Why have the LA Rams opted to sit seven starters for Week 18, so far?

Sit them or start them? In the NFL, that question can make or break a season. Curiously, the quandary hits on just two occasions in an NFL season. The first occasion occurred in the preseason when the risk of injuring projected starters for the upcoming NFL season outweighs the benefit of (re)familiarizing those same players with live NFL action and the speed at which the game is played.

The second occasion is a bit rarer and occurs after an NFL team has clinched a spot in the NFL Playoffs. Then, a similar risk/reward benefit rules in favor of sitting vital starters to avoid injury before post-season competition. The Rams have incredibly clinched a berth in the upcoming NFL Playoffs, and must now labor over the decision of who will play in Week 18 on the road against the NFC top-seeded San Francisco 49rs, and who will sit.

The LA Rams decided who would start and sit for Week 18. While the number of players sitting is six for the moment, that number could grow before the kickoff. For now, two players are out due to injuries: Swing tackle Joe Noteboom and tight end Tyler Higbee. Four players are out to avoid injury and to heal up after a long grueling season, and they are running back Kyren Williams, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, defensive lineman Aaron Donald, and inside linebacker Ernest Jones,

The Rams had already indicated that backup quarterback Carson Wentz would get the start in Week 18, and allow starting quarterback Matthew Stafford to sit this one out to rest up and heal.

Except for injured players, the Rams are sitting three offensive players and two defensive players, which is a nice balance. And it was expected, as the latest Rams roster moves generated evidence that the Rams would sit both Stafford and Kupp in the season finale. I am also glad that the Rams will play rookies, as they need to stay distracted from the fact that they are competing in the NFL Playoffs in their first NFL season.

Right decision? Or do you think that the LA Rams got it all wrong? Let us know in the comments section of our Facebook