LOS ANGELES RAMS 2022 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

It was a monster offseason from its inception for the Los Angeles Rams as they completed a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Lions to add Matthew Stafford to the roster, replacing Jared Goff for the 2021 campaign.

Outside of upgrading the quarterback, head coach Sean McVay also had to replace Brandon Staley at defensive coordinator, who left to take over the Los Angeles Chargers. He tabbed Raheem Morris for that.

When the season started, that was pretty much the only moves they made, but general manager Les Snead and McVay always have their ears open. As such, they added first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer Von Miller to the defense in a trade, then grabbed Odell Beckham Jr. off the free agent market.

Those two moves, and the addition of Stafford, paid dividends in the only way that matters. At the end of the season, the Rams were Super Bowl LVI Champions and Stafford now boasted as many NFC and Super Bowl championships as Aaron Rodgers.

As triumphant a season as it was, the Rams still had to deal with some sorry luck. They lost star wideout Robert Woods at exactly the same time they added Beckham. Their offensive line shuffled all throughout the final weeks of the season, they had a COVID-19 outbreak and were swept in the regular season by the San Francisco 49ers.

They got revenge in the NFC Championship, knocking the Niners out to head to the big game, but played the Super Bowl with only their No. 3 tight end available, with no back up left tackle and without OBJ all through the second half.

For some reason, winning it all keeps an organization from dwelling on all that.

Stafford finished the season completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns and 17 picks. Sony Michel, now with the Miami Dolphins, led the team in rushing with 845 yards and four touchdowns. Cooper Kupp nabbed the NFL’s Triple Crown, an All Pro nod and was named Offensive Player of the Year after a 145 catch, 1,947 yard and 16 touchdown season. Van Jefferson had a career year himself, catching 50 balls for 802 yards and six TDs. OBJ, in his seven starts with the team, had 27 grabs for 305 yards and five touchdowns.

The defense ended the year No. 15 in points allowed and No. 17 in yards allowed. Aaron Donald led the Rams with 12.5 sacks for his seventh consecutive All Pro season. Leonard Floyd had 9.5 sacks on the year. Jalen Ramsey and Taylor Rapp finished tied with four picks on the year.

LOS ANGELENS RAMS

Last season: 12-5, NFC Champion, Super Bowl Champion

Odds: Over 10.5 wins (-115), Under 10.5 wins (-115)

2022 NFL Draft: Logan Bruss, OG, Wisconsin (Round 3), Cobie Durant, CB, South Carolina State (Round 4), Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame (Round 5), Quentin Lake, Safety, UCLA (Round 6), Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia (Round 6), Daniel Hardy, DE, Montana State (Round 7), Russ Yeast, Safety, Kansas State (Round 7), AJ Arcuri, OT, Michigan State (Round 7)

2022 Additions: Troy Hill, CB (trade), Bobby Wagner, ILB (free agent), Allen Robinson II, WR (free agent), Riley Dixon, Punter (free agent)

Projected Starters

Offense

QB: Matthew Stafford

RB: Cam Akers

WR: Cooper Kupp

WR: Allen Robinson II

WR: Van Jefferson

TE: Tyler Higbee

LT: Joe Noteboom

LG: David Edwards

C: Brian Allen

RG: Coleman Shelton

RT: Rob Havenstein

Defense

LDE: A’Shawn Robinson

NT: Greg Gaines

RDE: Aaron Donald

WLB: Leonard Floyd

LILB: Ernest Jones

RILB: Bobby Wagner

SLB: Justin Hollins

CB: Troy Hill

CB: Jalen Ramsey

SS: Jordan Fuller

FS: Nick Scott

Special Teams

PK: Matt Gay

P: Riley Dixon

PR: Brandon Powell

KR: Brandon Powell

PREVIEW

The attitude of “eff them picks” cost the Rams next to nothing this offseason. Literally, they did not make a selection in the draft until the third round, and while they were pumped that Wisconsin guard Logan Bruss was there, they are significantly less pumped after he tore his knee in the preseason. As for how many of these players will make an impact this season, it’s anyone’s guess.

The big moves for the defending champs were made in free agency. First, with the addition of Allen Robinson II and second with bringing over future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner from the Seahawks. Other than a punter and UDFAs, LA was quiet after that in player acquisition for good reason. Because the big fish for them is still out there.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Los Angeles have all but made it clear that he will rejoin the team when he’s healthy. For whatever salary cap mojo involved, the Rams have held off on making that official with a contract, but it’s probably only a matter of time.

Outside of that, this is pretty much the same team that hoisted the Vince Lombardi last year, so there’s no reason to believe they won’t compete for it again. The schedule will make it tough, especially playing the AFC West, but I believe the NFC West, on the whole, will be down this season.

Looking at the schedule, the opener hosting the Buffalo Bills is a monster, but Sean McVay and the Rams have never lost the first game of a season. He’s 5-0. After that, I can see a 6-0 start heading into the bye and 5-1 at worst. It’s the post bye schedule where things get tough, with a second match up against the 49ers, followed by a potential NFC Championship preview at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

You’ve got a resurgent New Orleans Saints team showing up two weeks later and then a potential Super Bowl preview at the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 27. All these two teams did the last time they played was score about 100 points. After legit prime time match ups against the Las Vegas Raiders and a Green Bay Packers team that continually has the Rams’ number, LA gets its shot against the Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos, something I’m sure the new Denver QB isn’t looking forward to. No QB in the NFL has been sacked more by Aaron Donald than Wilson.

The Rams pick up their 10^th home game of the season when they play as the road squad against the Los Angeles Chargers then finish up the year against the Seahawks. I suspect LA will have the chance to rest starters there, but it could be important for home field if the Packers and Bucs are keeping pace.

Final record prediction: 13-4

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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