After the Los Angeles Rams ripped off seven straight wins to start the season, they entered a difficult stretch of games against playoff contenders. From Week 8-11, they faced the Packers, Saints, Seahawks and Chiefs, all of which boasted elite-level quarterbacks.
Going 3-1 in that span of four games would have been satisfying and realistic, and that’s exactly what the Rams did. They only fell to the Saints in Week 9 before beating the Seahawks and Chiefs on Monday night, getting through that four-game gauntlet nearly unscathed.
Now, things get easier for the Rams – much, much easier.
As of now, they’ll face just one team that’s above .500 right now: the Chicago Bears in Week 14. Their other opponents are the 4-6 Lions, 4-6 Eagles, 2-8 Cardinals and 2-8 49ers. The Bears are legitimate playoff contenders, but even with their 7-3 record mixed in, the Rams have the easiest remaining schedule in the league.
It’s not just based on their opponents’ combined record, either. It’s also the easiest remaining schedule based on DVOA, which is a staple of Football Outsiders.
The Rams’ schedule hasn’t been a cakewalk by any means. They’ve faced the sixth-toughest slate of games to date, which includes wins over the Chargers, Vikings, Seahawks, Packers and Chiefs.
Given the ease of their remaining five games, the Rams have a legitimate chance to go 15-1.