The Los Angeles Rams have already begun training camp ahead of the 2019 season. Coming in with their sights set on another Super Bowl appearance, the Rams are ready to work. With the preseason a little over a week away, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of each team around the league. This article will dissect the Los Angeles Rams easiest games of the upcoming season.
The toughest games on the Rams 2019 schedule.
Los Angeles Rams Easiest Games of 2019
9. Week 7: at Atlanta Falcons
After missing the playoffs last season, the Atlanta Falcons have aspirations of returning to the postseason this year. With a solid receiver group, the Falcons will need to spread it out and not rely too heavily on Julio Jones. Matt Ryan will have his hands full with one of the league’s best pass rushes, led by Aaron Donald. If the Rams are to return to the Super Bowl as planned, they will need to show they can hold a top receiver to a quiet day, this will be that chance.
10. Week 12: Baltimore Ravens
The last time these two teams met was way back in 2015. The biggest concern for the Baltimore Ravens this year is the number of losses to the core of the defense. Add to that a second-year quarterback seeking to make the team his own, and it makes for a difficult trip to Los Angeles. Lamar Jackson was made the starter in Week 11 last season and won six of the last seven games of the year. This will be his first full year as a starter, and while the offense may put up points, the departures on defense will be too much to overcome a potent LA attack.
11. Week 13: at Arizona Cardinals
The Rams will have to wait 13 weeks to see the new-look Arizona Cardinals, and while the Cards might have new toys, they will also have some growing pains. In addition to the high profile rookie under center in Kyler Murray, the Cardinals will also have a rookie on the sidelines in new head coach, Kliff Kingsbury. Last season, the Cardinals failed to make playing at home advantages, finishing with a home record of 1-7. While they will be exciting, the expectations surrounding them should be tempered. The experience, talent, and handle of the system should help the Rams in this late-season division game.
12. Week 16: at San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers find themselves in the same boat as the Cardinals, coming off an abysmal season, filled with more hope than tangible evidence of expectation. New additions Nick Bosa and Dee Ford will bolster a defense ranked 20th in 2018. However, in a league rife with young, exciting, talented quarterbacks, Nick Mullens’ name isn’t among those on that list. There is a reason to be excited if you’re the 49ers, but they are still far away from being on the same level as the two-time NFC West champions.
13. Week 17: vs Arizona Cardinals
The season finale will be played at home, against the rookie Kyle Murray. If all goes to plan for the Rams, this will be a game where they can rest some of their regular starters as they prepare for the postseason. The Rams lead the series with a record of 41-38-2 and have won the last four games between the two. Depending on how well the season goes for Arizona, this could be an important game for their berth into the playoffs, but in a stacked NFC that’s unlikely to happen. Worst case scenario, the Rams need this win to get into the playoffs themselves, in which case hosting a rookie quarterback and rookie coach at home is the best of a bad situation.
14. Week 4: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston comes into the season as one of the quarterbacks with the most to prove. While new head coach Bruce Arians has expressed faith in his young quarterback, Winston hasn’t won more than five games in a season, in two years. In addition to a questionable quarterback, the Bucs lack an established running game. The lack of threat from the backfield means Aaron Donald and company can pin their ears back. These teams have only played 24 times, with the Rams holding the series advantage with a record of 16-8. It’s hard to see the Bucs being able to stop the Los Angeles pass rush, and with pressure on Winston, it’s hard seeing Tampa Bay being able to find success.
15. Week Six: vs San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers hold the slim advantage in the series, with a record of 69-67-3, but that could change by the end of the 2019 season. The reason this is the easier of the two games against San Francisco comes down to home-field advantage. While the Rams may not be known for their support at home, the 49ers aren’t particularly known for their support away from the Bay Area. Los Angeles won by a combined score of 87-42 over the two matchups between the two last season, but as mentioned before, the 49ers have made additions to their defense.
Third-round draft pick, running back Darrell Henderson, has been all the buzz surrounding Rams camp. If Sean McVay does decide to keep Todd Gurley on some type of load management regime, Henderson could use this game to help find a rhythm as he gets used to the professional level. Either way, the Rams should once again be the favorites to come out of their division and will be a real threat to do so undefeated again.
16. Week Eight: vs Cincinnati Bengals
This is another team the Rams will face led by a rookie head coach. The new man in charge, head coach Zac Taylor, will be a familiar face to Los Angeles. The former Rams assistant coach now heads his own team and will look to pull off a major mid-season upset on the road. The reason this is one of the easiest games for the Rams has a lot to do with the Bengals finishing dead last in team defense. In addition, they finished 26th in offense and have made no significant additions aside from head coach. Andy Dalton, who hasn’t had a winning season since 2015, is likely in his last season with the team, barring any unforeseen Super Bowl runs.
A.J. Green will likely miss the first few games of the season with an injury sustained in training camp, making his status for this Week Eight matchup unknown. The Rams will most likely come into the game heavy favorites, especially if they are playing at the level they expect to.
