Rams and playoff chances

Rams fighting for their playoff lives heading into Week 17
L.A. misses postseason with loss to Cardinals, Bears win over Packers

ERIC D. WILLIAMS

https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/la-rams-fighting-for-playoff-lives-heading-into-week-17

It didn’t have to come to this.

If the Los Angeles Rams had taken care of business two weeks ago against the previously winless New York Jets, they would already be in the postseason and looking at this Sunday’s contest as more of a seeding game.

However, after losing a second straight contest against the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams at 9-6 can finally punch their ticket to the postseason with a win over the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.

The Cardinals fell to the San Francisco 49ers 20-12 over the weekend, so they remain a game back of the Rams in the standings. It’s a must-win game for the Cardinals to reach the playoffs.

The Seahawks clinched their first NFC West division title since 2016 with a win over the Rams last weekend.

If the playoffs ended today, the Rams would be the No. 6 seed, traveling again to Seattle to face the No. 3 seed in the Seahawks.

NFC West division standings
Seahawks 11-4
Rams 9-6
Cardinals 8-7
Niners 6-9

The No. 1 overall seed remains up for grabs in the NFC, which helps the Rams.

L.A. also could get into the playoffs if the Chicago Bears (8-7) lose or tie at home to the Green Bay Packers, who have yet to lock-up the No. 1 overall seed and a bye in the first week of the postseason.

The Packers take the No. 1 seed with a win over the Bears or a loss by Seattle on the road against San Francisco.

So, the Packers have something to play for and that game will take place at the same time as the Rams host the Cardinals.

New Orleans clinches the No. 1 seed with a win over Carolina, along with a Green Bay loss and a Seattle win.

Seattle needs to defeat the Niners, along with losses by the Packers and Saints to gain the No. 1 seed.

Overall, it’s a surprising turn of events for a team like the Rams, that looked like a Super Bowl contender after throttling the New England Patriots in a nationally televised Thursday night contest in Week 14.

If the Rams lose to the Cardinals and the Bears defeat the Packers, the Rams will miss the postseason after having a 96.2% chance to make the playoffs in Week 16, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

NFC playoff seeding
1. Packers 12-3
2. Saints 11-4
3. Seahawks 11-4
4. Washington 6-9
5. Buccaneers 10-5
6. Rams 9-6
7. Bears 8-7

On the bubble
8. Cardinals 8-7
9. Cowboys 6-9