Los Angeles Rams 2025 schedule: NFC West champs will play 4 prime-time games
Jourdan Rodrigue
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6353353/2025/05/14/los-angeles-rams-schedule-2025/?source=emp_shared_article
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NFL schedule release.
LOS ANGELES — The biggest post-draft news of the NFL offseason has finally landed (is it just me, or is the rollout for the league’s schedule release getting longer each year?).
The Rams will travel the second-most miles in the NFL in 2025 (34,832) in part due to their trip to London as the visiting team against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7. East Coast trips also include Baltimore (Week 6), Philadelphia (Week 3) and Carolina (Week 13).
Otherwise from a travel perspective, the Rams have a solid slate. The Detroit Lions have to come to Los Angeles instead of the Rams again playing at Ford Field (their most difficult road environment of late). Of their four prime-time games, three are on the West Coast (San Francisco at home in Week 5 on “Thursday Night Football”, Tampa Bay at home in Week 12 and at Seattle in Week 16 on TNF). Their final prime-time game in Atlanta in Week 17 will also tell the Rams about how high the 2026 first-round pick the Falcons traded them this spring will be, because it’s so late in the regular season.
Week 1 keys to victory
Against the Texans in Week 1, the Rams’ young defensive line will have an opportunity to open the year with a statement against Houston’s reconstructed offensive line. They’ll also have to deal with running back Joe Mixon, so it’ll be a good initial test for run-stopping free-agent addition Poona Ford at defensive tackle.
This opener is a reunion between head coach Sean McVay and now-Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who was the Rams’ tight ends coach in 2023-24.
Must-watch game: at Philadelphia Eagles, Week 3
There is no shortage of bitterness on the Rams’ side about how their last matchup ended in the 2024 divisional round.
Toughest stretch: Weeks 14-16
The Rams will likely once again be in the mix in a tough NFC race toward the postseason. The Cardinals, Lions and Seahawks will all be physical, competitive games and winning all three or a combination of the three can set them up with an edge heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
Game that has gotten tougher: home and at Seahawks, Weeks 11 and 16
If former Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp can stay healthy in the back stretch of the season, when both matchups are played between the NFC West foes, he’ll probably bring it against his former longtime team. Elsewhere, Seattle’s defense got better as time passed last year and should be a fierce group in 2025.
One game the Rams can’t afford to lose: vs. Detroit, Week 15
The Matthew Stafford/Jared Goff swap of 2021 unintentionally set up one of the more fun modern rivalries in the NFC between the Rams and the Lions. The Rams have most recently lost two heartbreakers in Detroit between the wild-card game at the end of the 2023 season and the overtime loss in the season opener in 2024.
Best offense the Rams will face: Eagles, Week 3
Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia offense ran all over the young Rams defensive line last season, even setting single-game rushing records in the process. The Rams believe they’ve fixed their run defense — and this contest will be an early chance to prove it.
Best defense the Rams will face: Eagles, Week 3
The Eagles were the bona fide most complete roster and best team in football last season on both sides of the ball — and even though the Rams’ offense produced against them in the divisional round, Vic Fangio’s group will always be among the toughest matchups in the league and will have new wrinkles in his second season as defensive coordinator.
Predicted record: 12-5
This is a better football team after nailing two consecutive draft classes and plugging around those ascending young starters with a top quarterback in Stafford, and small but important fixes elsewhere such as along the defensive line.
Predicted NFC West finish: First
1. Rams
2. 49ers
3. Cardinals
4. Seahawks
The Rams’ resume from their deep 2024 postseason run and first-place finish earns them this spot — the other three teams will simply have to prove they are better in 2025. Plus, L.A. improved its roster in key areas such as continuity along the offensive line, at tight end, receiver, interior defensive line and inside linebacker and were able to retain Stafford for at least one more season. In order: Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks. Seattle did make some moves to improve its offensive line but the book is out on how to pressure quarterback Sam Darnold and I am skeptical they’ve done enough to protect him. I loved Arizona’s offseason plan and think the defense is poised to break out, but they have fizzled out about midseason in recent years — and I’ll never bet against Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers as being better than expected, especially after the Rams themselves set the offseason “sprint rebuild” blueprint the 49ers are now following.
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