Rams' Rival Predicted To Fall off Next Year

The Los Angeles Rams won the NFC West last year, but that didn't come without drama. The Rams started off the season slowly, which allowed their division rivals to fill in the vacancy as the best team in the division.

However, everyone in the NFC West started off slow, every team but the Seattle Seahawks. Early on, they established a dominant lead over the rest of their divisional rivals, and for the majority of the year, it looked like they were going to win the division and host a playoff game.

Yet, the Rams refused to give up, and they started to gain momentum late in the season, and after having a sizable lead against their rivals, the Seahawks' grasp on winning the NFC West began to slip. Ultimately, it was the Rams who ended up winning the division and a ticket into the playoffs, but the Seahawks were right there with a record of 10 - 7.

Despite finishing with the same record, the Rams won the tiebreaker due to their strength of schedule being higher than that of the Seahawks. The NFC West was messy last year and oftentimes looked like the worst division in football, but in 2025, the landscape of the NFC West looks like it's changing.

The Rams are hoping that they'll be able to win their division in back-to-back years, as the expectations in Los Angeles are for them to win a championship. However, the San Francisco 49ers were devastated by injuries, and if they can stay healthy for longer, they're definitely a threat to the Rams.

The Arizona Cardinals will also be dangerous for the Rams, as Marvin Harrison Jr. is entering his second year in the league, and if he starts to get comfortable and more active on offense, the Rams' lack of a star cornerback could come back and cost them.

The Seahawks are the team with the most differences from last season, as they traded away their starting quarterback and wide receiver. Sports Illustrated's very own Gilberto Manzano predicted every NFC team's record after the schedules were officially released, and he predicts the Seahawks will see a major decline in their success.

"The Seahawks flipped their roster heading into Year 2 with coach Mike Macdonald. However, they took a risk signing Darnold and Cooper Kupp after trading Geno Smith and DK Metcalf. Seattle starts against divisional foe San Francisco before a potential revenge game from Metcalf in Pittsburgh. Darnold will face his former team in Week 13, when the Seahawks host the Vikings".

The Rams are on the rise next season, and their fiercest competitor for the division, falling off a cliff statistically, would help. Their starting quarterback is now Sam Darnold, and if Jared Verse and the rest of the Rams defense could deal with him as they did in the playoffs, they should be more than fine in the NFC West.