The Los Angeles Rams solidified their maintain on the NFC West after Week 16 with a win over the New York Jets, sustaining the highest spot in a division that has been in fixed flux all season. With the common season winding down, the Rams seem to have taken management at simply the precise time.
The Rams (9-6) hardly resembled playoff contenders in the beginning of the season. They dropped 4 of their first 5 video games and, even after securing a three-game win streak, misplaced two of their subsequent three by no less than a landing at dwelling.
But, right here they’re on a four-game profitable streak, highlighted by an exhilarating victory over the AFC powerhouse Buffalo Payments in Week 14 and a vital division win towards the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 to reclaim the NFC West lead.
With simply two common season video games remaining—each towards division rivals—the Rams have the chance to cement their playoff standing. They’ll face the eradicated Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, adopted by a possible high-stakes finale towards the Seattle Seahawks, who stay in rivalry for the division crown. Nonetheless, Los Angeles can keep away from a nail-biter in Week 18 if issues fall of their favor in Week 17.
The NFC West is the Rams’ for the taking
The 49ers, final 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl runner-up and winners of the earlier two division titles, had been the preseason favorites to dominate the NFC West once more in 2024. Sadly, accidents derailed their season, leaving them out of rivalry and room for his or her rivals to be contenders.
That opened the door for the Cardinals, Seahawks, and Rams to take turns main the division. Every staff has struggled with inconsistency. From mid-October to mid-November, the Cardinals seemed just like the frontrunner, profitable 4 of 5 video games with victories over the 49ers and Rams. However they misplaced momentum, dropping 4 of their final 5, together with an upset additional time loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 16.
The Seahawks adopted an analogous sample, profitable only one recreation between September and early November. They then turned issues round with two division wins over the 49ers and Cardinals as a part of a four-game streak. However consecutive losses to NFC North opponents—the Minnesota Vikings and Inexperienced Bay Packers—stalled their momentum and allowed the Rams to retake the lead.
With the 49ers and Cardinals eradicated, the division race now comes all the way down to the Rams and Seahawks, with Los Angeles within the driver’s seat. The Rams can safe their first NFC West title since 2021 with the precise ends in Week 17.
Rams will want greater than only a win in Week 17 to clinch NFC West
Regardless of their place atop the standings, the Rams’ path to clinching the division isn’t simple. They at present maintain only a one-game lead over the Seahawks (8-7). Nonetheless, if all of the items fall into place, the Rams can safe the division crown as early as Week 17.
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For the Rams to clinch the NFC West and return to the postseason, two eventualities may play out:
- The Rams win their recreation towards the Cardinals (7-8), and the Seahawks lose on the highway to the Chicago Bears (4-11).
- The Rams win and safe the strength-of-victory tiebreaker over Seattle.
So, what precisely is the strength-of-victory tiebreaker? Turf Present Instances explains it this fashion: “The Rams clinch the power of victory over Seattle with 3.5 or extra wins from the next groups: MIN, BUF, SF, WAS, CIN, CLE. The Rams want the Vikings, Payments, 49ers, Commanders, Bengals, and Browns to mix for 4 wins over the subsequent two video games to say power of victory over the Seahawks.”
In different phrases, Rams followers received’t simply be watching their very own staff in Week 17; they’ll even be carefully monitoring outcomes from throughout the league.