Why the Rams Are Struggling Moving Past Failed Super Bowl Pursuit

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams season is over and it appears that the team is struggling to accept another season without a trip to the Super Bowl.

Schrager's Inside Look

Peter Schrager, NFL Insider and friend of Rams head coach Sean McVay, spoke about the Rams and gave an inside look at the devastation within this organization.

"They were convinced they were a Super Bowl team," stated Schrager. "Knowing Sean McVay very well—they're down big right now. They're feeling it. All of them. And that's all the coaches and all them. But knowing McVay, how much he puts into it, how much he invests, and how much he wants this for all of those players and for all of those people. He looks at it as this is his baby. It didn't happen. And it didn't happen in a year where they thought it would."

Schrager would go on to explain that the loss has deeply damaged the Rams as they haven't fully processed the finality of the loss.

"They're not even close to turning the page and they're not even close to going down those paths yet. "They're broken over there in LA right now. And it's their hearts. It's their spirits. It's everything."

The Rams Flew Too High For Their Situation

Somewhere in the delirium of Matthew Stafford's MVP season and the outrageous early season play of the defense, the Rams lost themselves, their identity, and the path towards winning. The recipe for success was as simple as the execution.

Run a balanced offense that uses multiple personnel packages and formations to induce mistakes, either from the execution of the opposing defensive players or the calls from the opposing coaching staff. By putting stress on having to constantly communicate, that would allow Matthew Stafford to dissect the opposition with a variety of play calls and targets, utilizing the rushing attack to expand passing lanes/ windows.

On defense, force the running game inside into the teeth of the defense to force passing plays and then keep two safeties over the top as to ensure everything goes underneath. Bend but don't break. Force field goals. Let the offense make up the difference.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson (84) runs against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) during the second half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Overall, control the controllables. Turnovers, time of possession, field position. Get aggressive against top teams, go conservative against more average squads, but don't let the pendulum swing too far either way. Most importantly, keep the momentum away from the opposition. Do not let them believe they can win.

The Rams did not do that in the postseason. They let Carolina eviscerate their early lead in a game that always felt like they were on the back foot in. They showed a complete lack of self-awareness using a pass-heavy offense in the snowy Chicago conditions, in a game the Rams probably should've lost and in Seattle, all those chickens came home to roost.

For the first time since the 2021 season, the Rams did have a championship squad and had a historic meltdown. How they respond will define the future of the McVay era. If it's humbleness paired with aggressive innovation, they will bounce back but if there's anything that resembles the status quo, then this season will be for nothing.

Lastly...run the ball.

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