What Does the LA Rams Opening NFL Schedule Look Like?

Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams went into the 2022 season as the defending Super Bowl champions and finished the campaign with a 5-12 record. This time around there is no weight of expectation on the team to repeat their 2022 Super Bowl heroics but there is serious pressure on the team to improve on last season’s poor showing.

Below we preview the Rams opening 5 games of the NFL schedule to help give you an idea of whether this latest season will be one to forget or one to savour.

Game Week 1

Seattle Seahawks

Where? Lumen Field

When? Sunday 10th September 1.25PM PDT

The Rams begin their campaign on September 10 with a trip to Seattle to face Pete Carroll’s Seahawks who finished second in NFC West with a 9-8 record. According to the latest NFL week 1 odds, the Rams will face an uphill battle to get anything out of this game. The bookmakers have the Seahawks down as the -260 favourites and the Rams out at +215.

That doesn’t make good reading for Rams fans especially when you see how lowly the Seahawks fair in the outright Super Bowl odds but there’s every chance that the bookmakers have gone too far in their backing of Pete Carroll’s men for this matchup.

Whilst the Seahawks performed admirably in offense last season it was a completely different story at the other end of the field. They produced the 25th ranked scoring defense and the 26th unit in defensive EPA last season.

If Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are on their game there could be plenty of scoring opportunities for the Rams in this game.

Prediction: A high-scoring game which the Rams come out on top in.

 

(The Seahawks should not be underestimated this season.)

Game Week 2

San Francisco 49ers

Where? SoFi Stadium

When? Sunday 17th September 1.05PM PDT

If our prediction for the previous game is correct and the Rams win in Seattle they will go into this clash with a renewed feeling of confidence. Unfortunately they’ll need a whole lot more than confidence to beat a team that went 13-4 last season and finished 1st in NFC West.

At times last season the 49ers looked simply unstoppable and had it not been for injuries to key players at the wrong time, perhaps they may have performed better in the playoffs. This time around there seems to be an air of steely confidence in San Francisco and that could prove too much for Sean McVay’s Rams in this game.

Prediction: Comprehensive victory for the 49ers

Game Week 3

Cincinnati Bengals

Where? Paycor Stadium

When? Monday 25th September 5.15PM PDT

 

Things don’t get any easier for the Rams with a visit to Cincinnati following up that home game against the 49ers. Picking out a clear weakness in this Bengals team is difficult, last season their defense and offense both finished inside the top 10 in terms of efficiency and ahead of this season, they look even better.

In Burrows they have perhaps the second best quarterback in the league, which combined with their catching talent makes them a constant danger, one that the Rams will more than likely prove incapable of stopping.

Prediction: Heavy loss

(The Bengals have on offense capable of blowing the Rams away.)

Game Week 4

Indianapolis Colts

Where? Lucas Oil Stadium

When? Sunday 1st October 10.00AM PDT

Respite comes in the form of a trip to Indianapolis to face a side who went 4-12-1 last season and finished 3rdin AFC South. On paper this seems like a real chance for the Rams to get a win, but at the time of writing, there is a serious feeling in Indianapolis that the Colts are building something special this offseason.

Recently drafted quarterback Anthony Richardson seems to possess all the raw talent needed to excel in the NFL but whether or not this game will come too early for him remains to be seen. If there’s any time to face the Colts it’s early in the season before they settle into a groove.

Prediction: Narrow Rams win.

 

Game Week 5

Philadelphia Eagles

Where? SoFi Stadium

When? Sunday 8th October 1.05PM PDT

Let’s hope that our predictions have been right up until this point and that the Rams go into this game with 2 wins to their name because this will be a bruising encounter for Rams fans and players alike.

The Eagles came up short at the final hurdle last season and will be coming into this latest campaign with a steely resolve to go one further. They have quality all over the field and in the dugout a coach with real tactical acumen.

Prediction: Comprehensive Eagles win.

 

 

(The Eagles are a wounded beast and could vent their fury on the Rams in this game.)