The NFL has announced its preseason schedule, and the Rams will have a strong slate of opponents for the four exhibition contests.
Playing the AFC West during the regular season, Los Angeles doubled up with only one Pacific time zone team for its preseason slate. The Rams will travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens in Week 1, square off against the Raiders at the Coliseum in Week 2, take on the Texans in Los Angeles for Week 3, then finish the preseason slate against the Saints in Louisiana.
Los Angeles will also face Oakland and New Orleans during the regular season. Last year, the Rams only faced one preseason opponent in the regular season in the Cowboys.
All games may be seen on KCBS and Univision/UniMas, and may be heard across the Rams Radio Network on ESPN LA 710 AM plus the simulcast on 93.1 JACK FM.
Week 1 – at Ravens
Los Angeles will make a cross-country trip for the first week of the preseason, taking on a Ravens team that finished 9-7 in 2017.
The Rams and Ravens have played six regular-season games since Baltimore’s inception in 1996. The two teams last met in 2015 in Maryland, which the Ravens won 16-13. The two franchises will play in the regular season once again in 2019, with Baltimore making its first trip to Los Angeles.
Week 2 – vs. Raiders
This will be the second year in a row Los Angeles will take on Oakland in Week 2 of the preseason — this time in L.A. This will mark the first time since 1979 that the Rams have played the Raiders as the home team at the L.A. Coliseum. The Rams and Raiders last played a regular-season game at the Coliseum in November of 1994, with the Raiders as the home team.
Last year, the Rams defeated the Raiders 24-21 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in the second week of preseason play. Quarterback Sean Mannion
hit wide receiver Josh Reynolds with a 20-yard touchdown pass with just 1:16 left in the fourth quarter to take the lead.
Week 3 – vs. Texans
Houston will make the trek to Southern California for the third exhibition contest — often thought of as the most important of the preseason.
The Rams and Texans have faced one another only four times in the regular season since Houston’s first season in 2002. Los Angeles beat the Texans 33-7 at the Coliseum last season, with wide receiver Robert Woods catching a memorable 94-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
Week 4 – at Saints
Los Angeles will have another cross-country flight for the final preseason contest, when the club will take on New Orleans.
This will be the first of (at least) two visits to the Big Easy the Rams will make in 2018, as the club will take on the Saints in New Orleans during the regular season. It will also mark the third consecutive year L.A. has played the Saints.
As former division rivals, the Saints and Rams have a rich regular-season history, with the Rams holding a 41-32 record. Los Angeles beat New Orleans 26-20 at the Coliseum in 2017, with quarterback Jared Goff just missing a career high with 354 yards passing. Running back Todd Gurley also picked up 128 yards from scrimmage in the victory.
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