Los Angeles Rams 2020 schedule leaves room for optimism

Los Angeles Rams 2020 schedule should give fans hope for a solid season

After a meh-sort-of-season in 2019, the Los Angeles Rams are hoping for a quick return to the NFL playoffs to compete in next year’s Superbowl  While the team finished with a respectable 9-7 record, that simply was not good enough to get into the NFC post season.  In comparison to the previous season’s 13-3 finish, it was a bit of a letdown for the entire organization.  So did the Rams fall, or did other NFC teams simply improve?

A large part of that was the continued success of the Seattle Seahawks, and the surprising surge of the San Francisco 49ers.  Of course, the Rams had to face the most successful teams from 2018 this season, while the 49ers faced far less stiff competition.  This season, they pendulum swings the other way.  It’s the Rams who compete against less successful teams next season.

Now that we’ve had a chance to review the 2020 schedule, there may be some good reasons for optimism. Of course, games must be played. But let’s examine the current distribution of which teams and where the Rams play in 2020.

Home Games

The Los Angeles Rams may have lucked out a bit with the scheduling draw for team faced at home in 2020.  Teams faced at home next season combined for a record of 68-59-1. While this year’s schedule is not a certainty when projected into the future, there is little debate that getting the Patriots, Cowboys, and Bears at home is a win for the Rams.

There is also the fact that the Rams face teams from the NFC and AFC East next season, two divisions which truly have not dominated the NFL for some time.  And with New England, New York Jets, Chicago, New York Giants, and Dallas all enduring the time zone difference to face the Rams on the west coast, that adds to the Rams advantage in these game.  In summary, the home games for 2020 look something like this:

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1)
San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
AFC East
New England Patriots (12-4)
New York Jets (7-9)
NFC North
Chicago Bears (8-8)
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
New York Giants (4-12)

Away Games

The Rams away schedule is not nearly as challenging in terms of competitive opponents.  In fact, the eight away games combine for a record of 63-64-1. That seems a far more manageable task given that the burden will be upon the Rams to endure the time zone differential. And the same factor of facing the NFC and AFC Eastern conferences, two of the weaker NFL conferences in recent years. The away schedule includes the following teams:

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1)
San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
AFC East
Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Miami Dolphins (5-11)
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Washington Redskins (3-13)

That’s a very manageable away schedule.

If the schedule is any sign, the Los Angeles Rams are due for a better record in 2020.  If the front office can reload the roster, and the team can remain healthy, Rams fans appear to be in for quite a treat next year.