How does a 17th game complicate the LA Rams 2021 season?

Sprint versus long-distance race

Medical science has long explored the difference in human physiology that explains how some runners are better sprinters and some are better long-distance runners.  The difference is explained by the presence of fast-twitch fibers versus slow-twitch fibers.

Fast-twitch fibers allow sprinters, powerlifters, and bodybuilders to perform explosive movements and engage in high-intensity exercise for short periods. They are massive, as they grow in size over repeated use. Thus, they are the reason why heavy exertion creates defined muscular physiques. Slow-twitch fibers are long and lithe. They are elongated muscle fibers that generate less raw power but are much more resilient to fatigue. They continue to function without vast supplies of oxygenated blood, building up lactic acid.

In running a professional sports team, the decisions made of who to play for how long are dictated whether it’s a regular-season game or a win-or-go-home scenario. The more crucial the game, the more likely the team will play their best players for longer durations.  So with a longer season, the strategy shifts to endurance. It’s less about sprinting and now accomplishing a berth in the NFL Playoffs shifts to durability, depth, and a finer eye to creating the type of roster that can compete in all circumstances throughout a longer NFL season.

Yes, it’s just one more game. But it adds one more game to the marathon that is the NFL season. Instead of the Rams committing to the NFL playoffs after 16 games, the team must now emerge unscathed from one more game just to compete.

The track record for the Rams in the past three seasons has certainly included plenty of injuries in the last game or two. And that recent vulnerability will face an even greater challenge with a longer NFL season. Yes, other NFL teams will face the same 17 game season. Hopefully, the Rams will stay healthy. For 2021, that appears to be one of the keys to post-season success. Perhaps, in the end, it’s the most important factor of all.