between first and last place is 3½ games in the East, two in the North and four in the South. The top and bottom spots in all four AFC divisions are separated by 3 to 5½ games.

Why is the NFC West closer than the others? Among the reasons, the 49ers -- a Super Bowl favorite to start the season -- have been plagued by injuries, and the Cardinals have kicked three game-winning field goals.

Here's a breakdown of where things stand with the Seahawks, 49ers, Rams and Cardinals, plus how the NFC West might be won. -- Brady Henderson

Arizona Cardinals (4-4)

FPI's overall ranking: No. 21
Chances to win division: 32.9%
Chances to make the playoffs: 38.2%
Next five games: vs. Chicago Bears, vs. New York Jets, BYE, at Seattle, at Minnesota Vikings

Assess the quarterback: Kyler Murray is playing some of the best football of his career -- ranking third in the NFL in QBR (74.4) -- thanks to an intimate understanding of the Cardinals' scheme, a clean bill of health and both a comfortability and happiness with the coaches and players around him. Now in Year 6, he has faced a majority of what defenses are throwing at him.

Cardinals' X factor: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. When the fourth overall pick gets going, he -- as the kids say -- eats. Harrison, who had 26 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns, has the capability to make any touch into a scoring play and change the direction of a game. His third-quarter touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 8 catalyzed Arizona's final two scoring drives in the victory. When he can string together a series of catches, it opens up the offense for everyone else.

Biggest concern going forward: Consistency. The Cardinals have found a bit of a rhythm with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2021. Arizona needs to fix some persistent issues -- for example, improving their third-down defense, which ranks last in the NFL -- or it will be at risk of getting passed in the division.

Reason for optimism: When the Cardinals' offense is clicking, it's as good as any offense in the NFL. It can deploy a mix of run -- between James Conner and Murray -- and pass that keeps a defense on its toes because of the unknown, namely whether Murray will run or throw. Arizona has shown the ability to score points quickly or eat the clock with an offense that can do it all from every angle.

Biggest divisional game left on schedule: There are really two. The first is Week 12 at Seattle because that's the next one and with the division so close right now, that game can add some separation in the tiebreakers with wins over all three of their NFC West rivals. But the most important one very well might end up being the last game of the season, when the 49ers visit the Cardinals. The division could come down to that.

Key player expected back from injury: Rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson. The second of Arizona's two first-round picks is expected back in the next week or two from a calf injury that has sidelined him this season. His presence will give the Cardinals an instant boost on a defensive front that has been hampered by injuries, especially at edge rush, which is down two of its top three options. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams (3-4)

FPI's overall ranking: No. 18
Chances to win division: 15.5%
Chances to make the playoffs: 19.5%
Next five games: at Seattle, vs. Miami Dolphins, at New England Patriots, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, at New Orleans Saints

Assess the quarterback: The Rams feel great about quarterback Matthew Stafford, who had his best game of the season Thursday night when he had both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua for an entire game. In that game, he threw more touchdown passes (four) than he had in the first six games of the season (three).

Rams' X factor: Nacua. There's no doubt the Rams missed Nacua for the five-plus games he was on IR because of a right knee injury. The receiver had his eighth game with 100 receiving yards Thursday in his 19th career game, according to ESPN Research. And he did that despite catching just a few from Stafford leading up to the game because of the short week.

Biggest concern going forward: The secondary. The Rams have seen improvement in this area this season, especially since the return of cornerback Darious Williams, but it might be the weakest position group on the field. Los Angeles has a young defense and hasn't had an elite player in the secondary since trading Jalen Ramsey in March 2023.

Reason for optimism: Week 8 win against the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams got a glimpse of what they hoped this offense would look like before they were hit by injuries, scoring a season-high 30 points against a team ranked first in defensive DVOA. Los Angeles had a slow start to the season but is healthy in time to be in the playoff conversation.

Biggest divisional game left on schedule: Week 17 vs. Cardinals. There's no bad pick of the remaining four divisional games, but beating Arizona is important because they've already lost to them this season. Arizona beat Los Angeles 41-10 in Week 3, a game in which Stafford took nine hits and five sacks, and Kyren Williams was held to 25 yards on 12 carries.

Key player expected back from injury: OL Steve Avila. The Rams have been hit hard on the offensive line, including Avila, who is on IR because of an MCL sprain. When Avila and Jonah Jackson return, the Rams should have the majority of their preferred starting offense back. The line has looked better of late, but there's no doubt Avila's and Jackson's return will be a boost. -- Sarah Barshop

San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

FPI's overall ranking: No. 6
Chances to win division: 37.8%
Chances to make the playoffs: 44.2%
Next five games: BYE, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, vs. Seattle, at Green Bay Packers, at Buffalo Bills

Assess the quarterback: For the most part, Brock Purdy has played well this season, but a rash of injuries at the skill positions combined with changing defensive game plans has made life more difficult for the offense. It has led to Purdy holding on to the ball longer, being forced to scramble more often and a decrease in yards after the catch. Purdy is still rolling toward a massive contract extension in the offseason, though the price tag might depend on how he closes out the year.

49ers' X factor: LB Dre Greenlaw. Aside from the Herculean efforts of Fred Warner, the Niners have simply not been good enough at linebacker. Greenlaw is working his way back from a torn Achilles and it seems unlikely he'll be at full strength this season. But San Francisco hopes he can return in the coming weeks and be an upgrade over the others who have filled in for him. Even at 80-85%, Greenlaw would help this defense significantly.

Biggest concern going forward: Special teams. In four losses, the 49ers have been outscored by an average of five points per game and three of those defeats have been by six points or fewer. The margin for error is slimmer for this team than it has been in the past, which is why a big special teams play or two can mean the difference between winning and losing. Through Week 8, San Francisco ranks 31st in the NFL in special teams expected points added (minus-17.89).

Reason for optimism: It's obviously not the preferred method of getting to the postseason, but this isn't the first time the Niners have started slow and gone on a run. Since Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017, the 49ers are a combined 39-22 in November, December and January, a 63.9% win percentage that ranks third in the NFL in that span. Most recently, they stormed back from a 3-5 start in 2021 to finish 10-7 and a 3-4 start that ended in a 13-4 record in 2022. Both teams made the NFC Championship Game. It also doesn't hurt that the NFC West is wide open.

Biggest divisional game left on schedule: Week 17 at Arizona. Because the 49ers blew double-digit leads against the Rams and Cardinals, every divisional game the rest of the way carries more weight than usual. But we'll opt for the season-ender in the desert based on the premise that this division is so up in the air that it very well could come down to the last week. The 49ers also surely wouldn't mind a measure of revenge for the walk-off loss to Arizona in Week 5.

Key player expected back from injury: RB Christian McCaffrey. Candidly, the 49ers' season might depend on not only McCaffrey's return but also his ability to be at or near his usual, prodigious levels of productivity. They are aiming for a Nov. 10 return against Tampa Bay. If that happens, the offense has a chance to take off and carry this team to contention. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks (4-4)

FPI's overall ranking: No. 24
Chances to win division: 13.8%
Chances to make the playoffs: 17.7%
Next five games: vs. Rams, BYE, at San Francisco, vs. Arizona, at Jets

Assess the quarterback: Geno Smith has been solid, but the Seahawks have needed him to be spectacular given all of their shortcomings. Often chasing big deficits and having no run game to lean on, Smith (14th in QBR) leads the NFL in attempts (308) and yards (2,197) but has eight TD passes compared to seven interceptions, with tough luck involved in a few of the picks.

Seahawks' X factor: Kenneth Walker III. The Seahawks' RB1 is tied for fourth with seven touchdowns from scrimmage even though he sat out two games. Walker is a difference-maker, but the Seahawks haven't involved him enough. They're last in the NFL in designed rush rate in part because they've abandoned the run in several games while playing from behind.

Biggest concern going forward: The run defense is a mess. The Seahawks are giving up the fourth-most rushing yards per game (148.4) and the fifth-highest yards-per-carry average (4.9). It has remained a weakness even as Seattle's defense has improved its health up front. Coach Mike Macdonald has identified it as a second-level issue, which helps explain why they traded for linebacker Ernest Jones IV.

Reason for optimism: Jones, acquired from the Tennessee Titans for Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick, should help Seattle's run defense. He's known as a strong run defender and plays with an aggressive, downhill style that the Seahawks weren't getting from Baker. Their run defense wasn't much better in Jones' debut, though he had 15 tackles after practicing with his new team twice.

Biggest divisional game left on schedule: Week 11 at 49ers. All of the games look big given the tightly packed standings, but none are bigger than the rematch with the 49ers. San Francisco won the first meeting at Lumen Field, so losing both would give the 49ers the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Seahawks will be coming off their bye, which should help as they try to end a six-game losing streak to their division rivals.

Key player expected back from injury: Abraham Lucas' long-awaited return appears to be getting closer. The third-year right tackle -- arguably the team's top O-lineman as a rookie in 2022 -- has been on the physically unable to perform list while working his way back from surgery for a knee issue that sidelined him for much of 2023. He's back at practice and could be on the field in Week 11. -- Henderson