The Rams didn’t just lose in Week 1 - they dropped into a familiar early-season hole.
At 0-1, Los Angeles is already sitting at the bottom of the NFC West, and there’s no chance to erase that opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. But the bigger issue is the pattern. Since winning Super Bowl LVI, the Rams have gone 7-9 in September, which is a rough stretch for a team that still carries the expectations of a playoff regular.
The bigger picture doesn’t help much either. Over the last four seasons, the Rams are 37-31, and that run includes the ugly 5-12 season in 2022.
So the idea of “circling the wagons” isn’t new ground for this group. They’ve been here before.
Still, knowing how to bounce back and actually doing it are two different things. NFL momentum can disappear fast, and the Rams’ 2025 offense never really showed up in Week 1. If they don’t make meaningful adjustments, 0-2 is a very real possibility.
Even in a game that felt frustrating from start to finish, there were a few positives to grab onto. The offensive line didn’t allow a sack, even if the pass-blocking grades were lower than expected. Kobie Turner played well on defense, Puka Nacua delivered another solid outing on offense, and the players who struggled will be looking for a chance to clean things up.
The schedule also gives Los Angeles a real opening to reset. The Rams played on Thursday Night Football to open the season, then get back on prime time Monday night in Week 2. That 11-day gap functions almost like a bye, giving the team time to rest, recover, rehab, and regroup.
That matters now, because the Rams came out of Week 1 not just with a loss, but with a few players banged up enough to leave the game. The Week 2 injury report lists six players dealing with injuries, and safety Kamren Kinchens has been ruled out with a hamstring issue.
Extra days can make a difference when the injuries are strains, sprains, and bruises. The more time there is between games, the more time bodies have to heal.
The Giants will surely think they have a path after watching what the 49ers did, but that idea comes with obvious complications. This game is in Los Angeles, not on the road, and the Rams won’t be dealing with travel fatigue or jet lag.
And if New York has been studying the same tape, the Rams have been doing the same thing on their end. Their coaches have had plenty of time to review the film and install corrections.
Now it’s on Los Angeles to respond. Historically, this is a team that has shown it can regroup. With 11 days to reset, the Rams should be in position to play a much sharper game.
In Other News...
Rams Offense Looks Stuck Until Sean McVay Fixes One Problem
The Rams offense has plenty of room for adjustment, and the tight end group may be the clearest place to start. Los Angeles is carrying five tight ends on its 53-man roster, yet the position has barely been a factor, with the group combining for only four catches and 31 yards. For a Sean McVay offense that usually thrives on creating stress points and exploiting matchup problems, that kind of underuse stands out.
It becomes even harder to ignore when the Rams run into a defense like San Franciscos, where every small edge matters and tight ends can help tilt the field. The issue is not just production, but design, since the offense has not consistently used multiple-tight-end looks to make life easier elsewhere or force defenses into awkward choices. If McVay wants the unit to look more like itself, getting that part of the scheme moving feels like the next obvious step. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Already Have A Discipline Issue On The NFLs Radar
The NFLs first accountability list of the season arrived with a familiar reminder for teams trying to keep early September from getting away from them. Week 1 fines were handed out to 20 players for on-field violations ranging from unsportsmanlike conduct to unnecessary roughness and illegal hits on quarterbacks, a snapshot of how quickly discipline can become part of the league conversation even before the schedule settles in.
For the Rams, it is the kind of leaguewide report card worth watching closely because it sets the tone for how officials and the NFL office will judge borderline play moving forward. Around the league, Stefon Diggs was fined for illegal celebrations, Jahmyr Gibbs drew the largest penalty for helmet use during a play, and Javonte Williams was punished for taunting, all of it reinforcing how thin the line can be between aggression and a costly mistake. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Receiver Depth Is Suddenly A Real Concern Behind Davante Adams
The Rams spent most of the offseason treating wide receiver as a position that could wait, with CJ Daniels added in the draft and Tutu Atwell brought in via trade. But with Week 2 approaching, the picture looks a lot different, because Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington are both dealing with injuries and the room behind Davante Adams is suddenly looking thin.
It puts a sharper spotlight on a front office decision-making process that leaned toward future needs more than immediate insurance at receiver. It also makes the Atwell trade harder to evaluate in the moment, given how little he has contributed recently, and leaves Los Angeles with a real depth question right when the offense can least afford one. [Read more 🡒]