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 Have To Take Advantage of a Wide-Open NFC West

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 8:00 AM ET

If it weren't for the Arizona Cardinals, the NFC West would be he most competitive division in the NFL. Even taking into account the Cardinals' 2 - 5 record, all of their losses have been one score or less. They're a feisty team, but for one reason or another, they can't seem to put it all together.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers are all in a three-way tie for who will control the division. They all share a 5 - 2 record, and if the Rams want to distance themselves from their division rivals, they have to improve their in-division record. They're currently 0 - 1, with their next divisional game being on the road against the 49ers.

NFL's Top 10 Teams

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bucky Brooks is an NFL reporter as well as a sports writer for FOX Sports, and he updated his weekly top ten rankings reflecting how week 7 panned out. The Rams are back on the list after being left out last week, and they have an opportunity to continue to climb when they come back from their bye week.

"The Rams take care of business like champions under Sean McVay. Despite dealing with injuries and less-than-ideal circumstances, the team always plays its best football when it matters most. With few teams capable of matching the Rams’ toughness and tactics, expect the team from Hollywood to make a deep playoff run at season’s end", said Brooks.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Super Bowl or bust were always the expectations for the 2025 Rams. They went all in before the season started, and it's paying off and then some. The thing they may not have accounted for was how cutthroat their division is, and the obstacle they will have to scale if they want to become consecutive NFC West champions and have home-field advantage during the playoffs.

The 49ers have the easiest schedule in the NFL, and Sam Darnold's career resurgence is back and better than ever with the Seahawks. After the Rams come back from their bye week, the landscape may have shifted, but that can't discourage them.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Their next opponent is the New Orleans Saints, which is a game they cannot lose if they want to keep up with their competition. They did a good job handling the Jacksonville Jaguars in London; they can't let their momentum dissipate because of their bye week.

Ensure you follow us on X (Twitter) @RamsInsideronSI and @BrockVierra for all Rams content.

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

More must-reads: