The Los Angeles Rams’ loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday night was inexcusable and might’ve put their season and Super Bowl hopes in jeopardy.
If that’s too much of an overreaction just three games into the season, let me ask you this: Have the Rams resembled a contender at any point through the first three weeks? And beating up on a Giants squad playing a backup quarterback for much of the game doesn’t count!
After getting blown out by the 49ers in the season opener, this was the team’s chance to
find redemption and beat a talented, albeit highly flawed Broncos team. Instead of doing that, they allowed Denver to:
- Outscore them 30-10 in the second half, despite the Rams outgaining them by 225 yards.
- Become the first team in NFL history to rebound from a scoreless first half when down by double digits, and score over 30 points after halftime in back-to-back seasons.
- Let an inconsistent Bo Nix survive a mostly dreadful performance, only to have him orchestrate a miracle comeback sent straight from the football gods later.
Say what you want about the officiating — which was indeed pure crap — or injuries to key playmakers Terrance Ferguson and Jaylen Watson, the Rams blew it. Short-handed or not, it never should’ve gotten to that point whatsoever. But it did, and LA is now reaping what it sowed as it works to get back into the win column.
The Rams have certainly navigated slow starts and major injuries before, but this time it feels different. Puka Nacua has already missed more time in the first three weeks than he has all of last season. Myles Garrett, the team’s prized offseason acquisition, hasn’t played since the opener and might not play for a while longer.
Almost everything that could go wrong this season has, and we’re not even a quarter of the way through yet. It’s almost fair to wonder if the Rams squandered their best chance in 2025. LA did everything possible to return to the Super Bowl, including getting an MVP performance from Matthew Stafford, but it still wasn’t enough, as they fell short in the NFC Championship. They doubled down (and then some) this offseason to fix their trouble areas, and it might not be enough either.
The Rams are no longer the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite they were heading into the 2026 season. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, LA has now fallen behind the Bills, who have +650 odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, compared to the Rams’ +700. The Ravens are not too far behind with +950 odds.
In fact, Los Angeles has five teams currently in the top 10 of Super Bowl odds left on its schedule, including the Eagles, Bills, Chiefs, a rematch with the 49ers and two late-season matchups with the Seahawks. If that doesn’t turn your already nervous stomach in the slightest, you might want to check your pulse.
The Rams have plenty of work to do to get back into the good graces of fans and oddsmakers. Three games generally do not define an entire season.
The bad news is that LA has already used up too much of its margin for error. That can always change, as injured players return and the rest of the team finds its rhythm. However, after three games, the Rams don’t look anything like the title contender they were expected to be.
Until that changes, it’s fair to wonder whether Los Angeles is already in a fight to save a season they believed had a good chance of ending with another Super Bowl title.
