S³ | NFL FEATURE
The Los Angeles Rams spent August looking like a team assembled to rewrite NFL history. Six weeks into the regular season, they're struggling to stay out of the NFC West basement.
Nobody can accuse S³ of doubting the Rams entering the season.
Before the blockbuster acquisition of Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald, I had Los Angeles finishing 13–4. Following those additions, my expectations went considerably higher. I believed this team had the potential to challenge NFL records.
The talent was undeniable. The possibilities seemed endless.
But the August Lombardi isn't the actual Lombardi Trophy.
And Los Angeles is finding that out the hard way.
THE ARIZONA EMBARRASSMENT
Following a disappointing 37–34 overtime loss to Buffalo, the Rams returned home Sunday with an opportunity to regain some momentum against the struggling Arizona Cardinals.
Instead, they delivered another dud.
Arizona 18, Los Angeles 16.
The Cardinals didn't score a single touchdown. Chad Ryland converted six field goals, including the game-winning 43-yarder as time expired.
Arizona entered the game allowing an NFL-worst 32.4 points per contest. Through its first five games, its defense had surrendered 162 points.
Then came the supposedly loaded Rams offense.
Sixteen points. At home.
Not even half of what Arizona had been allowing opponents entering the matchup.
Matthew Stafford completed 25 of 33 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, but Los Angeles managed only 286 total yards.
The Rams finally grabbed a 16–15 advantage with 47 seconds remaining following Stafford's touchdown connection with Colby Parkinson.
They couldn't even protect that lead.
Arizona marched into field-goal position, and Ryland delivered the final blow.
THE DEFENSE HAS AN EXPLANATION. WHAT ABOUT THE OFFENSE?
I can understand some of the Rams' defensive struggles.
Injuries have disrupted their plans. Garrett has missed time, Trent McDuffie was unavailable against Arizona, and assembling a championship-caliber defense requires more than collecting extraordinary individual talent.
But the offense?
That's a different conversation.
Los Angeles had its principal offensive playmakers available against Arizona, although its offensive line wasn't at full strength with Alaric Jackson suspended.
This was a Cardinals defense that had allowed at least 30 points in four consecutive games.
You have Stafford, Puka Nacua, Sean McVay and an offense that entered Sunday leading the NFL in total yardage.
And your defense holds Arizona without a touchdown.
How do you lose that football game?
Arizona deserves credit for producing its best defensive performance of the season, but the responsibility for this defeat belongs primarily to the Rams' offense.
S³ establishes 24 points per game as its offensive scoring benchmark.
Los Angeles finished eight points below that standard.
This wasn't a performance worthy of a championship contender.
THE 49ERS ARE ROLLING WHILE LOS ANGELES IS SNOWBALLING
While the Rams continue searching for answers, San Francisco is 5–0 entering its Monday night matchup with Washington.
The contrast couldn't be more obvious.
The 49ers are building momentum. The Rams are losing theirs.
Seattle, sitting at 3–3, has three consecutive home games approaching against Kansas City, Chicago and Arizona.
And suddenly, the Cardinals have an opportunity to make a move of their own.
Who would've imagined in August that the loaded Rams, despite their injuries, would be battling Arizona just to determine which team finishes with the better record?
Yet here we are.
Both teams are 2–4, and Arizona already owns a head-to-head victory.
FOUR GAMES TO SAVE THE SEASON
Los Angeles now faces a critical four-game stretch before its Week 11 bye.
| Week | Rams Opponent |
|---|---|
| 7 | @ Las Vegas Raiders |
| 8 | vs. Los Angeles Chargers |
| 9 | @ Washington Commanders |
| 10 | @ Arizona Cardinals |
In my assessment, the Rams need all four games.
A sweep would improve their record to 6–4 and restore some credibility to a season that is rapidly slipping away.
Even a 3–1 stretch would leave them at just 5–5.
But here's an uncomfortable possibility worth considering.
Arizona could realistically go 3–1 over its next four games while Los Angeles goes 1–3.
That scenario would leave the Cardinals at 5–5 and the Rams at 3–7.
The Cardinals' upcoming schedule includes Denver, Dallas, Seattle and a rematch against Los Angeles.
Imagine Arizona entering its Week 11 bye with a better record than the preseason Super Bowl favorites, potentially holding a season sweep over them.
In August, that scenario would've sounded ridiculous.
Today, it's a conversation worth having.
S³ FINAL ANALYSIS: CHAMPIONSHIPS AREN'T AWARDED IN AUGUST
I'm not ready to pronounce the Rams' season dead after six games. There's too much talent on this roster to completely dismiss a potential turnaround.
But the warning signs are becoming impossible to ignore.
The injuries are real. The defensive challenges are understandable. The special teams have contributed to the problems.
Nevertheless, championship teams are expected to overcome adversity, particularly when facing opponents they should be capable of beating.
The Rams have now lost two consecutive games, and their latest defeat came against a division opponent that couldn't score a touchdown.
Los Angeles didn't spend the offseason making blockbuster acquisitions to fight Arizona for third place in the NFC West.
It assembled this roster to compete for a championship.
The next four games will tell us whether the Rams are experiencing a temporary collapse or watching an anticipated historic season become one of the NFL's biggest disappointments.
The Rams won August. Unfortunately, the Lombardi Trophy is awarded in February.
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