Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams at a press conference after a NFL International Series game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why the Rams Are a Proven Contender

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Los Angeles Rams have been one of the best teams this season in the NFL. The Rams want to be the one holding the Super Bowl trophy when it is all said and done but we are far from that. But the Rams have proven so far this season that they are going to be a tough team to stop this season.

This offseason, they made that clear by all the moves they made, and by the way they have been playing this season, it is going to be hard to beat them, no matter what team they face.

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career, if not the best of his long career. He is not slowing down one bit. Star wide receiver Puka Nacua has emerged as a top wide receiver in the NFL and could be in the running for MVP alongside Stafford. And veteran wide receiver Davante Adams has been everything the Rams expected him to be when they signed him this offseason. Adams is making a huge difference for this team.

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You pair all these great players with one of the best head coaches in the NFL and the best play caller in the league, Sean McVay. You are going to get a top team. McVay has done a great job of designing a great game plan for all the stars they have, starting to find their rhythm.

Then you cannot forget about the Rams defense side of the ball. They are turning into one of the best defenses in the NFL. They will get after you all game long and give their offense a lot of chances to score points.

Rams Recent NFL Rankings

Neil Greenberg of The Washington Post put the Rams No. 2 as his top contenders going into Week 8.

Top contenders

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1. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
2. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)

The Rams’ record already looks strong at 5-2, but the efficiency data makes a louder argument. Through Week 7, Los Angeles leads the league in net yards per play and net success rate, meaning they gain more per snap and sustain drives more consistently than anyone else, while limiting opponents’ production at the same time.

Even with top receiver Puka Nacua sidelined, Sean McVay’s offense was explosive and balanced in Sunday’s blowout win over Jacksonville.

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The Rams average well above league-average yards per play differential — a sign of real dominance, not luck. Defensively, they pressure quarterbacks at one of the NFL’s highest rates and rank among the few teams posting positive differentials on both early- and late-down efficiency, something historically linked with Super Bowl-caliber teams.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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