Rams plummet to wild card bracket, but adversity continues to forge this team

Do you feel hungover today after a brutal overtime loss on Thursday Night Football? If so, you are not alone. It was a game of historic NFL proportions. The 11-4 Los Angeles Rams were oh-so-close to a huge win. But the victory slipped through their fingers. Now, with two games remaining on the schedule, this team is no longer in control of its own destiny.

Don't get me wrong. LA is heading to the playoffs. And with 11 wins on the books and a chance to win two more games, the team is going to carry plenty of respect into the postseason. But after notching a 9-2 record, the team has won just two of the past four games.


Worse yet, the once-dominating defense has allowed 72 points in the past two games and 120 points in the past four games.

That's a huge problem.

What is the main problem? That's hard to decipher right now. It's a million paper cuts that are killing this defense, and in turn, this team. It's an offense that puts up points, but cannot run out the clock.

It's a defense that is inconsistent, stymying opponents one week, but offering little resistance the next. Sometimes the transformation happens in the same game.

And it's a special teams unit that seems hellbent on complicating games to the point of contributing to each of the four losses this season. But adversity works to forge a team, and right now, the furnace is red hot.

Rams have every reason to hold out hope

Yes, Los Angeles still holds a better chance of the number one seed in the NFC than the San Francisco 49ers. The thing is, the 49ers can control their own destiny by defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18.

The Rams face the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals, both opponents should be beatable. But if the defense is sagging, how well will this team compete in the NFL Playoffs?

The remaining games on LA's schedule are:

• Week 17 - Los Angeles Rams (11-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-9) (MNF)
• Week 18 - Arizona Cardinals (3-11) at Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

As we pointed out before, if Los Angeles has nothing to play for in Week 18, you can bet that Sean McVay will sit his starters. So, despite missing out on a number-one seeding, this team can still get its BYE. Even if manufactured, that will still prove to be a huge advantage.

The remaining games on Seatgle's schedule are:

• Week 17 - Seattle Seahawks (12-3) at Carolina Panthers (7-7)
• Week 18 - Seattle Seahawks (12-3) at San Francisco 49ers (10-4) (TBD)

After such an emotional win in Week 16, it's very conceivable that the Seahawks will lose at least one game, and perhaps lose both remaining games. That's something Rams fans can cheer for as the season winds down.

The remaining games on San Fran's schedule are:

• Week 16 - San Francisco 49ers (10-4) at Indianapolis Colts (8-6) (MNF)
• Week 17 - Chicago Bears (10-4) at San Francisco 49ers (10-4) (SNF)
• Week 18 - Seattle Seahawks (11-3) at San Francisco 49ers (19-4) (TBD)

More and more NFL analysts are jumping on the 49ers bandwagon. But they could lose two of their last three games as well. 49ers fans cheered for the Seahawks to win in Week 16. It's only fair for Rams fans to return the favor by cheering for their opponents in the last three games.

Right now, Los Angeles would travel to face either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. Fans will love the odds of advancing in that round.

The Rams may have lost the battle, but can still win the war. Keep in mind that it's not how many regular-season games this team has won, but how healthy the team remains for the postseason. This team has to focus on getting healthy.

As always, thanks for reading.