Zooey wrote:

The Rams don’t get a conventional Bye this year. As part of the “Let’s make the Rams’ schedule as difficult as possible” agenda, their Bye gets swallowed up with a Wednesday game, instead of having 4 more days “off.” The following week, they play on Thursday, and then they get what every Thursday team gets… a game Sunday next.

Yeah, the week after the bye is cut short. But they still get 9 days w/out a game. Then they get 9 more days between the 12/3 Chiefs game and the 12/13 SF game. so after ARZ on 11/15 they play 3 games in 28 days. Basically 3 9 day game weeks (with 1 day more).

10 Sun November 15 4:05PM ET @ Arizona Cardinals
11 Bye Week
12 Wed November 25 8:00PM ET Green Bay Packers
13 Thu December 3 8:15PM ET Kansas City Chiefs
14 Sun December 13 4:25PM ET @ San Francisco 49ers

And to be frank, outside of Arizona, their opponents in that stretch look pretty shabby….

…

Puka Nacua's ex-girlfriend makes new abuse claim as Rams await suspension verdict: 'What broke me' https://t.co/mJud2z8Wq1 pic.twitter.com/cREzbreFya

— New York Post (@nypost) September 1, 2026

How the 2026 Rams Measure Up to the 2021 Super Bowl Champions
With Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett in the mix, is this year’s team better than the one that beat the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI?

Gilberto Manzano

https://www.si.com/nfl/2021-or-2026-debating-which-rams-roster-is-better

I hesitated to call the 2026 Rams the most hyped preseason Super Bowl favorite since the 2007 Patriots because the Rams had a star-studded roster not that long ago that won it all.

I still stand by my words because the hype wasn’t the same for the 2021 Rams, who acquired Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller later in the season, and Jalen Ramsey had already been in L.A. a couple of seasons.

For this year’s Rams, the hype has been building since they lost a thriller to the Seahawks in the NFC championship game. In case you forgot, which is understandable, considering all the moves the Rams have made since then, they opened the offseason by trading for Trent McDuffie in March. That was followed by the splash signing of Jaylen Watson, the blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett and now the return of Aaron Donald after a two-year retirement.
But now I’m thinking more about what I wrote in June. While the hype wasn’t the same in 2021, the star power might have been as bright when comparing the two rosters. So, here’s the question many football fans are thinking: Is this year’s Rams roster better than the one that won Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals?

I decided to examine both rosters to settle the debate. But before we do, here are some fun facts about the two rosters. Six players remain from the team that won it all in 2021 (it was only four a few days ago): Donald, Matthew Stafford, Coleman Shelton, Alaric Jackson, Tyler Higbee and Tutu Atwell, whose return to L.A. didn’t generate as much attention.

Keep in mind that Higbee and Atwell weren’t on the Super Bowl roster due to injury. For this exercise, I’m going only to compare the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI active roster and this year’s initial 53-man roster.

One more fact: Brian Allen and Robert Woods played for the Rams in 2021 and now are assistant coaches on the 2026 staff. (I should ask them which roster is better.)

All right, let’s settle the debate of which Rams roster is better.

Quarterback
2021: Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, Bryce Perkins

2026: Stafford, Stetson Bennett IV, Ty Simpson

Maybe it’s best to call it a draw when debating which version of Stafford is better. This year’s Stafford is coming off an MVP season, but the one who won the Super Bowl was five years younger.

Instead, let’s focus on the backups. Simpson was the No. 13 pick in April’s draft, and Bennett was a 2023 fourth-round selection who won two national titles at Georgia. Wolford and Perkins went undrafted, but Wolford did start a playoff game in a very brief appearance. Draft status gets the edge here.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Running back
2021: Cam Akers, Sony Michel, Darrell Henderson Jr., Jake Funk, Buddy Howell

2026: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Ronnie Rivers

Akers was a reliable runner who brought physicality to the offense, but never quite played up to expectations as a 2020 second-round pick. The same can be said for Michel, a 2018 first-round pick of the Patriots.

Let’s put it this way: Akers, Michel and Henderson never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season nor had 10 rushing touchdowns in a season. Williams has accomplished both in three consecutive seasons.

Williams needs more respect for what he’s done for the Rams, but there’s a chance he loses touches to the talented Corum this season.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Wide receiver
2021: Odell Beckham Jr., Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Brandon Powell

2026: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell, CJ Daniels, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, Jordan Whittington

Now, this is a spicy debate.

Beckham and Adams both fit the description of former No. 1 receivers in the twilight of their careers. (Beckham now has a new description as a grizzled veteran who fought his way back onto an NFL roster after two seasons away.)

From the two groups, Kupp might be the top receiver based on what he did in 2021 as a triple crown winner. Still, Nacua is an elite playmaker and a handful for opposing defenses.

I’ll side with this year’s Rams due to their depth. Keep an eye on Daniels and Mumpfield this year. I would have given the 2021 Rams the edge here had Woods stayed healthy and been available for the Super Bowl.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Tight end
2021: Kendall Blanton, Brycen Hopkins

2026: Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Max Klare

Even if the 2021 Rams had Higbee, who got injured that season, this still wouldn’t have been a close race. It’s rare for a team to have this much depth at tight end.

Parkinson is an excellent blocker who emerged as a reliable pass catcher last season, with a career-high 43 receptions for 408 yards and eight touchdowns. You can say the same for Higbee and Allen.

As for Ferguson, he could be a breakout star based on his upside in the passing game. The 2025 second-round pick still needs to improve as a blocker, but he won’t be asked to do much of that as a hybrid playmaker who can also line up at wide receiver.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Offensive line
2021: Brian Allen, Austin Corbett, Coleman Shelton, Alaric Jackson, Bobby Evans, Tremayne Anchrum Jr., David Edwards, Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein

2026: Jackson, Steve Avila, Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon Jr., Beaux Limmer, Dylan McMahon, Bill Murray, David Quessenberry

The Super Bowl winners get on the board here.

Whitworth was still viewed as one of the league’s best left tackles at the time, and Havenstein, who retired this offseason, was a longtime reliable right tackle. Quietly, Edwards has had a productive career as a standout starting guard for the Rams, Bills and now the Saints.

If there’s a weakness on this year’s Rams squad, it might be on the offensive line. A lot is riding on McClendon as the long-term answer to replace Havenstein, and Jackson could face a lengthy suspension due to his legal issues.

Advantage: 2021 Rams

Interior defensive line
2021: Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, Marquise Copeland, A’Shawn Robinson, Bobby Brown III, Michael Hoecht

2026: Donald, Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton

Part of me wants to give the 2021 Rams the edge because Donald was in the midst of his prime and we don’t know whether he’ll be the same this season after a two-year retirement.

Still, it’s hard to overlook how much the Rams have at this position. They don’t need Donald to play more than 50% of the snaps. This group can get by most of the season with Turner, Fiske and Ford.

The 2021 Rams needed all of Donald and didn’t have depth as a luxury.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Edge rusher
2021: Von Miller, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Chris Garrett, Terrell Lewis, Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins

2026: Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart, Wesley Bailey, Desjuan Johnson

Miller vs. Garrett is a good debate if we’re discussing which future Hall of Famer is better in their prime.

But Miller was in the back end of his prime when he was traded by the Broncos midway through the 2021 season. You could argue Miller had a rapid decline after leaving the Rams and signing a massive six-year, $120 million deal with the Bills in ’22.

With Garrett, it doesn’t seem his production is going to drastically fall off any time soon, especially after generating 23 sacks last year with the Browns. Additionally, this year’s Rams have plenty of depth with Stewart and Young, who had 12 sacks in 2025.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Inside linebacker
2021: Travin Howard, Ernest Jones IV, Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom

2026: Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Shaun Dolac, Grant Stuard

Maybe I’m trying to make this a fair fight by reaching for a win for the Rams of five years ago. But there’s not much to choose from here since the Rams have never really prioritized the inside linebacker position under GM Les Snead and coach Sean McVay.

However, Jones was an impactful rookie who had an impressive performance in the Super Bowl against the Bengals, with seven total tackles and one sack. L.A. would have been better off keeping him because Jones went on to become a starting linebacker for Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks. But with so much star power, the Rams couldn’t afford to prioritize every position. They did, however, find a gem in Landman last season.

Advantage: 2021 Rams

Cornerback
2021: Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, Dont’e Deayon, David Long Jr., Blake Countess, Grant Haley

2026: Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Josh Wallace

Here’s another close one. It’s star power vs. depth.

I’ll side with a prime Ramsey, who might have been the league’s best cornerback at the time. Ramsey shifted from inside to outside to defend that week’s No. 1 wide receiver.

Expect McDuffie to do the same this season. I’ll regret siding with the old Rams if Watson turns out to be a legitimate No. 2 option. He had his ups and downs in Kansas City.

Advantage: 2021 Rams

Safety
2021: Eric Weddle, Taylor Rapp, Terrell Burgess, Nick Scott, Jake Gervase

2026: Kam Curl, Kamren Kinchens, Quentin Lake, Jaylen McCollough

Once again, it’s numbers against notable names.

While the Rams’ current safeties group doesn’t have any big names, there’s plenty of talent with Curl and Lake, two defensive backs who got second contracts from the team this offseason. But Kinchens might be the best player from the bunch.

The Rams don’t win the Super Bowl if Weddle hadn’t come out of retirement that season. He knows exactly what Donald is about to face in his comeback season.

Advantage: 2026 Rams

Specialists

2021: Punter Johnny Hekker, kicker Matt Gay, long snapper Matthew Orzech

2026: Punter Ethan Evans, kicker Harrison Mevis, long snapper Joe Cardona

I still have several questions about the Rams’ special teams after how poorly this unit played last season in key situations.

It’s not a given that Mevis is the starting kicker all season. He joined the team halfway through the 2025 season to provide some stability at the position.

However, Gay was an accurate kicker, going 32-of-34 on his field-goal attempts in ’21. Hekker was a four-time first-team All-Pro and one of the best at his position for a decade-plus.

Advantage: 2021 Rams

Final score: 2026 Rams 7, 2021 Rams 4

from NFL execs rank NFC teams: Rams, Seahawks clear favorites.

Mike Sando

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7557099/2026/09/02/nfc-rankings-rams-seahawks-eagles-cowboys-bears/

With the NFL preseason finished, it’s time to check in with team executives to set expectations for the coming 2026 season one final time.

The six executives polled this week ranked teams 1-16 in each conference, under the condition of anonymity to allow them to speak freely. I also asked them to place each team into four buckets: Super Bowl contenders, division contenders, sub-.500 teams and likely top-10 pickers in the 2027 draft.

We start with the NFC, where the Seattle Seahawks are reigning champs, but the Los Angeles Rams are the strong betting favorite. One of the execs had the Chicago Bears atop his ballot, on the thinking that seasons rarely play out as expected. Teams are ranked below in median order, with average as a tiebreaker.

1. Los Angeles Rams
Votes: 2-1-1-1-1-2 | Avg: 1.3 | Median: 1 | Vegas wins: 11.5 (1st-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 6

All but two voters moved the Rams to the top of the NFC after an offseason that saw Los Angeles overhaul its defense with Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald and two cornerbacks from Kansas City.

“I think they are the best team in the NFC by far,” a former GM said. “Beyond all the defensive additions, Matthew Stafford is just surgical. So impressive.”

The Rams went 1-2 against Seattle last season largely because they finished those games with a -26.7 EPA differential on special teams.

“It is hard for me to go against Seattle being the top team in the NFC,” the voter putting the Seahawks atop the conference said. “Talent-wise, it is going to be really close.”

One other voter had the Bears first, partly on the theory that things tend to play out unexpectedly.

“I would say there is a clear gap (between the Rams and the rest of the NFC) with the return of Aaron Donald,” another voter said.

“I think Myles Garrett puts them over the top,” another exec said.

2. Seattle Seahawks
Votes: 1-2-3-2-2-6 | Avg: 2.7 | Median: 2 | Vegas wins: 10.5 (T-2nd-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 5 | Division contender: 1

The Seahawks have an unproven offensive coordinator (Brian Fleury) after Klint Kubiak’s departure to become the Raiders’ coach. They spent their offseason extending key players (Leonard Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon) while the Rams were adding big names from the outside. The cornerback situation remains a worry, and it’s unclear whether their top defensive chess piece, Nick Emmanwori, will be at his best physically following ankle surgery.

“It’s hard for me to see them continuing to get better now that they are a marked man,” one exec said. “A lot of people got paid. Is the hunger still there?”

The transition from hunter to hunted affects every Super Bowl winner.

“I don’t know about Super Bowl, but they are going to go deep in the playoffs,” another exec said. “I think them and the Packers are probably the next (NFC) teams after L.A.”

Voters trust Seattle’s defense while taking a wait-and-see approach with the offense.

“It is hard for me to think you’re not going to have some kind of dropoff going from Kubiak to Fleury, even if it is in the same schematic realm,” one voter said. “You lost Kubiak, you lost the Super Bowl MVP (Kenneth Walker III). I know you’re excited about Jadarian Price, but …”

3. Philadelphia Eagles
Votes: 3-4-5-3-3-4 | Avg: 3.7 | Median: 3.5 | Vegas wins: 10.5 (T-2nd-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 4 | Division contender: 2

With Seattle on “Hard Knocks” and the Rams making splash after splash this offseason, the Eagles are about as under the radar as can be. Reminder: Philly leads the league in regular-season victories over the past four seasons (50) while ranking second to Kansas City in postseason wins (six).

“They could go either way, to be quite honest,” one exec said of the Eagles, who finished 11-6 last season. “I think they will be better. The thing that was really good for them is a potential concern, and that is the receiver position and running back. Saquon (Barkley) did not have a great year. The offensive line health and age is a concern. They will still be formidable.”

Will A.J. Brown’s departure be addition by subtraction? One voter said the pressure’s on quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose relationship with Brown had grown cold and who will be playing in an overhauled offensive system under new coordinator Sean Mannion.

“It was hard for me to ding Philly even if the offense is unknown, even if they are taking a step back without A.J. Brown,” another exec said. “Vic Fangio and that defense is going to be top five. That O-line is going to be pretty good. It is still Saquon Barkley. Could they win 16-13 every week? Probably.”

4. Dallas Cowboys
Votes: 5-8-2-4-4-3 | Avg: 4.3 | Median: 4 | Vegas wins: 9.5 (T-6th-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 3 | Division contender: 3

All agree the Cowboys’ offense appears formidable. How much can the defense improve?

“Anything is better than what they did last year on defense,” the voter placing Dallas second in the NFC said. “They shocked the system by trading Micah Parsons, and I just think generally speaking, new coordinators on defense create variance.”

No team is seeking greater variance on defense from last season than the Cowboys, who ranked 32nd in EPA per play by a wide margin, per TruMedia. They replaced Matt Eberflus with first-time coordinator Christian Parker.

“Quinnen Williams is good, and they have a little more girth up front, so it should be better, but they’ve got some unknowns there too with coaches and philosophy,” the voter ranking Dallas eighth said.

The voter ranking Dallas fifth thought the Cowboys’ defense might outrank the Packers’ defense, notable in light of the Parsons trade last year.

“I like the coordinator,” this voter said of Parker. “He is going to help maximize what they have. The secondary is still not a strength, but they have an impressive front seven.”

Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown’s health is a key variable multiple voters highlighted.

“I have defensive concerns, for sure,” one said. “Do they have enough pass rush? How healthy is Overshown? How good are the corners? But they did address the interior with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, and I like Caleb Downs. They will be better up the middle.”

5. Chicago Bears
Votes: 4-7-6-7-5-1 | Avg: 5.0 | Median: 5.5 | Vegas wins: 9.5 (T-6th-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 2 | Division contender: 4

The one voter ranking Chicago atop the NFC said the Bears have an elite coach in Ben Johnson, a rising, super-talented quarterback in Caleb Williams and enough talent to take another step.

“I know all the regression stuff,” this voter said, alluding to the Bears’ ability to win seven games last season after trailing in the final two minutes. “The coach is really good, they have a really good ascending quarterback, the roster is super talented. They did all the right things in the offseason to fight the regression.”

The top three teams in the NFC North are tightly bunched in these rankings.

“I love the whole NFC North,” one voter said, “but the top three all have defensive concerns.”

New safety Coby Bryant’s season-ending knee injury hurts Chicago. The Bears still have uncertainty at left tackle.

“Can they win a playoff game again?” an exec asked. “Sure, but I guess that’s where I cap the Super Bowl contender of like, do I see them coming out of the NFC over the Rams? I can’t see it. Kyle (Shanahan), (Brock) Purdy and the Niners, they have been there, done that. Even Detroit, I trust.”

Another voter thought the Bears’ rise under Johnson last season painted a target on their backs heading into 2026.

“I’m going to double down on them,” the exec placing the Bears fourth in the NFC said. “They are not going to catch people by surprise this year, and the NFC North will be tough. I still think they’ll be OK.”

6. San Francisco 49ers
Votes: 7-6-4-5-8-5 | Avg: 5.8 | Median: 5.5 | Vegas wins: 10.5 (T-2nd-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 3 | Division contender: 3

There’s a gap between the 49ers’ Vegas win total (tied for second in the NFC) and where voters see them headed this season. Should there be?

“I think they are going to be just fine,” the voter ranking the 49ers fourth in the conference said. “Veteran team, not concerned. The quarterback (Brock Purdy) is really good. We forget, because he’s not this in-37-commercials guy.”

So much of the noise around the 49ers should be separate from what happens on the field, unless the injuries coach Kyle Shanahan suffered in a car accident limit him in any way. The science doesn’t support concerns over the electrical substation near their practice fields. Owner Jed York’s arrest shouldn’t be more than something to discuss in the locker room. The situation with Brandon Aiyuk is largely a social media fixation, while the 49ers imposter receiver has nothing to do with the product on the field.

This is still a team banking on some aging players with injury concerns.

“There is something missing with that group,” the voter ranking San Francisco sixth in the NFC said. “You can break down their personnel and come out with average in a lot of places. I would probably take Philly’s history over San Francisco. They are very similar to Detroit, but I think Detroit is probably first.”

7. Green Bay Packers
Votes: 6-3-9-8-6-8 | Avg: 6.7 | Median: 7 | Vegas wins: 9.5 (T-6th-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 1 | Division contender: 5

The Packers’ best players on both sides of the ball — tight end Tucker Kraft and pass rusher Micah Parsons — are rehabbing season-ending injuries. Kraft could see his snaps limited early in the season, while Parsons will miss at least the first four games. Throw in Josh Jacobs’ arrest on domestic-violence charges, and the buzz is subdued.

“Figuring out how to sort through the contenders came down to: Who do I trust?” one exec said. “I didn’t trust Green Bay’s O-line and Parsons’ injury and the run game with Josh Jacobs’ situation.”

The Packers finished 9-7-1 despite their injury situation last season.

“Jordan Love’s quietly become a really good Tier 2 quarterback, and he can do some top-level stuff,” one of the voters ranking the Packers sixth said. “And then I think you’re going to see the maturation of previous draft classes. They’ll get something out of (Matthew) Golden. I think they’ve had some good drafts.”

Much depends on Kraft and Parsons returning to health.

“I have concerns about their O-line, concerns about what they are doing at some of the skill positions, and we’ll see,” another exec said. “I’m not super high on them. It’s a tough division, tough schedule.”

The voter ranking Green Bay third did so because he thought Love was improving and could help the Packers take another step. This voter also didn’t like how the Packers’ defense finished and thought new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon could provide a boost.

8. Detroit Lions
Votes: 8-5-7-6-10-7 | Avg: 7.2 | Median: 7 | Vegas wins: 10.5 (T-2nd-NFC)

Tier votes: SB contender: 1 | Division contender: 4 | Sub-.500: 1

The voter projecting Detroit to finish 11th in the NFC last year was an outlier. He also came closer than anyone else in the rankings (the Lions finished ninth).

Others have come around entering 2026.

“They are teetering on the seesaw of whether they’re going to go into one of those two-year dips to restock the roster with draft picks,” said the voter ranking Detroit lowest.

Detroit’s Vegas win total ranks far higher than voters’ expectations here.

“Detroit, I just don’t know if they have all they need on defense to hold up,” another exec said. “Offensive line is still a concern for me with those guys, but I like what they have in place on that side of the ball. Defensively, I think it’s going to be a struggle to produce the style of play they need.”

Another voter drew parallels between the 49ers and Lions as teams that remain strong but have peaked.

“I questioned whether I could really have Dallas over San Francisco and Detroit, but I know what I’m getting with that (Cowboys) offense,” another exec said. “That is a top-five offense with continuity, while the Lions are breaking in a new OC, and the Niners are coming off all the injury woes.”