3 reasons why the LA Rams can win Divisional Round vs. Buccaneers

Reason II: Rams enter the game on a hot streak of their own

Even as the NFL pundits and analysts take note of and embellish the ever-growing improvements of the Buccaneers this season, they’ve done a disservice to the LA Rams, who have won six of their past seven games.

But more than just winning. The LA Rams have been winning despite some of the most adverse conditions in the NFL. The Rams were one of the teams whose roster was ravaged by a sudden spike of positive tests of COVID-19 among the players. The Rams had to play Week 14, 15, and 16 despite having key starters and contributors unavailable due to players sitting on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. And yet, the team continued to win.

That not only bolstered the team’s record but fueled this team with confidence, a trait that is critical in the playoffs. The Rams found ways to win despite turnovers, despite less-than-optimal quarterback play, and even with less than stellar play on defense.

The Rams knocked the Arizona Cardinals into a losing streak, put the final nail in the coffin of the playoff hopes of both the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings, and did so while short-handed. Each victory was a new exhibit of how to scratch and claw to a win. Those late-season lessons will pay dividends now.