LA Rams News: NFL scheduling benefits Rams per analytics

LA Rams have benefited from NFL scheduling inequalities over the past decade per Sports Football Analytics

The LA Rams are one of the few NFL west coast teams that face significant time-zone challenges when traveling to face east coast opponents. Still, that road runs two-ways, and the east coast teams that travel to the west coast to face the Rams on the road are at an equal disadvantage. Or are they?

That is the question posed and answered by Warren Sharp, author at Sharp Football Analytics .com. In his recent article, he uses analytics to decipher which NFL teams have been aided or punished by the NFL scheduling methodology over the past decade. Of course, two teams that jump off the page are the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions.  Both teams host the perennial Thanksgiving Day games which have been an NFL Tradition since Detroit adopted the series in 1934 to bolster lagging attendance. That expanded to include games played at Dallas as well in 1966.

It makes sense then for both teams to benefit from an NFL schedule which assures a short travel week for both teams. And that is exactly what the data shows, as the Dallas Cowboys are ranked third and the Detroit Lions rank fifth in benefitting from the NFL schedule over the past 10 years.

However, there are two teams that appear on the list which are somewhat surprising. The Arizona Cardinals are ranked second, while the  LA Rams are ranked fourth in terms of benefitting from the NFL schedule. Even the San Francisco 49ers are ranked ninth in terms of teams that receive an unequal advantage. Only the Seattle Seahawks of the NFC West Division are disadvantaged, ranking 19th on the 32 team list.

That’s a bit surprising, to be honest, but the Rams will need help along the way this season. After the 2019 season, few are optimistic about the team’s chances this year.  In fact, USA Today projects the LA Rams in the basement of the NFC West at 6-10 this season.

The Rams 2020 NFL schedule, while ranked as the 10th most difficult schedule of the NFL this season, is not as harsh as it may have been. The Rams face two consecutive east coast teams, which affords them the opportunity to remain east and acclimate to the time difference.

The Rams do face a short week, on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, December 6, then returning home to host the New England Patriots on Thursday night, December 10. While that may not translate into a huge advantage, it is better to host a short-week game than travel to one. And the extra rest before the Rams finish with their final three games is a nicely timed mini-break.