Rams must avoid another slow start this season

The back end of the schedule will make it difficult for L.A. to recover if they start cold again

In the last two seasons, the Los Angeles Rams have started poorly but managed to recover just in time to make the playoffs. While injuries were to blame for the team’s bad start in 2024, L.A. cannot afford a third straight sluggish opening to the year.

The Rams were lucky to have been on the right side of close games following their Week 6 bye. Excluding the season finale when L.A. had already wrapped up the division, the team went 9-2, winning by an average of 6.2 points per game.

Only two of those nine wins came against teams that made the playoffs (Vikings and Bills). Contending squads like the Rams are supposed to defeat their weaker competition, but none of those wins were dominant.

And aside from the 44-point explosion versus the Bills in Week 14, the Rams scored 20+ once, in a 21-14 win over the slumping Saints.

Again, Los Angeles mostly beat who they were supposed to. However, their margin of victory was so small last season that it’ll be difficult to replicate it if they find themselves in another pinch. The back end of their schedule does them no favors.

For one, the team will play five of its six NFC West matchups after the Week 8 bye. Then, L.A. will face the Lions and my conference dark-horse in the Buccaneers. Finally, there are the Panthers and Falcons, who are a complete mystery at the moment, yet could be much better than we all think by the second half of the year.

Read more: Buccaneers are the NFC’s Galactus in-waiting

At least the Rams should have a free win over the Saints coming out of the bye. Of course, as I say that, the Saints might surprise everyone and be a Super Bowl contender with Spencer Rattler under center.

In case it wasn’t obvious, that was sarcasm.

With the Texans, Eagles, 49ers and Ravens on deck in the front half of the season, L.A. must try to win at least half of those matchups. Very few contenders are at full strength to start a respective campaign, but the Rams have to do everything in their power to avoid another slump.

If they don’t, third time might not be the charm for them.