Los Angeles Rams are slowly becoming the favorites to win the NFC West

Heading into week four the Los Angeles Rams are 2-1 and sit atop the NFC West. While the season is young, the Rams may be turning into the division favorites.

Who would have expected this in week three of the 2017-2018 NFL season? Well, we did mention that the Rams may be in playoff contention at the time of their bye week, and three weeks in, that prediction holds up. While the path that we painted may not be directly in line with the path the team is undergoing, the Los Angeles Rams look pretty good heading into week four.

Los Angeles currently sits at 2-1 and leads the NFL in points and points per game. Los Angeles has put 107 points on the board, averaging 35.7 per game. This is eight points more than the Super Bowl defending champion New England Patriots. Unlike the Patriots, who have also allowed 95 points, the Rams have allowed just 75 points.

In fact, second-year quarterback Jared Goff is going toe-to-toe with Tom Brady through three weeks of the season. Brady has thrown for 1,092 yards for eight touchdowns with a 121.5 passer rating. Goff has thrown for 817 yards for five touchdowns with a 118.2 passer rating. Goff is third in the league this season in passer rating, trailing just Brady and Alex Smith (132.7).

Granted, the Rams have not played that great of teams. 87 of the team’s 107 points came in weeks one and three against the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers, two teams with shoddy defenses. In week two the Rams faced their most formidable opponent, the Washington Redskins, and lost 27-20.

Still, losing 27-20 to a team that absolutely outmatched the Oakland Raiders in route to a 27-10 victory is some form of victory. Not to mention that the team’s 41-39 win against the 49ers may be a telling sign.

The Rams victory is a telling sign of the division; even if they almost issued the biggest collapse in Thursday Night Football history. Los Angeles head into the fourth with a 34-20 lead over San Francisco. If it wasn’t for a failed two-point conversion the Rams very well could have lost the game in overtime.

However, the team still put up 41 points against the 49ers. Who couldn’t put up 41 points against the 49ers? The Seattle Seahawks.

In week two the Seattle Seahawks clawed their way to an ugly 12-9 win over the 49ers. That is their only win of the season, as they lost to the Packers and Titans by a combined score of 50-36. While the Rams are yet to play teams of the same caliber of the Titans and Packers, the Seahawks’ week two game is the biggest takeaway.

More from Los Angeles Rams

Let’s face it, the Seahawks offensive line is terrible. While Russell Wilson has only been sacked seven times, he is constantly pressured and it is often his legs that bail the O-line out. Put a non-mobile quarterback in there, such as a Tom Brady, and the numbers would be far higher.

This is going to be a problem for Seattle as they match up against menacing defenses. Heck, the Rams could even have a field day with the likes of Aaron Donald and Alec Ogletree running down Russell Wilson. The Rams always give the Seahawks a headache and they easily can pull away with a victory at home in week five.

Seattle’s defense is still one of the best in the league and is far more talented than the Rams. In fact, Seattle as a whole is more talented than the young, inexperienced Rams roster. However, the Rams do not have a massive hole like the Seahawks. While the secondary is an issue, the so far high-profile offense has been bailing the team out.

Next: Sammy Watkins shares a belief with Kyrie Irving

So, while the Los Angeles Rams are likely still the second, maybe even the third, most talented team in the division, they are the most well-rounded. With youth on their side and a so far turned around Jared Goff, the Los Angeles Rams could very well be an 8-8 or 9-7 NFC West champion.

Home/Los Angeles Rams