Latest PFN Playoff prediction yields the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly for Rams

When it comes to the 2026 NFL Playoffs, it's always a possibility for the Los Angeles Rams. After all, this is a team that earned a playoff berth in a 2023 NFL season that was expected to be about rebooting the team. Yes, the young guns on offense and defense buoyed a sensational winning streak that carried the Rams through the regular season and into the Detroit Lions. The Rams would lose that game, but not without a valiant effort.

A writer at Pro Football Network named Jacob Infante has turned to the trends of the past and the projections of the future, and has assembled their NFL Playoff Predictions. It is their best guesstimate as to which 14 teams in the NFL will emerge with NFL postseason invitations, and in which seeding.

And to be honest, his predictions are not so far-fetched that it's easy to poke holes in. He mixes enough new teams into the playoff picture to give the predictions a sense of possibility, while leaning heavily into recent NFL history to set the basic narrative that he adheres to throughout his various playoff rounds.

The Good

Let's start off with the Good.

The positive aspect for Rams fans is that the Los Angeles Rams are projected to emerge as the NFC West Division winner and enter the upcoming NFL Playoffs as the third-seeded team in the NFC. As such, the Rams earn at least one postseason home game, and with any luck, will be able to play that game in the comfort of SoFi Stadium.

In this scenario, the Rams host the Green Bay Packers, the runner-up to the Detroit Lions. Curiously, the Rams defeat the Packers and then use that victory to carry them back on the road to face the Detroit Lions once more. Once again, if it shows up in the Good category, you can expect positive results. And yes, the Rams are predicted to beat the mighty Detroit Lions in this set of predictions as well.

So it's off to the NFC Championship Game.

The Bad

If you are one of the multitude of Rams fans who find yourself cheering against the Atlanta Falcons, you will not be pleased with this set of playoff predictions. Per the Pro Football Network article, the Atlanta Falcons are predicted to win the NFC South Division, and in doing so, will not hold a particularly early pick in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ouch.

The Falcons Round 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was extremely valuable to the Rams for two reasons. By acquiring it, the Rams possess two Round 1 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and are one of only two teams to do so. But more importantly, the team and fanbase hoped that the Falcons' pick would land among the top 10 picks in Round 1 in the draft

But if this set of predictions holds, the Falcons' Round 1 pick falls from the 10th overall pick to the 20th overall pick. While that could still ensure that the Rams have an opportunity to emerge with a starter, it does put the scenario of the team emerging with a bona fide successor to veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford at risk.

Even if you view the 2026 NFL Draft as overloaded with rookie quarterback talent like that of the recent 2024 NFL Draft, the Rams could be shut out of the top six quarterbacks in the rookie class if they are unable to trade up to the 12th or higher pick. And you can bet that if a coveted rookie quarterback falls out of the top 10, the asking price to trade up will be very expensive.

The Ugly

Where the predictions get exceedingly ugly for the Los Angeles Rams and fans is the fact that the Rams are predicted to compete in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite all of the work to stop the run and all of the forewarning that comes with the knowledge that all roads to Super Bowl LX run through the Philadelphia Eagles, PFN predicts another Rams postseason loss at the hands of the Eagles.

That's right. One more humbling loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

This is where Jacob Infante loses me. You see, as easy as it is to predict another Eagles victory over the Rams, I cannot believe that a Sean McVay-coached team lets that happen. If not from the brute force of the Rams' defense, set on avenging the loss from a year ago, then the emotional apex of a team that sees one more chance to get another Super Bowl ring for veteran QB Matthew Stafford will get the job done.

The NFL is not the SEC, with the same two teams competing for the championship game year after year. If the Rams and Eagles meet in the NFC Championship Game, I see this one going the Rams' way.

Not happy with playoff predictions? Unfortunately, it's the best anyone can do at this time of year. As always, thanks for reading.

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