The Los Angeles Rams are a wild card road team on Saturday against the Carolina Panthers, but there’s a reasonable possibility that they could be hosting the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium if they win. It would just take a couple of small but reasonable upsets this weekend.
If the Rams beat the Panthers, who they are favored to defeat by 10 points, then they move onto the divisional round. That’s the obvious step one.
Later on Saturday, the Packers play the Bears. Green Bay is actually favored by 1.5 points. The teams split their season series recently — the most recent for either team is their opponent in this game — so it wouldn’t be at all shocking to see Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love beat Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams in their postseason debut.
If those two things happen on Saturday, then already the Rams know they aren’t going to Seattle to face the number one-seeded Seahawks in the divisional round.
Then the only thing left to happen would be the 49ers beating the Eagles on Sunday. The Eagles are 4.5-point favorites but Philadelphia is anything but assured to beat San Francisco in the wild card. The Eagles have had one of the worst offenses in the league over the second half of the season, whereas the 49ers have one of the best and had won six games in a row prior to losing to Seattle in Week 18.
If the Niners, Rams, and Packers all win their games this weekend, then L.A. is heading home in round two.
And if that happens and then the Rams beat the 49ers plus the Packers upset the Seahawks, then L.A. would be HOSTING Green Bay in the NFC Championship.
The 49ers would be the only team that the Rams could host in round 2.
The Packers would be the only team that the Rams could host in the NFC Championship.
First they need to avenge their previous loss in Carolina on Saturday.
Then root for the Packers.
That alone saves the Rams a trip to Seattle in round 2. Potentially even avoiding going on the road again until the Super Bowl. Never say the 5-seed wasn’t an important prize.
