NFL schedule leak squeezes last drop from Matthew Stafford in brutal finale

An unconfirmed NFL rumor has shared the 2025 Los Angeles Rams schedule. While all rumored schedule appearances are suspect, this latest leak has conflicts already built in. For example, the earlier leak that had pitted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 13 as a Thursday Night Football game in Week 13 now shows up as a Sunday Night Football game in Week 12.

So nothing is official until it is truly official.

Still, this seems to be a fairly comprehensive report. As such, it's worth considering, as there are many difficult challenges embedded in this iteration of the Rams' schedule, whether true or simply the best guess at this point.

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams, the team's fanbase has a lot of mixed emotions over NFC West Division rival, the Arizona Cardinals. There is the drubbing that the Rams suffered in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, a game that finished with the final score of 41-10. Then there is the second contest, a game in which the Rams got revenge thanks to a Herculean effort by the new and improved defense. That game ended with a score of 13-9.

But the Rams managed to score just 23 points over the two games. Those were not the sort of offensive outputs that the Rams expect in 2025. While we know of the external causes of the Rams' offensive struggles against the Cardinals last season, can we so easily gloss over the chance of history repeating itself?

In Week 2, the Rams' offensive line pitted three starters who were thrust into roles due to injuries. Rookie C Beaux Limmer took over after an injury to Steve Avila. LT Warren McClendon took over after an injury to Joe Noteboom, who was subbing in for starter Alaric Jackson, who was serving a two-game suspension. And Jonah Jackson was moved from center to left guard, but he would struggle to play again all season.

In Week 17, Joe Noteboom was back, but subbing in for RT Rob Havenstein. But beyond that, Matthew Stafford was suffering from a rib injury that he got in Week 15 while defeating the San Francisco 49ers.

Can the Rams overcome that bad luck to defeat the Cardinals in Week 18?

It is not above the ability of veteran QB Matthew Stafford. But it's certainly a tall order. The Cardinals finished the 2025 NFL season with a record of 8-9, after a late-season slide following their BYE sank them with a record of 2-5.

The Cardinals had a rather solid offseason. While the proof is in the pudding, the Cardinals did address several weak roster positions from last season, including shoring up their defensive front.

If the Rams need to win Week 18 to get locked into a favorable seeding for the 2026 NFL Playoffs, the team will have its work cut out for it. The Cardinals are no longer the pushovers the Rams could kick to the sidelines twice a year. The Rams may need to get one of Matthew Stafford's best games to get past the Cardinals.

Thankfully, Stafford is no stranger to fourth-quarter comebacks.

As always, thanks for reading.

Here are other recent Rams articles you will enjoy