The 2025 schedule for the Los Angeles Rams is now set in stone. These are the 18 regular season games that will determine whether LA will contend in the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
I have thoughts on the preseason overall, each game, and a record projection to follow at the end:
Preseason: Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns
These are the main storylines I’ll be watching over this year’s preseason:
Can Stetson Bennett make a jump in year three, and show he’s worth keeping around?
How will the offensive line depth shake out between Dylan McMahon, Justin Dedich, Willie Lampkin, and KT Leveston
Which EDGE rushers will stand out and win the battle to replace Michael Hoecht: Josaiah Stewart, Nick Hampton, Brennan Jackson, Keir Thomas?
Week 1: Sept. 7 vs. Houston Texans
This is an exciting Week 1 matchup for the Rams and the game will serve as a fine measuring stick from both Houston and LA.
The matchup I am most excited for will be the retooled (possibly worse than last year) Texans offensive line versus the Rams’ aggressive front of Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, and company.
Week 2: Sept. 14 at Tennessee Titans
Number one overall pick Cam Ward starts his rookie campaign against the Denver Broncos—maybe the NFL’s best defense—and then plays the Rams the following game. I don’t think there’s much of a chance the Titans leave their first two games better than 0-2, though moral victories can be had still.
Week 3: Sept. 21 at Philadelphia Eagles
There are few teams in the NFL that have Sean McVay’s number; however, the Eagles are certainly one of them.
McVay is 1-6 against Philadelphia and his lone win dates back to the 2020 season. The Rams have not beat the Eagles in the Matthew Stafford era.
But McVay has pulled out of this spot before. He had a rough stretch against the 49ers and has seemingly reversed the trend. Can he do the same versus Philly?
NFC Divisional Playoffs: Los Angeles Rams v Philadelphia Eagles Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Week 4: Sept. 28 vs. Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson gave the Rams all they could handle as a rookie by forcing overtime. Puka Nacua’s first career touchdown sealed the game for LA.
But Richardson is running out of time with the Colts and possibly the NFL. Will he start this game over Daniel Jones, and can he get his professional career back on track?
Week 5: Oct. 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers (TNF)
An early Thursday night football matchup against the 49ers reminds me of McVay and Kyle Shanahan’s first go-around in the NFL back in 2017. This remains one of my favorite games in recent Rams history, and this rematch under a similar setting could also be a fireworks-filled battle.
Will the 49ers bounce back in 2025?
Week 6: Oct. 12 at Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson owns the Rams’ defense. He single handily knocked LA out of the playoffs in 2019.
Can the Rams find a way to finally slow down Jackson? They’ll have extra time to game plan for this matchup.
Week 7: Oct. 19 at Jaguars (London)
James Gladstone is a chip off the Les Snead block, and time will tell whether his aggressive offseason has the Jacksonville Jaguars headed in the right direction. Not only are the Rams facing off with one of the architects of their roster, but they will also see former offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Will Coen get revenge after LA fired him following the 2022 season?
Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie Minicamp Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
Week 8: Bye week
This is a good time for the bye. Not too early and not too late.
Week 9: Nov. 2 vs. New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough faces the Rams after they’ve had the bye to prepare for him with the first half of his rookie season on film. That’s a tough situation to be in.
Week 10: Nov. 9 at 49ers
The Rams will get the 49ers out of the way early which could be fortunate or unfortunate depending how the NFC West standings are shaping up at this point. While most analysts see the 49ers bouncing back this year, their roster is aging at important load-bearing columns and Purdy took a major step back last season. I think we see San Francisco finish no better than third in the division with a surprise team moving up to second... more on that later.
Week 11: Nov. 16 vs. Seattle Seahawks
LA sees Sam Darnold for the first time in a Seahawks jersey. Seattle had one of the most interesting offseasons in all the NFL. This also marks Cooper Kupp’s first game as the opposition, assuming he’s still on the field this late into the year. Injuries are part of the reason why the Rams were forced into moving on from the veteran.
Week 12: Nov. 23 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This could be a marquee matchup into the back half of the season and a game I’m excited for. Baker Mayfield has no shortage of playmakers at his disposal, though he’s watched the revolving door spin in terms of his offensive coordinators. That’s simply the life you live when you hire a defensive head coach, and that’s not something I would want for my franchise quarterback.
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: Washington Commanders v Tampa Bay Buccaneers Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Week 13: Nov. 30 at Carolina Panthers
The Rams wanted to trade up for receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first 10 picks of the draft but found the move too costly. Instead he landed in Carolina and will be on the opposing sideline for this matchup. This is a make or break year for Bryce Young, though he could still be a long-term option for the Rams at quarterback as they start to eye the future of the position after Matthew Stafford.
Week 14: Dec. 7 at Arizona Cardinals
I teased this earlier and I’ll come out with it now: the Cardinals have improved their roster drastically over the last three years and I think they are now the second-best team in the division. Kyler Murray’s ceiling is probably the best of any quarterback in the division, though he struggles mightily with consistency. When he’s on, he’s dangerous—as evidenced by his masterclass against LA early last year.
Week 15: Dec. 14 vs. Detroit Lions
Stafford and McVay haven’t beat the Lions since 2020 in Dan Campbell and Jared Goff’s first season in Detroit while the team was rebuilding from the bottom. The Lions seem more vulnerable this year after losing both of their coordinators, though they still have plenty of talent across the board.
This could be a key battle for the first seed in the NFC conference ahead of the postseason.
Week 16: Dec. 18 at Seahawks (TNF)
I think Seattle will be out of playoff contention at this point in the season, and we could see Mike MacDonald and John Schneider on the hot seat to finish the year. MacDonald fired his offensive coordinator after his first season and went with a retread in Klint Kubiak. I don’t like the trajectory MacDonald has the Seahawks on.
Week 17: Dec. 29 at Atlanta Falcons (MNF)
The Falcons’ prospects hinge entirely on how good second-year quarterback Michael Penix turns out to be. He started only three games last year and posted an elite Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade in the season finale against the Carolina Panthers. In that game he notched seven big-time throws without a turnover-worthy play.
I’m bought in, and that comes at the expense of the Rams who hold Atlanta’s first round pick in 2026.
Carolina Panthers v Atlanta Falcons Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Week 18: vs. Cardinals
While the Rams historically rest starters in the final week of the regular season, they may be forced into clinching the NFC West against a better than expected Cardinals team. Jonathan Gannon now has enough talent to work with on his defense, and they will be competitive as long as Murray and the offense continue their upward trajectory.
Record Prediction: 11-6
I think the Rams sweep the 49ers and Seahawks then split games with the Cardinals. They’ll drop late season contests against the Lions and Falcons. The back of the schedule is much tougher than the start, outside of the early matchup versus the Eagles.
Simply put, Stafford is too inconsistent for the Rams to be front runners for an entire season. Even when LA won the Super Bowl in 2021, Stafford was probably the sole reason for a brutal three-game midseason slide.
The veteran QB is still talented enough to go on a heater during the playoffs, which is a bet the Rams are willing to make. Can they get back to the Super Bowl for the third time under McVay?