4 reasons why Week 7 may be Rams last chance to fix things in 2024

Ah, the crystal balls are out in full force. Especially over the future of the LA Rams. After all, the team sitting at 1-4 is not something anyone expected for the team at this point in the 2024 NFL season. But if the team loses to the Las Vegas Raiders, the team plunges to 1-5. At that point, one more loss at any time over the remainder of the season could prove to be fatal to any hopes of competing in the 2025 NFL Playoffs.

But the team is coming out of a BYE. That means that this team is as rested as it will be at any point in time over the remaining 12 games. It also means that the team should be as prepared as any remaining point in time as well.

Will it be enough?

(5) - Playoff hopes depend on Week 7 win

The statistical probability of a 2-4 NFL team over that of a 1-5 NFL team is not something that I can recite for you right now, nor do I have any interest in doing so. But I already know that the playoff chances for an NFL team are slim to none, so I can logically deduce that 1-5 is worse, and 2-4 is better. That's enough to discuss Week 7.

Losing in Week 7 all but slams the door to postseason aspirations. It would take a modern-day miracle to elevate this team from 1-5 to even a record of 9-8. And we all know that 9-8 simply won't cut it. So the pressure to win and keep on winning has never been greater. But it starts by winning in Week 7.

(4) - Despite the youth movement, Rams vets need to win now

The Rams are quite meticulous about player satisfaction. As soon as a player mentions a desire to be traded, the front office seems to abandon all else to trade that player, oftentimes at well below market value. It's a pattern that never ceases to frustrate the fans. And yet, the team continues to keep veterans on the roster, every hopeful of another postseason appearance. But as we just mentioned, there is no more margin of error.

Multiple NFL teams have begun to throw in the towel over the 2024 season. How long can the LA Rams resist the urge to do so? This team is one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, but veterans like QB Matthew Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp, TE Tyler Higbee, and RT Rob Havenstein's windows are closing fast. These veterans want to win now.

(3) - Rams may never have a more vulnerable opponent

The two 'beatable,' opponents remaining on the Rams schedule this season are the Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) and the New England Patriots (1-5). And that may be stretching the truth, as it's difficult to argue that the LA Rams (1-4) are up to the challenge of beating any opponent until this team proves that it can win consistently. But that has to start somewhere, and the Raiders are on the schedule this week.

The Raiders just traded away WR Devante Adams, so they are at their low point of the season. That may not make a difference, but it should. If this team has any hope of beating teams that boast a better record, it has to beat teams with less impressive records.

(2) - Rams have to leverage BYE week

Every NFL team gets one BYE week over the course of the season. While a Week 6 BYE is typically viewed as painfully early, the outbreak of injuries to the team early in the season made this year's BYE perfectly timed in terms of allowing players to heal up. And this particular BYE allows the team to rethink their insistence of ignoring injuries and depleted positions and going with the same default offense and defense.

That pattern will hopefully change with the extra time to reformulate team tactics.

(1) - Rams rumors are heating up

It's no surprise that the LA Rams are linked to NFL rumors as the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline approaches. What is a bit surprising is the number and intensity of those rumors that seem to name almost any and every veteran player on the team. Right now, the hottest NFL rumors center on Rams veteran WR Cooper Kupp. But QB Matthew Stafford, WR Tutu Atwell, and even DB Tre'Davious White have been cited as potential trade targets by teams who are in the running for an NFL Playoff berth.

And with NFL teams already beginning to pivot from 2024 to 2025, the Rams are unlikely to hold out much longer without some measure of instant success. Rams fans theoretically could wake up this week at 1-6, and then the question of abandoning postseason hopes would be made for them.

Despite the struggles so far, this team has a number of players who could become hotly sought by teams if they believe the Rams would give serious consideration to trade offers. And the team, thanks to excellents drafts in 2023 and 2024, is already set to pivot to a future run.

As that song by Elvis Presley made famous once said: 'It's now or never.' And that has never been more true for this team than right now.

As always, thanks for reading.

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