Rams face moment of truth in Week 17 showdown with Atlanta Falcons

The 11-4 Los Angeles Rams may not face the most pressure to win out this season. And the team may not even be embedded in the drama of jockeying for a playoff berth that other teams are facing right now. But LA's showdown with the 6-9 Atlanta Falcons on a late-season Monday Night Football game may be the stuff that fans will discuss over the water cooler on Tuesday morning.

Here's why:

Los Angeles is in, Atlanta is out. This is a game that will not move the needle much in terms of the NFL playoffs. But it's football, and perhaps that is why fans will love this game over the typical hype and melodrama.

Incredibly, both teams are 3-2 over their last five games. For LA, that's why the team has plummeted from the top seed to the sixth seed. For the Falcons, that's why their first-round pick has plummeted out of the top 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. In Week 17, the Horns hope to get back on the winning track, as well as restore the Falcons' first-rounder to a top 10 selection.

There's more than meets the eye in the Rams-Falcons matchup

Okay, so what's all the fuss about? This game really doesn't jump off the page as a headline. Ah, but it does. After all, the strategy for the postseason starts now. While other playoff teams beat each other's brains out, Los Angeles has already hinted that injured players are unlikely to suit up in Week 17. They most certainly won't suit up in Week 18.

And so it begins. Los Angeles, even without a formal BYE week, can manufacture the time to rest up and recover for the postseason. But what does that leave the fans?

For starters, the team will almost certainly give opportunities to other players. On offense, that could mean a steadier dose of tight ends, and perhaps a debut of rookie running back Jarquez Hunter.

The real drama on Monday Night Football for LA Rams fans is who will take the field for the Yellow and Blue. Even as the team wants to win, head coach Sean McVay will be averse to risking any more injuries. So, this will be a true test of risk versus reward. Will the team play to win? Or will the Rams roster begin sitting players before the playoffs?

Nobody wants players to suffer injuries at this point in the season. However, at the same time, nobody wants the team to enter the playoffs rusty or unprepared. The conflict of sitting or starting is worth the price of admission.

As always, thanks for reading.