The Los Angeles Rams looked better during this week’s 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders than they did in the previous game’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but one victory against a team on a four-game losing streak isn’t enough to prove that Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are all the way back. The Rams are entering a three-game stretch on their schedule in which their next three opponents have a combined record of 3-15-1, and L.A. needs to sweep them — 0-6 Chargers, 1-4-1 Commanders, 2-5 Cardinals — if
they want any chance of making a strong playoff push after their bye week.
Should the L.A. Rams lose to either the Chargers or Commanders before the November 10 trade deadline however, then Les Snead must consider if his roster is better served as a fire sale to recoup 2027 draft picks than as a contender hoping to sneak into the playoffs as a wild card.
The schedule gets significantly harder after November, so if the Rams can’t beat the Chargers and Commanders, who can they beat?
Rams playoff standings
The Rams are 3-4 and just one game behind the 4-3 Packers for the final spot in the NFC playoffs standings as of Monday. L.A. is also behind the Seattle Seahawks (beat the Chiefs) and Atlanta Falcons (beat the 49ers) in the standings, both of whom are 4-3.
So the climb isn’t just one up, it’s climbing over other teams too. The Rams will have their direct chance at beating the Seahawks in Week 16 and Week 18, but both teams have to still be in the playoff hunt by then, which isn’t necessarily something that’s clearly going to be the case.
And if the Rams lose to the 0-6 Chargers this week, what business do they have projecting themselves as Super Bowl contenders? It’s not just being 3-5 that would hurt, it’s the fact that L.A. has also lost to a team like Arizona already.
Even in beating the Raiders, the Rams proved that they have work left to do defensively. The Raiders have three wins, but those came against the Dolphins, Chargers, and Saints; Three teams with a combined record of 3-16.
Now the last thing that McVay needs on his record is being the first team that loses to the Chargers this season. Especially at a stadium that the other team pays $1 in rent to the Rams to play in.
The other L.A. team is so desperate for a win that they’ll do just about anything to upset the Rams this week, and the Chargers are coming off of their bye week, giving them an extra week to prepare and rest for what may as well be their “Super Bowl” of 2026.
Both teams really need this win
The Rams can’t afford a loss to the Chargers, otherwise they should seriously consider putting all of their stars on the trade block and hoping to recoup the first-round pick they gave up for Myles Garrett, and more.
If the Rams drop to 3-5 by losing to a winless team, is it rational to think that they can go 8-1 or 9-0 the rest of the way against that remaining schedule for the respectable record they need? Or should they be looking at Stafford, Puka Nacua, even Garrett himself, and say “We should try to get first-round picks for next year”?
Many people on the Chargers can’t afford to lose either.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has been largely blamed for L.A.’s offensive woes and could be fired after this week if the Chargers lose to the Rams. Justin Herbert is spinning out with eight interceptions this season already. Jim Harbaugh’s entire reputation as a good head coach is being questioned. General manager Joe Hortiz knows he could be the next GM fired after seeing what happened to Chris Ballard.
A win over the Rams would do a lot for everyone on the Chargers, especially now that they know how badly the Rams also need it.
So it may seem like 3-4 vs. 0-6, but to these teams it may as well be 6-0 vs 6-0. It’s a must-win matchup for both sides…but still only the first of many must-win matchups for the Rams.
