Rams' Playoff Chances Just Got More Complicated After Thursday Night Football

The Los Angeles Rams have peaked at the right time, winning four straight games and improving to 9-6 for the season. They have taken the lead in the NFC West and have an 81% chance of winning the division and making the playoffs per ESPN's Football Power Index. Even though they have their destiny in their own hands, they will need some help if they want to clinch the postseason on Sunday.

After the Seahawks' ugly win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football, things got a little more complicated for the Rams. If they win their last two games against the Cardinals and the Seahawks, they are in. That is the easy part. For the rest, we will rely on theRams.com senior staff writer Stu Jackson.

As Jackson points out, the Rams still have a decent shot at clinching the division title in Week 17. They need to take care of business against the Cardinals on Saturday and will have to wait for some results on Sunday. The four out of the Bengals, Commanders, Bills, 49ers, Vikings, and the Browns will have to win this weekend for the Rams to guarantee the Strength of Victory tiebreaker over the 9-7 Seahawks.

That way even if the Rams lose to Seattle on the final week of the regular season, they would finish above them in the standings.

Out of those six teams, the Bengals, Bills, and Commanders are significant home favorites. The Vikings beating the Packers, the Browns winning against the Dolphins, and San Francisco upsetting the Lions seem less probable but still possible.

All of this may seem a little too complicated to track. The Rams would love to have an extra week of rest by clinching the playoffs in Week 17, but the fact that they control their own destiny is an excellent position to be in at this point in the season.

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