Rams have historic opportunity on schedule

LA is the only team in the NFL with the opportunity to defeat the “bird gauntlet” in 2025

The Los Angeles Rams will have the opportunity this year to make history by beating all five of the NFL bird teams in a single season. That would mean defeating the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens in the first six weeks of the season, having two shots at the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks before facing the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17. Unlike the New Orleans Saints, who were the last team to have a chance at the gauntlet in 2023, the Rams have an advantage with two of their division rivals being a bird team.

Week 3: Rams at Eagles

The Rams’ chances at making history may end early against one of their hardest opponents of the 2025 season, but at least it won’t be snowing. LA was embarrassed the first time the two teams met last year with Saquon Barkley looking nearly unstoppable with 250+ yards rushing and two touchdowns. They faired better in the playoffs and came close to advancing to the NFC Championship game but still allowed Barkley to tear their defense apart. The Eagles and Rams will be an intriguing early season matchup with a chance for each other to measure where they are as a team.

Week 6: Rams at Ravens

The fact that the NFL did not decide to make Week 6’s matchup against the Ravens a primetime feature is maybe even more criminal than passing up an opportunity to showcase a Eagles rematch in Week 3, but I digress. Sean McVay’s squad has not played well against the Ravens and is 1-2 in his tenure. The one win is asterisk with Tyler Huntley as quarterback and even then it took a Matthew Stafford fourth-quarter comeback to take the win. The Rams were embarrassed in a 45-6 loss in 2019 with Jared Goff still under center. In 2023 they lost in a heartbreaking fashion when Tylan Wallace took a punt 76 yards to the endzone to win in OT. This will be a hard matchup but their recent upgrades on the defensive line could keep Lamar Jackson contained enough to give them a chance.

Weeks 11/16: Seahawks vs. Rams

Who knows what Sam Darnold will be with the Seahawks, but he will have a very determined receiver to throw to that has every reason to be upset with his former team. Cooper Kupp was never the same for the Rams after injuring his ankle following his historical performance in 2021, but even then he showed flashes of his former self when the team needed him the most. Seattle could be a dark horse contender in 2025 even after trading away DK Metcalf and Geno Smith this offseason. Week 11 could be enough time for Darnold to forget about the Rams D-line sacking him nine times in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, or he could still be seeing ghosts. I like LA’s chances to defeat the Seahawks if they somehow prevailed against both the Eagles and the Ravens. Either way, they get two games to get it done.

Weeks 14/18: Arizona vs. Rams

What will this season be for the Cardinals? Will it be a quick start where the team looks to be unbeatable with Kyler Murray playing backyard football? Or will it be another forgettable year where they come close to making a run but falter at the very end? Either way, Arizona has become a tougher matchup in recent years and are no longer a penciled in “W” in the win column. They had a statement game against the Rams in 2024 when they blew them out 41-10 in Week 3 and during the offseason have only gotten better. Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a problem if Les Snead can’t find some secondary help in free agency. They went heavy on defense during the draft to help fix their most glaring issues which could test LA’s offensive line this year. I’m fairly confident they could get the job done at least once in their two meetings this year.

Week 17: Rams at Falcons

What a great opportunity for the Rams to improve their draft position in next year’s draft by taking down the team that gave them a first-rounder. Michael Penix Jr. looked the part in his limited starts last season and nearly snuck his team into the playoffs. He will get a full offseason as the bonified started with Kirk Cousins teaching him the ropes during his Sophomore season. The Falcons will be unpredictable with a young QB under center, but if there is one thing to trust it is that former Rams Defensive Coordinator will have his defense playing at a high level. The “bird gauntlet” could make it’s final stop in Atlanta.

Do you think the Rams can make history this season and take down all of the bird teams? Which team do you think they lose to first? Let’s discuss in the comments below!