LA Rams: Why should anyone believe the hype about this team?

The LA Rams made a very dramatic move early in the offseason. Called a blockbuster trade by many, the organization found more value in Detroit Lions’ veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford than a trade package that combined veteran quarterback Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round draft pick, and a first-round draft pick in both 2022 and 2023. Whether or not you agree with the team is up to you. But for the basic impact, the Rams focused all of that value into 2021 and surrendered significant value from future years.

Unless the LA Rams routinely get the wool pulled over their eyes, the basic fundamentals of this trade lead one to conclude that the Rams became better this year. How much better? Well, the team clearly felt that the bump this year was worth the equivalent of three very valued draft picks.

Improving the offense significantly on a 10-6 team that advance as far as the Divisional Round of the 2020 NFL Playoffs suggests that the Rams are aiming to win the NFC West Division, and advance further in the playoffs this season. Some are shying away from that level of confidence and boldness. While it’s a personal decision to be optimistic or pessimistic about this team, I don’t think that the Rams are getting hyped up.

Hype is defined as extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion. It’s the way that the NFL floods Super Bowl speculation over the Dallas Cowboys, claiming each year over the past 20 seasons to be ‘their year’.  Hype is the speculation that rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence is already mentioned in competition for the NFL’s MVP. That baseless foundation of euphoric optimism is the poster child of hype. Thankfully, that’s not what is going on with the LA Rams right now.

Los Angeles Rams

Sure thing? Guaranteed success? Shoe in? No, we’re not losing touch with reality yet. We are on record saying that winning the NFC West is a very difficult task. The basic odds for this team to win the NFC West begins at 25 percent. The team finished 10-6 in 2020, good enough for second place. The team is arguably much better on offense, made a significant effort to improve on special teams, and has been assessed by some of the brightest NFL analysts, and can arguably repeat as the top-ranked defense once more.

That’s not hype. Misfortune can derail any projections. These Rams are vulnerable to injury, perhaps moreso than a normal team. But those are extenuating circumstances.

Since the LA Rams hired head coach Sean McVay, this team has played to a 43-21 record, and 3-3 in the NFL Playoffs. In fact, the LA Rams have not had a losing record in any season under McVay yet. Success has followed McVay to Los Angeles. In fact, it’s become the norm to the point where it’s expected each year. Ironically, the hot takes that surface each season plummet the Rams to the bottom of the division, pretending not to recognize the Rams’ streak of success and provoke fans to argue that historic fact.

Hype would be touting LA Rams rookie WR Tutu Atwell as the NFL MVP, or rookie ILB Ernest Jones as this year’s DPOY. That’s not what is happening folks. Predicting the LA Rams to win the NFC West, or represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVI is at the same level as predicting Aaron Donald as the favorite to be this year’s DPOY.

Why can you dare to believe the hype about this team? Because it’s not hype at all. It’s an educated and logical projection of this team’s chances for success. Matthew Stafford is a solid fit on offense and will enable the coaches to do what they have tried to do all along. They were successful in 2020, and they have arguably gotten better. How much better? There’s the rub. But certainly, they deserve to be in the conversation over this year’s playoff teams. And more.