If Super Bowl rings were handed out in the summer before a punt was kicked, there would have been a strong argument to hand them out to the LA Rams. It was widely agreed that the Rams ‘won’ the preseason, strengthening an already strong hand with the acquisition of Myles Garrett, considered by many to be the strongest defensive player in the NFL. Things got even better when the Rams announced that Aaron Donald was unretiring, rejoining the Rams after a two-season hiatus.
With Donald and Garrett, the Rams boasted two players with five NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards between them. Add that to the fact that they had the reigning MVP, Matthew Stafford, as well as receiving corps talent like Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, and this felt like a super team. Sportsbooks agreed, making the Rams firm favorites to win the Super Bowl – well ahead of the pack.
Rams odds have been lengthened
That’s changed after less than a third of the season has been completed, with the current NFL odds putting the Rams’ divisional rivals, the 49ers, as the new favorites. The 49ers battered the Rams in the opening week, though there was some sense of giving the Rams an excuse, as the game was played in Australia and the team’s management made the decision to arrive there mere hours before the game was played; the 49ers had spent a week Down Under, getting over the jet lag.
More pain would come for the Rams, losing to both the Broncos and Bills, both of whom are considered contenders for the playoffs and beyond. A couple of wins were picked up against the Giants and Eagles, but the hard truth was that the big preseason favorites had a losing record after five games, losing to three rivals for the Super Bowl, into the bargain.
Injuries and form questions for defensive duo
There are other issues: The big story in preseason was the arrival of Garrett, but he currently finds himself on the injured list. Donald’s preparation to return to the NFL has also not gone as smoothly as Rams fans would have liked. Neither should be written off, but the dream pairing of two of the best defensive players the league has seen this century has not borne the fruit that everyone expected.
And yet, sportsbooks have been tentative in reducing the Rams’ odds. There seems to be a general sense that the parts are there, and even that the Rams have been unlucky. Certainly, the overtime loss against the Bills – arguably joining the 49ers as the most impressive team overall in the league this season – could have gone either way. As mentioned, we can put down the big loss in Australia as bad preparation. The loss to the Broncos, too, was a narrow one. The Rams had the lead for most of the game.
It is far, far too soon to write the Rams off, but it definitely serves as a reminder not to make assumptions in August and September. Indeed, it’s also a reminder that, statistically speaking, the team tagged as the favorite for the Super Bowl at the start of the season rarely goes all the way. The Rams still have time to make amends, but and they may indeed become Super Bowl champions, but it isn’t going to be as simple as everyone initially thought.