The Los Angeles Rams just got absolutely hammered in the Week 1 power rankings, slipping hard across the board after their surprising loss to the 49ers. It was a brutal opener for a team many thought would just waltz to the Super Bowl, and most analysts are hitting the brakes hard. The average ranking from eight prognosticators sits just over five, which honestly feels about right given how that game went down.
The Plunge Is Real, But Is It An Overreaction?
Everyone, and I mean *everyone*, saw issues on both sides of the ball exposed by the 49ers. Pete Prisco dropped them from 2 to 5, saying they definitely have problems. Ralph Vacchiano at Fox Sports slid them from 1 to 5, questioning how far they should really plummet. He thinks the loss could be a “travel-induced anomaly,” but warns they’ll be in the “high teens” if they lose to the Giants this Sunday. Nick Shook at NFL.com was a bit dramatic, dropping them six spots from 1 to 7, noting they looked “unprepared and somewhat fatigued.” USA Today’s Nate Davis also knocked them from 1 to 5, calling it an “anomalous defeat,” but a reminder that “the Lombardi Trophy is guaranteed to no team.” Even SI’s Conor Orr, who dropped them from 1 to 7, is allowing them a pass after they “laid an egg in Australia,” waiting to see the team “closer to optimal.” Then there’s Mike Florio from PFT, who went the furthest, slamming them from 2 all the way to 11. Seriously? That feels like an overreaction, but you gotta admit, the optics aren’t great. Ethan Woodie at NFL Trade Rumors dropped them from 1 to 2, largely due to a huge injury hit.
The Wild Card Ranking and a Massive Injury
So, here’s the kicker: amidst all this tumbling, Complex.com’s Matt Burke kept the Rams at the top spot, number one. Zero change. His take? He’s blaming their team travel director. Apparently, arriving in Melbourne, Australia, just 28 hours before kickoff against the 49ers was a terrible decision. And he’s not wrong, that travel schedule sounds like a nightmare. But still, number one? Even with the massive news that new acquisition Myles Garrett is set to miss at least four games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery? That’s a huge blow, no matter how you slice it. Burke admits it, but says “for now, they are still number one.” Wild.
This Sunday, the Rams face the Giants. Most writers have adopted a “wait-and-see” approach, but if they drop another one, you can bet those rankings are going to absolutely crater. That game is going to tell us if Week 1 was just a fluke, or if this team has some serious trouble brewing. The needle is going to move, but which direction? That’s the question.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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