Rams Set to Play in Several Anticipated Matchups

The Los Angeles Rams made many improvements to their roster in the offseason, which is why their stock is rising heading into next season. Naturally, they turned themselves into one of the biggest competitors in the NFC, which means their games would get more attention than usual.

I've already covered their biggest strengths and weaknesses in their schedule, and one game the Rams have circled on their calendar, but that doesn't mean the discussion surrounding their schedule ends there.

Tyler Sullivan is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and in a recent article, he goes over every week of the upcoming NFL season and identifies what he believes to be the most exciting matchup every week. The Rams were featured twice, with their week five matchup against the San Francisco 49ers and their week 15 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

"Thursday Night Football" is the top game for Week 6 as we have an NFC West rivalry renewed. The Rams will host the 49ers, and the chess match between Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan will be worth the price of admission.

Judging how they took the eventual Super Bowl champs to the brink in the playoffs last year, Los Angeles looks poised to be a serious player in the NFC. Meanwhile, if San Francisco can stay healthy, it is also among the most talented rosters in the conference. This will be an early measuring stick game for these division rivals".

Their divisional rival benefited from a season where they were ravaged by injuries, because now their schedule reflects that of a team that only won six games, when in reality, they are still one of the most talented rosters in the entire NFL.

Having them meet up for the first time so early in the season will be a good indicator of whether the Rams are truly ready to compete for a Super Bowl. They swept the 49ers last year, but one of those games came down to the wire, and I expect this game to be the same way.

"As we enter the final full month of the regular season, these games between projected playoff opponents go up a level. Clubs are rounding into top form and continue to elbow one another for seeding. This matchup between Detroit and Los Angeles could be an NFC Championship preview and/or a slugfest as they try to earn a head-to-head tiebreaker for seeding purposes".

Seeing Matthew Stafford face off against his old team is always a treat, but with this game being so late in the season, this game could have massive effects on whether the Rams are able to secure the number one seed in the NFC.

Other than the Philadelphia Eagles, the Detroit Lions are some of their biggest competition in the NFC. Both of these games will be big benchmarks to see how much this Rams team has progressed, and if they fail to come out on top, then they were never ready to compete with the contenders in the NFL.