Who Rams Fans Should Root For in Week 16

The Los Angeles Rams will need help if they want to win their division

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay greet each other after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams' loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, paired with the Green Bay Packers' loss to the Chicago Bears on Saturday, has made the likelihood of Los Angeles winning their division and gaining the NFC's number one seed near impossible.

However, with a chance to retake their spot in the air, here are the teams that will need to win in order to keep the door open.

Detroit Lions

The Lions need to win in order to stay competitive. While Dan Campbell's unit will always play tough, there is a bit of a letdown when a team is eliminated from postseason contention before the end of the season.

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The reason Detroit needs to stay in the fight is due to the fact that they play the Chicago Bears during the final week of the season, and if the Rams win out while Chicago drops one game, the Rams will leap the Bears in the standings, unless one is a Wild Card team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers can not be seeded higher than the Rams unless the Rams make it into the Wild Card while the Buccaneers win the division. They play the Carolina Panthers in the first of two games between the two over the course of the next three weeks. With both teams sitting at 7-7, the winner of the game would have an opportunity to clinch the division next week with a win pair with a second consecutive loss for the loser.

Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks on against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Rams lost badly during their last trip to Carolina, and if the Rams need to go on the road, the Buccaneers are falling apart and will be the easier opponent. Plus, if the Panthers lose, it's win or go home next week and that is when they host the Seattle Seahawks.

If Carolina wins next week and so does San Francisco, a Rams win that following Monday over the Falcons would create a scenario where the Rams could take the number one seed during the NFL's final weekend.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts play on Monday as they host the San Francisco 49ers in a game that is pivotal to their playoff ambitions. If the 49ers lose this game, they will have one more loss than the Rams, meaning if the Rams win one more game, they'll be the fifth seed at worst.

Dec 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) walks to the locker room following a loss against the Seattle Seahawks Colts at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven-Imagn Images

On top of that, if the Rams have any shot of taking the NFC West crown and the number one seed, they'll need the Colts to win this game to set up the 49ers winning against the Bears and Seahawks to end the season, giving the Rams the perfect scenario to finish this season on top of the conference.

Due to how the tiebreakers have shaken out, if the Bears or Seahawks win against the 49ers, they'll be ahead of the Rams. If the 49ers win all three games, they win the West over Los Angeles. The Colts have the Rams' future in their hands.

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