Rams 2018 regular season schedule

Best games of the 2018 schedule.

Rams are in a lot of them, including the best game of the year.

Link: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000926824/article/nfls-top-18-games-of-the-2018-season-the-mustsee-matchups

📲 Inside the #ScheduleRelease2018 call.#LARams pic.twitter.com/1Qxhpj9cR5

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 20, 2018

LOS ANGELES RAMS KICK OFF 2018 SEASON ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON SEPT. 10 AT OAKLAND RAIDERS

Rams to appear in a team-high five primetime games in 2018;

For tickets visit TheRams.com/Tickets

LOS ANGELES – The defending NFC West Champion Los Angeles Rams will be featured in five primetime games for the first time in the team’s history, beginning with a Week 1 matchup at the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football, the team announced today in conjunction with the release of their preseason and regular-season schedules.

“This is one of the most exciting times on the NFL calendar for both fans and teams with the start of the offseason program, schedule announcement and the draft,” Rams Head Coach SEAN MCVAY said. “We are looking forward to competing against this group of opponents and making our fans proud as we open with the Oakland Raiders on September 10.”

The Rams will be featured on Sunday Night Football twice this season, first in Week 7 at San Francisco and then again in Week 15 at home vs. the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. This marks the first time that the Rams will play in two Sunday Night Football games in a single season.

Los Angeles will also appear on Monday Night Football a second time in Week 11 for an international home game in Mexico City vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, as was previously announced. The Rams’ single-season high for Monday Night Football appearances is three games. L.A. will kick off FOX’s inaugural Thursday Night Football package, when the team hosts the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 on Sept. 27.

The Rams will open divisional play in Week 2 at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Last season, L.A. swept the Cardinals, a feat the team last achieved in 2012. The Rams will look to extend their winning streak at University of Phoenix Stadium to four games in their second faceoff against Arizona on Dec. 23.

In Week 3, the Los Angeles Chargers will travel cross-town to the Coliseum. The last time two Los Angeles teams played in the regular season was on Nov. 13, 1994 in a Week 11 matchup between the Rams and Raiders. Since returning to Los Angeles, the Rams and Chargers have only met in preseason action (2017).

L.A. will be on the road for three consecutive weeks beginning with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. In 2017, the Rams won their 10th game of the season in a dominating 42-7 road win over Seattle, marking the franchise’s first 10-win season since 2003. In last year’s road contest at CenturyLink, DT Aaron Donald set a new career high for single-game sacks with three, contributing to the team’s overall total of seven. In the ensuing week, L.A. will face off against the Denver Broncos for the first time since 2014. That year, the Rams defeated the reigning AFC champions, 22-7, and held the NFL’s third-ranked offense to one touchdown, ending Peyton Manning’s streak of 15 games with multiple touchdowns. K Greg Zuerlein helped seal the game for the Rams with five field goals, including two of 50-plus yards.

Upon returning to Southern California in Week 8, the Green Bay Packers will visit the Coliseum. During the teams’ last meeting (10/11/15), RB Todd Gurley rushed for a career-high 159 yards to add to his award-winning rookie season. Also in that game, the Rams defense tipped a pass that was intercepted by the franchise’s leading tackler James Laurinaitis, marking Packers QB Aaron Rodgers’ first interception at Lambeau Field since 2012.

For the third time in as many seasons, the Rams will face the New Orleans Saints in regular-season play on Nov. 4 in Week 9. Historically, the Rams have achieved significant offensive milestones against the Saints, including Willie Ellison’s franchise-leading 247 rushing yards in 1971 and Willie “Flipper” Anderson’s NFL record-setting performance of 336 receiving yards in 1989. His total yardage in that game remains an NFL record.

Before the Rams travel to Mexico, the Seahawks will head down the coast to the Coliseum on Nov. 11. Then following the team’s Week 12 bye, Los Angeles will play three of their final five games on the road, including back-to-back games against members of the NFC North (at Detroit-Week 13, at Chicago-Week 14). The Rams will close out the year at home against the San Francisco 49ers, for the second-consecutive season.

Fans interested in tickets should visit TheRams.com/Tickets. PRIMESPORT, the Official Gameday Experience and Fan Travel Partner of the Los Angeles Rams, has preferred home and away game packages for Rams fans. For more information, please visit PRIMESPORT.com

Five primetime games this season. That’s a good thing.

Rams 2018 Schedule Breakdown

Kristen Lago

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-2018-Schedule-Breakdown/b5477e25-a491-49c0-9f39-798dcd168de9

We’ve known who the Rams will be playing during the 2018 season since the start of the New Year in January. But now that the NFL has officially released its league-wide schedule, the dates and times of all 16 matchups have been finalized.

Let’s take a look at each of Los Angeles’ 16 games in order:

(2017 record, finish in standings). All times Pacific.

Week 1: at Oakland Raiders (6-10, 3rd Place in AFC West) | 7:20 p.m. | Monday Night Football

All-time record: 8-5-0 | Last matchup: Rams won 52-0 in Nov. 2014

Los Angeles will open up its season on the road for one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of 2018. The second of two Monday Night Football games in Week 1, the contest will feature a marquee battle between student and teacher. Rams head coach Sean McVay received his first NFL coaching position under the Raiders’ Jon Gruden in 2008, and the two have remained close ever since.

Week 2: vs. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, 3rd Place in NFC West) | 1:05 p.m.

All-time record: 39-38-2 | Last home matchup: Rams won 33-0 in Oct 2017

After a short flight north, the Rams will be back at the Coliseum to take on the division-rival Cardinals. It will be the first time McVay faces Arizona’s new head coach Steve Wilks and will also represent a chance for the Rams to take on the first of two former starting quarterbacks this season in Sam Bradford.

Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7, 2nd Place in AFC West) | 1:05 p.m.

All-time record: 6-5-0 | Last matchup: Chargers won 27-24 in Nov. 2014

In two years, these two clubs will share a new stadium, but this season it’s the Rams who will welcome the Chargers. The contest marks the first time in history that the clubs will match up as Los Angeles franchises.

Week 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings (13-3, 1st Place in NFC North) | 5:20 p.m. | Thursday Night Football

All-time record: 22-14-2 | Last matchup: Vikings won 24-7 in Nov. 2017

L.A. will welcome the defending NFC North Champions in Week 4 for one of several high-profile rematches. The Rams will be looking for their first win against the Vikings in five years. To do so, the club will have to contain Minnesota’s new starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom McVay coached in Washington between 2014-2016.

Week 5: at Seattle Seahawks (9-7, 2nd Place in the NFC West) | 1:25 p.m

All-time record: 23-17-0 | Last road matchup: Rams won 42-7 in Dec. 2017

Last season, Los Angeles had one of its best performances of the year at CenturyLink Field, en route to an NFC West title. But a win in Seattle never comes easily and should present a tough challenge to the club as it kicks off a three-game road stretch.

Week 6: at Denver Broncos (5-11, 4th Place in AFC West) | 1:05 p.m

All-time record: 8-5-0 | Last matchup: Rams won 22-7 in Nov. 2014

The Week 6 matchup will see the Rams return to the Mile High City for the first time since 2010. Not only will Los Angeles face another former quarterback in Case Keenum, but newly acquired cornerback Aqib Talib and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will also be taking on their former team.

Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers (6-10, 4th Place in NFC West) | 5:20 p.m. | Sunday Night Football

All-time record: 69-65-3 | Last road matchup: Rams won 41-39 in Sept. 2017

The Rams will play their first Sunday Night Football game since 2010 when they travel north to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers. The contest will feature two of the NFC’s brightest teams and two of the most promising, young quarterbacks in the league — Los Angeles’ Jared Goff and San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo. It’s the third year in a row L.A. will face S.F. in prime time at Levi’s Stadium.

Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers (7-9, 3rd Place in NFC North) | 1:25 p.m.

All-time record: 46-46-2 | Packers won 24-10 in Oct. 2015

The Rams will be back home in Week 8 to host two-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. It will be Green Bay’s first trip to the Coliseum to play the Rams since 1978. The contest will also feature a matchup of two former Cal quarterbacks in Goff and Rodgers.

Week 9: at New Orleans Saints (11-5, 1st Place in NFC South) | 1:25 p.m.

All-time record: 41-33-0 | Last matchup: Rams won 26-20 in Nov. 2017

On Nov. 4, L.A will travel to the Superdome to face the Saints in a rematch of one of the most exciting contests of 2017. The last time the Rams played in New Orleans, Goff made his first road start — tossing three touchdown passes in the first half.

Week 10: vs. Seattle Seahawks (9-7, 2nd Place in NFC West) | 1:25 p.m.

All-time record: 23-17-0 | Last matchup: Seahawks won 16-10 in Oct. 2017

The Rams will close out their season series against the Seahawks in Week 10, looking to avenge a close 16-10 loss at the Coliseum last year. Los Angeles is 1-1 against the Seahawks at the Coliseum since 2016.

Week 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6, 1st Place in AFC West) | 5:15 p.m. | Monday Night Football

All-time record 7-4-0 | Last matchup: Chiefs won 34-7 in Oct. 2014

For the third-straight year, the Rams will travel outside of the United States to host one their eight home games. This season, the club is going south to face off against the Chiefs in Mexico City. Cornerback Marcus Peters will take on the team that drafted him, while the Rams will face wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who spent the 2017 season in L.A.

Week 12: BYE

Week 13 at Detroit Lions (9-7, 2nd Place in NFC North) | 10:00 a.m

All-time record: 43-41-1 | Last matchup: Lions won 31-28 in Oct. 2016

After a week off, the L.A. will head to Detroit to take on the Lions. The Rams will be looking for their first win at Ford Field since 2009.

Week 14 at Chicago Bears (5-11, 4th Place in NFC North) | 10:00 a.m.

All-time record: 53-36-3 | Last matchup: Bears won 37-13 in Nov. 2015

The Rams will head back to the midwest for their Week 14 matchup with the Bears. Though the last four years have not been kind to Chicago — with four straight last place finishes in the division — new head coach Matt Nagy will be eager for a statement win against the reigning NFC West Champions.

Week 15 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, 1st Place in NFC East) | 5:20 p.m. | Sunday Night Football

All-time record: 21-19-0 | Last matchup: Eagles won 43-35 in Dec. 2017

Week 15’s contest against the Eagles has been highly regarded as one of the premier matchups of 2018, and is the Rams’ fifth prime-time game on their schedule. In last year’s December showdown, quarterback Nick Foles replaced Carson Wentz to lead the Eagles to a 43-35 victory. But Wentz is expected to back under center for the reigning Super Bowl Champions and will face a revamped Rams defense that features Peters, Talib, and Ndamukong Suh.

Week 15 at Arizona Cardinals (8-8, 3rd Place in NFC West) | 1:05 p.m.

All-time record: 39-38-2 | Last road matchup: Rams won 32-16 in Dec. 2017

The final road trip of the regular season will come in Week 15. The Rams have won the away matchup with the Cardinals in each of the last three seasons, including last year’s dominant performance.

Week 17 vs. San Francisco 49ers (6-10, 4th Place in NFC West) | 1:25 p.m.

All-time record: 69-65-3 | Last home matchup: 49ers won 34-13 in Dec. 2017

For the second-consecutive year, the Rams will close the regular season with a Northern California versus Southern California showdown against San Francisco. The final week is subject to flex scheduling, as the league will look to find the most compelling matchup for Sunday Night Football.

Ryan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje
At first glance, the Rams seem to get most of their most difficult games at home. Vikings, Chargers, Packers, Seahawks, Chiefs, and Eagles matchups are all at the Coliseum.

Road games against the Saints, Seahawks, Raiders, Broncos, and 49ers won’t be easy, but I’d take that over the opposite all day, every day.

Whoops, forgot that the KC game was in Mexico. But point still stands.

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Rams: @Seattle, @Denver, @SF, Packers, @New Orleans in consecutive weeks will be a good test.

Link: http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/38355/2018-los-angeles-rams-game-by-game-predictions

2018 Los Angeles Rams game-by-game predictions
t
The Los Angeles Rams will finally experience what it means to play a first-place schedule. They’ll play five prime-time games in 2018, all of them against teams that could wind up in the playoffs. But they’ll also travel very little in the first five weeks, giving them a real chance to get off to another good start. Here’s a look at how it could shake out for each game.

Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, at Oakland Raiders, 10:20 p.m. ET

This will be fun. Sean McVay will be facing off against his mentor, Jon Gruden, who will make his return to the Raiders — and to coaching — under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. McVay probably isn’t looking forward to facing an offensive mind he holds in such high regard. But his Rams are the better, more complete team. And they’ll once again get off on the right foot. Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET

The Cardinals are undergoing a pretty major transition period, with no Carson Palmer, no Tyrann Mathieu and no Bruce Arians. Look for the Rams’ menacing defensive line to get after a familiar face in Sam Bradford, who is coming off knee surgery. Record: 2-0

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET

This smells like a trap game. The buzz at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum should be electric for what will be the first regular-season Chargers-Rams game since the teams moved to L.A. The Chargers have the talent to compete for a division title this season, and they’ll get the better of the Rams in this one, even though they’ll be coming off a cross-country trip. Record: 2-1

Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 27, vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET

Here it is — the first signature win of the season. The Rams lost a tough one on the road against the Vikings last year and were badly looking forward to seeing them in the playoffs, confident that they would come out on top if given another chance. Kirk Cousins has since replaced Case Keenum, and the Vikings might be even better than the team that went to the NFC Championship Game last year. But the Rams will be ready. Record: 3-1

ADVERTISEMENT

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET

This isn’t the Seahawks the Rams are used to playing. Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson are still there, but so many of Seattle’s key defensive pieces are gone now. The last time the Rams played at CenturyLink Field, they all but clinched a division title with a 42-7 annihilation. They know they can win there, and they’ll do so again. Record: 4-1

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET

When Keenum faced his former team last year, he went 27-of-38 for 280 yards and a touchdown, constantly scrambling to keep plays extended. Now he’ll be steering a Broncos team that isn’t as good as last year’s Vikings, and facing a Rams defensive line that will make it a lot tougher for him to slither away. Welcome back, Wade Phillips and Aqib Talib. Record: 5-1

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET

It’s a small sample size, sure, but it seems as if Kyle Shanahan has a pretty good feel for McVay (or, perhaps more accurately, Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips). Shanahan’s 49ers gave the Rams all they could handle on Thursday Night Football last year, even though they were still so uncertain at quarterback. With Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm for the regular-season finale, they routed a Rams team that played mostly backups. Back at home, Shanahan will find a way to sneak past McVay’s starters in this one. Record: 5-2

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET

Here’s a fun matchup between two former Cal quarterbacks in Jared Goff and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers will be playing at the Coliseum for the first time since completing 23 consecutive passes during a dramatic loss to No. 1 USC in October 2004. Rodgers’ team, now the Packers, will come up short here once again. Record: 6-2

Full regular-season NFL schedule

The Eagles kick off the NFL season against the Falcons on Thursday, Sept. 6. View the complete week-by-week schedule here.

• Record predictions, analysis for all 32 teams
• More NFL coverage
• NFL draft news, analysis

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at New Orleans Saints, 4:25 p.m. ET

There’s a case to be made for the Saints being the NFC’s most complete team, now that Sean Payton and Drew Brees have a dynamic running game and a solid defense. One of the Rams’ most impressive wins last season came against the Saints. But this one will come at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which, you know, changes things. Record: 6-3

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET

The last time the Rams hosted the Seahawks, they outgained them by 134 yards and still lost. Not this time. Record: 7-3

Week 11: Monday, Nov. 19, vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET

This one will take place from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which is a whole lot closer than Twickenham Stadium in London. The Rams will be thrilled about that. Marcus Peters, the former Chiefs cornerback, will probably spend a lot of time covering Sammy Watkins, the former Rams wide receiver. When Peters isn’t covering him, it will be Talib. In other words: This will be a very tough test for second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Too tough. Record: 8-3

Week 12: Bye.

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m. ET

The Rams’ most impressive showing last season came off their bye week, when they beat the New York Giants 51-17. The Lions should offer a more difficult test, but the result will be the same. Record: 9-3

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET

Mitch Trubisky still has some growing to do. Facing Talib, Peters, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald is not the ideal way to go about it. The Bears still aren’t a very good team, and the Rams should win easily. Record: 10-3

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m. ET

Goff-Wentz, Part II. Carson Wentz injured his knee in last year’s game from the Coliseum, then Nick Foles — the eventual Super Bowl MVP — led his team to victory. Wentz will, hopefully, be fully healthy by the time these teams meet again. The Eagles are just as good, if not better. And they’ll prevail again in what should be another very close game. Record: 10-4

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET

Here’s one thing we learned about McVay’s Rams in 2017: They bounce back well from losses. They’ll do so again in a rout of the Cardinals, who could be at the bottom of the standings by this point. Record: 11-4

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET

If given another chance, one has to wonder if McVay would’ve handled the last week of last year’s regular season differently — if he would have played his starters a little bit more, or perhaps given them more practice time, so that they wouldn’t have come out as flat as they did in the ensuing playoff loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Regardless, this game could have serious ramifications. The 49ers could be that much better. Given that, McVay will get the best of Shanahan to split the season series. Record: 12-4

LMU93 sez:

A couple interesting notes in Rams history

Even with the bad years 1990-1998 and 2005-2016 the Rams are still in the top 8 all time in wins, playoff appearances and division titles.

Their all time win percentage is 19th at .498. If they go 10-6 or better they will get back to .500+ all time

The Rams will ruin my brother-in-law’s birthday when they beat the Vikings on September 27.

Glad to see so many games on national TV; means I can follow them so much more this year.

nittany ram wrote:

(giants was a “home” game but not played in l.a.)

Cards game in London was a home game. Not the Giants game.

Thanks for the correction. I went back and fixed it via edit. Fwiw I also added a bit to it.

by aeneas1

–