The last two weeks for the Los Angeles Rams can provide a perfect summary of their season as a whole. In the game against the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams played their best game of the season. Todd Gurley finished with 23 carries and a touchdown, while Jared Goff threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Long shots for the postseason, the Rams must finish the season strong, with more than pride on the line in the final weeks of the season.
Los Angeles Rams Must Finish Season Strong, Regardless of Postseason Position
The second half of that two-week span was last week’s drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. While Todd Gurley did reach the endzone, he only tallied 20 yards with 11 rushes. The Cowboys had a 28-7 lead at the half, and with the Vikings winning their game, the Rams’ playoff chances all but ended. While the Vikings only need to win one of their last two to clinch a playoff spot, Los Angeles still need to win their last two games, for more than just pride.
Head coach Sean McVay is safe, but in a league that has always asked, “What have you done for me lately?”, the rumblings have undoubtedly begun. Saturday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers is not only an opportunity to keep postseason hopes alive but one last chance at making a statement. The Rams have been humbled. Last season they played bully, going undefeated in the division, en route to a Super Bowl appearance. This year when they went for more lunch money, the division hit back, hard.
The 49ers are the best team in the division this season, and won handily, 20-7, the last time these two met. This time on the road, the Rams will have yet another chance to remind not just the division, but perhaps themselves, that they are still a contender, in an increasingly difficult conference. The silver lining to this season is the emergence of even more youth primed to make their mark in the years to come. Offensive tackle Bobby Evans and safety Taylor Rapp headline a rookie class that has fans excited for what the future holds. In addition, the youth of Goff, Gurley, along with a handful of others, means this team still has plenty of prime years ahead.
What’s On The Line
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the Vikings only need to win one of their last two, and they are out of playoff contention. In a weird way, that may be for the best. All the Rams have to worry about, all they can do, is win. The next two weeks are just as much about the future as it is sneaking into the playoffs. The Rams will be opening up a new stadium next year, and while they may be more accessible to the public, they need to make sure the public wants to access them. The uphill battle to make football matter in LA will only increase with continued struggles. Winning the final two will give fans something to cling to, a piece of hope that next year can see a return to Super Bowl glory, even if this year ends in disappointment.
