Rams first playoff opponent: scenarios

From https://theramswire.usatoday.com/lists/rams-playoffs-opponent-cowboys-lions-eagles-wild-card/?taid=65967396d6a6dd0001d4593c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Rams face Lions if…

Rams win + Lions win + Cowboys win
Rams lose + Cowboys lose + Eagles lose + Packers win + Lions win

The Lions are the Rams’ likeliest opponent in the first round of the playoffs, which sure is a fun storyline. Jared Goff vs. Sean McVay and his former team. Matthew Stafford against the team he spent 12 years with and never won a playoff game with. Lions GM Brad Holmes vs. the team he rose the ranks with.

The script writes itself and there isn’t a fan that wouldn’t love to see this matchup play out.

The Lions should be able to beat the Vikings, the Cowboys should take care of the Commanders and if the 49ers rest their starters, the Rams have a good shot to beat them. Regardless of what happens with the Packers and Eagles, the Rams and Lions would square off as the sixth and third seeds in the wild-card round.

Rams face Cowboys if…

Rams win + Lions win + Cowboys lose + Eagles lose
Rams lose + Cowboys win + Packers win
Rams lose + Eagles lose + Cowboys lose + Lions lose + Packers win

This is the second-most likely matchup for the Rams and it would make for another great battle between two teams that have developed a little bit of a rivalry in recent years. This game could take place as either a 3 vs. 6 seed or 2 vs. 7 because neither the Rams nor the Cowboys are locked into one seed.

If the Rams maintain the sixth seed and the Cowboys drop to No. 3 with a loss (and loss by the Eagles), Dallas would host L.A. in Round 1. It feels unlikely that both the Cowboys and Eagles would lose on Sunday, though.

The easiest way for this matchup to take place is if the Rams lose, the Cowboys win and the Packers win, thus setting up a 2 vs. 7 battle in Dallas.

Rams face Eagles if…

Rams lose + Cowboys lose + Lions lose + Eagles win + Packers win

There is a scenario where the Rams visit the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. In order for that to happen, the Rams would have to fall to the No. 7 seed and the Eagles would have to win the NFC East. If the Eagles win and the Cowboys lose, Philadelphia automatically becomes the No. 2 seed based on a tiebreaker over the Lions.

Therefore, Philadelphia can’t become the No. 3 seed, thus, the only way the Rams can face them is if they fall to No. 7 with a loss and Packers win. It’s unlikely, but it’s still a possibility.