There’s a classic saying in sports: Don’t let a team get the best of you more than once.
Clearly, the Los Angeles Rams missed that memo. Not only did they end up losing to the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend, but they were also hit hard by a wave of injuries reported on Monday.
The Rams suffered a disappointing 18-16 defeat, placing them at 2-4, which puts them at the bottom of the NFC West. The setback was compounded just a day later as head coach Sean McVay disclosed a long list of injuries that was, in fact, even more damaging than the score itself.
Blake Grupe, who was recently signed as a kicker, tore his ACL while making a tackle on a play where their special teams faltered. Meanwhile, star receiver Davante Adams is facing a surgery for a ruptured semitendinosus and is expected to be out for six to ten weeks. Nose tackle Poona Ford is done for the season due to a ruptured triceps, and defensive end Kobie Turner will be sidelined for several weeks due to a groin strain.
When you add these injuries to an already extensive list that includes Myles Garrett, Terrance Ferguson, and Trent McDuffie, the Rams are beginning to resemble a unit more focused on rehabilitation than Super Bowl ambitions.
Honestly, if there were ever a time to consider some sort of ritual cleansing in SoFi Stadium, it might just be now. The Rams’ misfortunes paired with the Chargers’ lackluster 0-6 start paint a dire picture for NFL teams in Los Angeles.
“It’s a tough break losing those guys and what they contribute on the field,” tight end Tyler Higbee commented. “Injuries are part of the game, and at this level, everyone has to step up.”
At some point, however, this “next man up” mantra can sound less uplifting and more like a cry for help as they scramble to fill gaps.
Safety Quentin Lake shared similar thoughts, stressing the need to keep injured teammates engaged while readying their replacements. “It’s all about next man up now, and we need those guys stepping in to make an impact,” Lake noted.
So, let’s cut to the chase: Is this the end of the Rams’ season?
Frankly, there’s a strong case to be made that it is.
This team was constructed with Super Bowl aspirations in mind, not to merely navigate an attrition battle. Their strongest assets once lay in elite talent at pivotal positions, but now, those key players seem to be vanishing faster than McVay can find replacements.
To make things worse, the Rams have been plagued by bad luck—but it goes beyond that. They’ve exhibited a troubling level of undiscipline, inconsistency, and at times, sheer incompetence.
The botched travel plans for their opener in Australia, managing Garrett’s knee injury, missed kicks, special teams breakdowns, and a troubling number of self-inflicted penalties have all played a role in this predicament.
Even if you consider the questionable officiating involving Josh Wallace in two losses, it doesn’t excuse the myriad mistakes leading up to those pivotal moments.
“We’ve taken some hits this year, and we have to bounce back and keep fighting,” McVay stated on Monday.
That sounds commendable and all, but can they actually pull it off?
The Rams’ path to the Super Bowl is still open
That’s where things get intriguing.
With 11 games still left on the schedule, four against division rivals, and a potentially easier stretch ahead, the Rams do have some favorable matchups coming up. Plus, many of the teams vying for a playoff spot in the NFC aren’t exactly impenetrable.
Let’s not forget last year when the Rams started 3-6, managed to turn things around, and won seven of their final eight games to make the playoffs. The year before that, they began at 1-4, yet advanced to the divisional round.
Currently, the Rams are 2-4, but with three Wild Card spots available in the NFC and the competition looking pretty bleak, reaching the playoffs isn’t completely out of the question.
If they do qualify, they might face the winner between the NFC East or NFC South, likely teams like the New York Giants or Carolina Panthers, where the Rams would be favored.
The strategy isn’t overly complicated, but executing it will be the challenge.
McVay can’t wait for desperation to kick in to ignite Stafford’s performance. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula needs to adapt to the losses in the defensive line. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone must address what has become a glaring weakness. And the backup players now stepping into larger roles need to become significant contributors rather than just fill-ins.
McVay recognizes that it all falls on him.
“We can’t afford to wait until the end to show our best,” he conceded.
He’s got a point. They simply don’t have the luxury of playing a few minutes of solid football and hoping it wipes away the mistakes of the game.
As of now, their playoff chances sit at 22%, but that figure may look even grimmer after Monday’s injury reports.
While those odds aren’t promising, they’re still not eliminated.
If the Rams can hold it together over the next month, get back key players like Ferguson and Turner, and eventually have Garrett and Adams rejoin the team, coming into December with a shot at a wild card is achievable.
Maybe stepping away from the Super Bowl expectations could even free a team that seems to be weighed down by them.
McVay shared a realistic perspective on Monday.
“Life goes on. The season continues.”
Mathematically, the Rams aren’t done yet. Their championship window hasn’t fully closed. However, the next month or so will be crucial in determining if this turns into a redemption story or a dreary trek toward January.
At the end of McVay’s comments, it boils down to two choices:
They can keep fighting, or they can finally surrender to the weight of their misfortunes thus far.
Regardless, the Rams are about to learn what they’re truly made of.
