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Okay, hoping to start or restart this convo. I would ask even if it means tons of copy pasta to have folks say why they think a game is a win or loss.
With no further ado
Week 1 DALLAS (home): WIN
I think most home teams win this week with zero travel prep and increased requirements. Couple that with such late cuts and I think being home week 1 may be one of the biggest advantages of the season. I think it will be close as we'll be tasked with stopping the run early and often, but I like our LB corps better than most and think they're up for the job. I KNOW our secondary is. Likewise, I have a feeling that McVay is gonna unleash the RBs in creative ways that help take pressure off of Goff. I like this game, though there will be concerns all around afterward.
Week 2 PHILADELPHIA (away): WIN
They're getting bit by the injury bug at maybe the worst position to be bit against the Rams... interior OL. We match up well with them and I think our secondary is a better match against their passing game than theirs secondary is with our passing game.
Week 3 BUFFALO (away): LOSS
Just basic statistics says that winning the second of two road games is difficult. Couple that with the NFL not allowing us to remain on the east coast means two weeks of traveling to the east coast and the time change issues. We are strong enough to have a chance in every game, but early on with two weeks of travel, I expect a bit of a let down.
Week 4 NY GIANTS (home): WIN
The Giants remind me of the Fisher Rams. They have talent at important positions, but it's just not coming together. They will give some teams fits and others they'll lose ugly to. Young QB, but not enough offensive coaching to put it to work.
Week 5 WASHINGTON (away): WIN
The Rams have always been one of the best road teams in the league under McVay and Washington has pretty much been a mess under Daniel Snyder's ownership. This is an early year east coast trip and the Washington Football Team will not have an answer for any of our units.
Week 6 SAN FRANCISCO (away): WIN
The Rams know how to beat this team now and with Ramsey likely to spend a fair bit of time on Kittle and the Rams committing to the run, I think the Rams are well poised to win this slobberknocker. SF is close enough that this won't feel like a road game and the familiarity with the 49ers will obviate much of the factors which go into that "it's very difficult to win the 2nd straight away game" deal. Their D will give us problems, but Van Jefferson is a dimension we haven't had (basically 3 of the same type of receiver in Woods, Kupp and Jefferson) and if McVay would just listen to me and look at a few ways Martz used Faulk for ideas for utilizing Cam Akers, they could potentially embarrass the Niners in their own home.
Week 7 CHICAGO (home): WIN
Trubiski isn't gonna be the guy and the Bears have taken a step back in what is a tough division with both Green Bay and the Vikes working hard to improve. This isn't a game in Soldier Field in December and this is a relatively easy win for the Rams.
Week 8 MIAMI (away): WIN
The Rams are on a 5 game winning streak going to a team that only seems to rise up against their own division. Rams are on a roll and this continues in Miami
Week 9 BYE
Week 10 SEATTLE (home): WIN
McVay's Rams do very well coming off of a bye week and this is no exception. Division game at home after a bye? Yeah, this is a win. Tough win because Russell Wilson keeps them in the game.
Week 11 TAMPA (away): WIN
Rams have generally done well against Tampa unless they screw up early like the last time. Their front 7 is legit and their offense isn't likely to take a step down with Brady at the helm. Maybe fewer explosive plays, but more consistent play over all will make this a tough day for our D. That said, their D still has issues in the secondary and that's where we shine. I expect this to be a very high scoring affair with the Rams winning late.
Week 12 SAN FRANCISCO (home): WIN
We should have A'Shawn Robinson back and he's going to be slowly improving and gelling with the DL and this is the game where he shows up, really improving the run D and forcing Jimmy G to throw. Ramsey on Kittle makes it a tough day for Jimmy G. Another slobberknocker, but this win will be easier than the last one.
Week 13 ARIZONA (away): WIN
The Cards had weapons last year and a defense last year and they weren't really close. Their issues on the OL continue and while Kyler Murray improves, he's not Russell Wilson and has no idea how to handle Aaron Donald in his face all day.
Week 14 NEW ENGLAND (home): WIN
Coach B may be the best ever even as a cheater (sorta like Lance Armstrong), but I think they are undervaluing Brady and how fast his release was based on his knowledge of that offense which isn't the easiest to learn. Considering we're using a Fangio based 3-4 which uses many more disguises than Wade's D did and whoever is their QB will be facing a defense rounding into playoff form. Their D keeps it close, but our D contributes to the scoring and we win in a game that's both closer and under what oddsmakers expect.
Week 15 NEW YORK JETS (home): WIN
This is a flex game and we're likely not gonna be flexed to Sunday Night because I don't expect the Jets to do much. Sam Darnold is okay, but I just don't see the Jets getting much of a break. We're gonna be fighting like hell for home field throughout and no way we let up here.
Week 16 SEATTLE (away): LOSS
I hate these late season games in Seattle. There may be fans at this point, it'll be cold and rainy and with both teams likely playing for a playoff spot, this is gonna be one of those games where it's close, but they get us.
Week 17 ARIZONA (home): WIN
First season in the new place and this team will want to go undefeated at home and they do. AZ is gonna want to play spoiler, but we aren't gonna be resting anyone as Tampa, Green Bay and New Orleans are chasing us for that #1 spot
That's how I see it. 14-2 and the #1 spot in the NFC.
I think the NFC East is terrible this year and the Cowboys are basically a disappointment that barely squeaks into the playoffs.
I think with the Bears and Lions having down years, the NFC North isn't as competitive which leads both the Pack and the Vikes to have inflated records.
I think Carolina is gonna be a tough out, but see a lot of losses and Atlanta doesn't have a bounce back as they fail in doing the balancing act with Gurley as we did.
The teams I think are gonna be in the playoffs for the NFC are
1 Rams 14-2
2 New Orleans 13-3
3 Green Bay 12-4
4 Dallas 9-7
5 San Francisco 12-4
6 Tampa 11-5
7 Seattle 11-5
I realize this may seem very optimistic, but the only thing I'm really being optimistic about is our health and there's no accounting for that, really.
I've only given any bonus for A'Shawn Robinson in one game and I think we still win without him.
I think the league is gonna recognize how good we have it with Van Jefferson, Cam Akers is gonna be a revelation especially in the second half of the season and Terrell Lewis is gonna make waves even as a situational player because we're STACKED at OLB now.
Lastly, I think far too many of the prognosticators are looking at last year's teams, only looking at names and not contribution (e.g. slamming for losing Weddell, Matthews, Gurley and Cooks when in each case, it's been addition by subtraction). This team is better than last year's team at a number of positions and McVay has another offensive mind both to help game plan and to help ensure that he doesn't get predictable as he has in the past.
I think our floor is 10-6 and our ceiling is 16-0 insofar as every game on our schedule is winnable.
But yeah, I think we can definitely go 14-2 and this is how I see that we'd get there.
With no further ado
Week 1 DALLAS (home): WIN
I think most home teams win this week with zero travel prep and increased requirements. Couple that with such late cuts and I think being home week 1 may be one of the biggest advantages of the season. I think it will be close as we'll be tasked with stopping the run early and often, but I like our LB corps better than most and think they're up for the job. I KNOW our secondary is. Likewise, I have a feeling that McVay is gonna unleash the RBs in creative ways that help take pressure off of Goff. I like this game, though there will be concerns all around afterward.
Week 2 PHILADELPHIA (away): WIN
They're getting bit by the injury bug at maybe the worst position to be bit against the Rams... interior OL. We match up well with them and I think our secondary is a better match against their passing game than theirs secondary is with our passing game.
Week 3 BUFFALO (away): LOSS
Just basic statistics says that winning the second of two road games is difficult. Couple that with the NFL not allowing us to remain on the east coast means two weeks of traveling to the east coast and the time change issues. We are strong enough to have a chance in every game, but early on with two weeks of travel, I expect a bit of a let down.
Week 4 NY GIANTS (home): WIN
The Giants remind me of the Fisher Rams. They have talent at important positions, but it's just not coming together. They will give some teams fits and others they'll lose ugly to. Young QB, but not enough offensive coaching to put it to work.
Week 5 WASHINGTON (away): WIN
The Rams have always been one of the best road teams in the league under McVay and Washington has pretty much been a mess under Daniel Snyder's ownership. This is an early year east coast trip and the Washington Football Team will not have an answer for any of our units.
Week 6 SAN FRANCISCO (away): WIN
The Rams know how to beat this team now and with Ramsey likely to spend a fair bit of time on Kittle and the Rams committing to the run, I think the Rams are well poised to win this slobberknocker. SF is close enough that this won't feel like a road game and the familiarity with the 49ers will obviate much of the factors which go into that "it's very difficult to win the 2nd straight away game" deal. Their D will give us problems, but Van Jefferson is a dimension we haven't had (basically 3 of the same type of receiver in Woods, Kupp and Jefferson) and if McVay would just listen to me and look at a few ways Martz used Faulk for ideas for utilizing Cam Akers, they could potentially embarrass the Niners in their own home.
Week 7 CHICAGO (home): WIN
Trubiski isn't gonna be the guy and the Bears have taken a step back in what is a tough division with both Green Bay and the Vikes working hard to improve. This isn't a game in Soldier Field in December and this is a relatively easy win for the Rams.
Week 8 MIAMI (away): WIN
The Rams are on a 5 game winning streak going to a team that only seems to rise up against their own division. Rams are on a roll and this continues in Miami
Week 9 BYE
Week 10 SEATTLE (home): WIN
McVay's Rams do very well coming off of a bye week and this is no exception. Division game at home after a bye? Yeah, this is a win. Tough win because Russell Wilson keeps them in the game.
Week 11 TAMPA (away): WIN
Rams have generally done well against Tampa unless they screw up early like the last time. Their front 7 is legit and their offense isn't likely to take a step down with Brady at the helm. Maybe fewer explosive plays, but more consistent play over all will make this a tough day for our D. That said, their D still has issues in the secondary and that's where we shine. I expect this to be a very high scoring affair with the Rams winning late.
Week 12 SAN FRANCISCO (home): WIN
We should have A'Shawn Robinson back and he's going to be slowly improving and gelling with the DL and this is the game where he shows up, really improving the run D and forcing Jimmy G to throw. Ramsey on Kittle makes it a tough day for Jimmy G. Another slobberknocker, but this win will be easier than the last one.
Week 13 ARIZONA (away): WIN
The Cards had weapons last year and a defense last year and they weren't really close. Their issues on the OL continue and while Kyler Murray improves, he's not Russell Wilson and has no idea how to handle Aaron Donald in his face all day.
Week 14 NEW ENGLAND (home): WIN
Coach B may be the best ever even as a cheater (sorta like Lance Armstrong), but I think they are undervaluing Brady and how fast his release was based on his knowledge of that offense which isn't the easiest to learn. Considering we're using a Fangio based 3-4 which uses many more disguises than Wade's D did and whoever is their QB will be facing a defense rounding into playoff form. Their D keeps it close, but our D contributes to the scoring and we win in a game that's both closer and under what oddsmakers expect.
Week 15 NEW YORK JETS (home): WIN
This is a flex game and we're likely not gonna be flexed to Sunday Night because I don't expect the Jets to do much. Sam Darnold is okay, but I just don't see the Jets getting much of a break. We're gonna be fighting like hell for home field throughout and no way we let up here.
Week 16 SEATTLE (away): LOSS
I hate these late season games in Seattle. There may be fans at this point, it'll be cold and rainy and with both teams likely playing for a playoff spot, this is gonna be one of those games where it's close, but they get us.
Week 17 ARIZONA (home): WIN
First season in the new place and this team will want to go undefeated at home and they do. AZ is gonna want to play spoiler, but we aren't gonna be resting anyone as Tampa, Green Bay and New Orleans are chasing us for that #1 spot
That's how I see it. 14-2 and the #1 spot in the NFC.
I think the NFC East is terrible this year and the Cowboys are basically a disappointment that barely squeaks into the playoffs.
I think with the Bears and Lions having down years, the NFC North isn't as competitive which leads both the Pack and the Vikes to have inflated records.
I think Carolina is gonna be a tough out, but see a lot of losses and Atlanta doesn't have a bounce back as they fail in doing the balancing act with Gurley as we did.
The teams I think are gonna be in the playoffs for the NFC are
1 Rams 14-2
2 New Orleans 13-3
3 Green Bay 12-4
4 Dallas 9-7
5 San Francisco 12-4
6 Tampa 11-5
7 Seattle 11-5
I realize this may seem very optimistic, but the only thing I'm really being optimistic about is our health and there's no accounting for that, really.
I've only given any bonus for A'Shawn Robinson in one game and I think we still win without him.
I think the league is gonna recognize how good we have it with Van Jefferson, Cam Akers is gonna be a revelation especially in the second half of the season and Terrell Lewis is gonna make waves even as a situational player because we're STACKED at OLB now.
Lastly, I think far too many of the prognosticators are looking at last year's teams, only looking at names and not contribution (e.g. slamming for losing Weddell, Matthews, Gurley and Cooks when in each case, it's been addition by subtraction). This team is better than last year's team at a number of positions and McVay has another offensive mind both to help game plan and to help ensure that he doesn't get predictable as he has in the past.
I think our floor is 10-6 and our ceiling is 16-0 insofar as every game on our schedule is winnable.
But yeah, I think we can definitely go 14-2 and this is how I see that we'd get there.
