A playoff institution once again, the Rams played in what ultimately became a 1990s-style de facto Super Bowl. While this year's NFC championship went the Seahawks' way, before Seattle thrashed an overmatched Patriots team in Super Bowl LX, this Rams nucleus extended its season by a week for the second straight year.
Los Angeles' recent draft classes have done well to reopen the team's Sean McVay-era Super Bowl window, after a disastrous Super Bowl LVI title defense brought a speedbump. This offseason will bring a good problem of sorts for McVay and GM Les Snead, with a strong 2023 draft class now extension-eligible. Without a fifth-year option on any of those picks, the Rams have work to do with a batch of young players. Oh, and another Matthew Stafford negotiation. That will also carve out some space on the PFR pages.
Coaching/front office:
- Extended head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead
- Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur became Cardinals' head coach
- Promoted pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as OC replacement
- Hired Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator
- Senior offensive assistant Alex Van Pelt hired as Falcons' QBs coach
- Added Kliff Kingsbury as assistant head coach; Brian Johnson hired as senior offensive assistant
- Scheelhaase interviewed for Bills, Browns, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs, withdrew from Raiders search
- DC Chris Shula interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs
- Parted ways with DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant; Jimmy Lake named replacement
- Hired Robert Woods as assistant WRs coach, Brian Allen as assistant O-line coach
- Pleasant interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Raiders' DC jobs
- Assistant general manager John McKay interviewed for Dolphins' GM job
Few HC hires in NFL history have been as transformative as the Rams' 2017 McVay decision. The franchise had missed 12 straight playoff brackets, and the L.A. market was treated to a first-year dud as the Jeff Fisher era wrapped. McVay reinvigorated the relocated organization, and the Rams went 7-for-9 in postseason berths in the coach's 30s. This included three NFC championship game cameos, two Super Bowl berths and the franchise's first L.A. championship since 1951.
A great, but tough year for this team. Had they won that second Seattle game on their turf, could have had homefield and a bye throughout. That game was strange and the Rams left too many points off the board.
They still had their chances to win the NFC championship game but couldnt get it done. The Dark Side had no answers for this offense but won the shootout to win it all. Can the Rams get over the hump next year?