Los Angeles Rams on Pace to Top Buccaneers Super Bowl Rarity From Last Year
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did something last season that had never been accomplished in NFL history. They became the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium, and they won it. The Buccaneers had to win three road games in the playoffs to do it, but they were the first to win the title at home.
The Los Angeles Rams have built a team that can not only make this year's Super Bowl at their home stadium, but they can win it, too.
What's different this year? The Rams can win their division and possibly have the best record in the NFC, which would put their entire path to the Super Bowl at home in the friendly confines of SoFi Stadium.
This has never happened in the Super Bowl era.
The Rams have made smart draft choices and timely offseason trades and acquisitions to work their way to a 7-1 record this season. They are tied for the NFC West lead with the Arizona Cardinals, who handed the Rams their only loss this season. They'll meet again on December 13 in Arizona. The Rams will also have a shot at the Green Bay Packers, who are 7-1 and knocked off the Cardinals just last week.
The Rams will get the Packers later this month in Green Bay and the Tennessee Titans this Sunday night in Los Angeles. Other than that, and a looming Monday night game in Arizona, the schedule is quite navigable.
The Rams on Monday made a trade to get defensive star Von Miller to the squad for a pair of second-day draft picks next spring. The Rams already have a stout defense with Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and Jordan Fuller, so this should make them even tougher.
The team traded for quarterback Matt Stafford in the offseason, and he's having a career year with a slew of weapons that include Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Van Jefferson and Tyler Higbee at receiver and Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel at running back.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is still one of the best offensive linemen in the league. And kicker Matt Gay has been reliable, drilling 14 of his 15 field goal attempts so far this season.
The schedule also sets up nicely for the Rams, starting this Sunday night with the Tennessee Titans coming to SoFi—without star running back Derrick Henry, who's out indefinitely with a foot injury.
The Rams then have a Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers before a bye week. After a week of rest, the Rams travel to Green Bay for a game that could eventually determine the NFC's top seed.
They then get the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars at home before a huge Monday night game at the Cardinals that will likely determine the NFC West champion.
The Rams don't necessarily have to win their games at Green Bay and Arizona to capture the top seed in the NFC, but it would surely help, especially since they already have a head-to-head win over the Buccaneers this season.
The Rams have built a team that can probably navigate this schedule. Should they succeed, they'll have the easiest playoff road schedule in NFL history.
The 56th Super Bowl is scheduled for February 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
