Health Needs to be On the Side of the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have had a solid offseason following their NFL Playoff run last season. After starting poorly last year and fighting back to win the NFC West division, the Rams have added the necessary depth pieces to the positions that needed a boost.

However, they have a tall task ahead going into the 2025 campaign. While they were able to keep quarterback Matthew Stafford around for the foreseeable future, keeping him around does not mean that the Rams have a difficult stretch this season. The Rams can be successful, they'll just need to stay healthy.

The Rams' Bye Week comes in Week 8, which, in some sense, could work out for the franchise. However, the Rams have to take on the Philadelphia Eagles, division rival San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Ravens before they reach that point.

If the Rams can maintain a winning record before their bye week, they will be golden. But if any key contributor goes down to injury along the way, the chances of running back the division title seem a little more far-fetched.

With an aging Stafford, the chances of him getting injured are likely to increase. While they do have a strong offense that would flourish even without Stafford, it is no secret that he makes the team better. Losing a player like Stafford at some point to injury would be like losing the steering wheel; it would continue moving forward, but the direction is unknown.

Following their Bye Week, the latter half of the Rams' schedule becomes a tad more doable. However, getting into the dog days of the season can either make or break a franchise. With less rest and more weekly games, health will be a major concern to maintain all year long.

If history is set to repeat itself, the Rams won't have to worry about playing too much following their bye week. Last season, the bye week for the Rams came in Week 5. Following Week 5, the Rams collected nine wins to elevate them to the top. However, if they start this year as they did last year, it will be even more difficult for them to crawl back in the standings following a Week 8 bye.