Week 7 slate could help Rams get back into NFC West race

Rams face Raiders and might have easiest game of the four NFC West teams

Good news has been far and few between to start the season for the Los Angeles Rams. There’s some positive developments in terms of the Week 7 schedule, which could help LA push back into the NFC West race and make things interesting again.

Rams have a winnable matchup this weekend

The Rams are set to host the Las Vegas Raiders this weekend. It will likely feel like a home game for the 2-4 Raiders, though LA should still be expected to come out on top. Vegas can’t find its footing at quarterback between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew. A bye week to get healthy and create a plan for the available players should be enough to get LA back in the win column for the second time this season.

It’s an uphill climb for the other NFC West teams in Week 7

But the Rams easily have the weakest opponent across the NFL’s Week 7 slate.

Chiefs at 49ers

The 3-3 San Francisco 49ers will host the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. These teams have matched up with in two Super Bowls, though KC has emerged as the winner in both games. This year’s Chiefs team feels less dangerous, though they are well coached and play exemplary situational football. Brock Purdy might be trying to do too much on his own. He’s living on razor’s edge where some of his biggest plays recently could reasonably have gone the other way for the defense.

Chargers at Cardinals

Who exactly are the Los Angeles Chargers this season? Jim Harbaugh’s team started 2-0 and there were a lot of rosy feelings about this team around the NFL. But the Chargers then lost two straight before winning a 23-16 cupcake matchup against the Denver Broncos this past weekend. At 3-2, LA’s wins have come against the Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and Denver.

Still, the Arizona Cardinals are equally as enigmatic. Kyler Murray and the offense looked unstoppable in Week 2 against the Rams. They also took down the 49ers in a close game. Arizona is missing talent across their roster and is probably a year away from seriously competing in the NFC West, but to their credit they do have quality players at key positions.

A win over the Chargers on Monday night would move Arizona to 3-4 on the season and put them squarely back in the divisional race.

Seahawks at Falcons

The Seattle Seahawks are the only NFC West team on the road this weekend, and they’ll face a 4-2 Atlanta Falcons team that seems to be rounding into form. Atlanta’s two losses came against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chiefs, though they placed Pittsburgh in the season opener and Kirk Cousins’ first game back from his Achilles injury.

Seattle is another hot and cold team, and it’s difficult to make heads or tails of their resume so far this season. They have wins over the Broncos, Patriots, and Dolphins. The loss that sticks out is a nine-point game against the New York Giants, though the Seahawks also came up short against the Detroit Lions and 49ers.

The arrow seems to be pointed up for the Falcons while the Seahawks take care of business in winnable games but struggle against quality opponents. Seattle is in danger of falling to 3-4 and ceding ground to San Francisco in the lead for the NFC West.