Each LA Rams loss can impact berth in NFL Playoffs

Each loss carries an impact

The Rams are at a lofty spot in the NFC right now. Lofty, which means that there is more space to fall than to climb. And that’s a very accurate way to describe the Rams right now. Right now, the Rams boast a record of 7-3. They boast the fourth-best record in the NFL.  But right now, seven teams sit at 7-3. And they are all gunning for the NFL playoffs.

The Rams arguably face five teams in the next six games that have a shot at a playoff berth. Three of the next six opponents are in direct competition for the NFC West title and are within a game of the LA Rams. Finally, the Rams are competing with seven NFC teams for the top-seed in the NFC.

Can’t lose? Can’t afford to lose

It’s pretty simple. If the Rams snooze, they lose. Right now, the Rams are in a favorable position in the NFC thanks to advantages the team has in NFL tiebreaker calculations. But tiebreakers only work in the event of a tie. So should the Rams lose and a competing playoff team wins, the Rams will fall in the calculations.

So each game becomes more important than the last game in terms of setting the seeding for the playoffs. Each loss eliminates the Rams from a higher track and sets the Rams ceiling for the season at the next lower level.   For example, the current top-seed in the NFC is the New Orleans Saints. The Rams cannot end the season with two losses, so the Saints have an inside track at top-seed in the NFC.  Conversely, the Green Bay Packers are 7-3, and as long as the Rams win, they will earn a higher berth in the playoffs due to tiebreakers.