Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams can plot their course, and they did not even need to take the field against the Arizona Cardinals to figure most of it out.
The Rams lost the right to control their destiny and host their way to a potential Super Bowl berth. They did, however, get a big boost on Saturday before receiving further clarity on Sunday ahead of their own tilt.
All that is left for the Rams is to take care of their end of the bargain.
Rams Playoff Schedule Becomes Clearer
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on against the Atlanta Falcons.
McVay and the Rams already knew they would be on the road and had an idea of who they could face in the NFC Wild Card Round.
“Falcons win + Rams win = Rams travel to Panthers for Wild Card round,” TheRams.com’s Stu Jackson reported on X on January 3. “Saints win + Rams win = Rams travel to Bucs for Wild Card round.”
The Falcons won.
So, the Rams will visit the Panthers after defeating the Cardinals. The game is on Saturday, January 10, at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox, per the NFL. That is a challenging matchup, with the Panthers defeating the Rams in Week 13, giving LA three losses in their last five outings.
That is in addition to riding a two-game losing streak. There was another set of circumstances that would have triggered if the Rams lost, though. That included a potential trip to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.
The Eagles eliminated the Rams in the 2024 NFC Divisional playoffs.
Both teams are in very different positions than they were last season, when the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.
Still, the Rams set out to earn home-field advantage this season after dealing with the elements last season. The best way to do that would have been earning the No. 1 seed, but their slide did not stop there.
Now, the Rams need one of their fellow wildcard teams to pull off an upset to get a home game.
Rams Still Waiting on Other NFC Teams
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chicago Bears ended up in the No. 2 seed. But the Rams win means avoiding the Eagles. Still, McVay and the Rams will face a team they lost to earlier this season.
The Eagles have beaten the Rams in back-to-back seasons and the postseason, though. So, they were arguably the most daunting potential matchup for McVay’s crew. Instead, it will be the Rams at the Panthers next week.
Notably, the Rams were the No. 1 seed in the NFC just two weeks ago.
They found a rhythm in Week 18, and they will look to do so again in the Wild Card against the Panthers.
They struggled with that in the first meeting, setting up an opportunity for redemption. McVay said he was playing the Rams’ starters this week because they needed to play better. They will get an early test in the postseason.
Rams Playoff Schedule Update: LA Gets Valuable Clarity on Postseason