Rams in No Man's Land for No. 1 Seed and NFC West

The Los Angeles Rams latest loss has put them in no man's land when it comes to getting the No. 1 seed in the NFC and winning the NFC West.

The Rams took a rough and heartbreaking loss in Week 16 to their NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks, in overtime. With the loss, the Rams have now been overtaken by the Seahawks for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks are also now the leaders in the NFC West.

The Rams dropped back all the way to No. 5. It puts the Rams in no man's land because their other rival, the San Francisco 49ers, are right behind them, and they could move the Rams even further.

Rams Path is Out of Their Control for No. 1 Seed

m,ml — Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) runs for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

If the 49ers win in Week 16 on Monday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts, they will drop the Rams to third in the division and to the No. 6 seed in the NFC. That is how good the NFC West has been all season. It also goes to show how in one week of football, the Rams could go from the No. 1 seed to the No. 6 seed. That is why the Rams' Week 16 loss was brutal. Now they do not control their dynasty to the No. 1 seed.

"If there was question about how consequential Thursday night’s game was, look no further than the Rams’ chances at the top seed. They came into the night with a 53 percent chance at the No. 1 seed, according to The Athletic’s playoff simulator," said Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. "With a win, the Rams’ chances would have skyrocketed to 90 percent. They would have had a one-game lead on the Seahawks, with a season sweep in their back pocket."

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Kobie Turner (91) reacts after a sack against the Seattle Seahawks in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"They would also be a game up on the 49ers with a split in the season series and a game up on the Chicago Bears. Their remaining schedule of the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals is one of the easiest in the NFL.

"That’s the possibility the Rams were staring at when they were up 30-16 with just over eight minutes left in regulation. The reality following the loss looks much different. The Rams now have about a 20 percent chance at the top seed in the NFC, a whopping 70 percent swing, and about a 24 percent chance at winning the division."

Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

All the Rams could do now is regroup and focus on their last two games of the season. Wherever the cards fall, it is out of their hands. The Rams still have a good enough team to win it all from a wild-card position.

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