The Biggest Question Nobody Is Asking About the Rams (And How They Answer It)

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2026 season, it seems as if it’s almost a foregone conclusion that they are one of the two teams playing for the Lombardi Trophy in February. This is a team that is 'all-in' and that remains the focal point. As many try to poke holes in the Rams’ roster, such as with their offensive line depth or wide receiver depth, how the team will handle those expectations has largely gone ignored.

The Rams have certainly been in this position before. When they traded for Matthew Stafford in 2021, it was thought that he was the missing piece. The Rams navigated through those expectations and ended up winning the Super Bowl that season. Much of the same has been said after the Rams traded for Myles Garrett.

The Rams Have Been Here Before

However, while players like Stafford and a few others were there for that 2021 season, these are the largest expectations that many on the team have had to play through. For much of the last three years, the Rams haven’t had high preseason buzz. In 2023, they weren’t expected to be good and they played with nothing to lose on their way to a playoff appearance. The Rams were 1-4 in 2024 before finishing strong and winning a playoff game. While there was more hype last year, they weren’t Super Bowl favorites.

As the Rams head into training camp, they are +550 to win the Super Bowl. The next closest team is the Buffalo Bills at +1000. However, the mindset for head coach Sean McVay and this team is to remain focused and block out that outside noise.

“The last time I checked, none of that stuff means anything,” said McVay. “We've got to come together as a team. We've got to stay humble…We're not going to allow the outside expectations to change the way that we approach every day with the way that we work, the way that we enjoy it, and have the appropriate mindset and energy. And that's something that I think is really important for us to represent and I think that's more felt than anything else.”

Super Teams Don't Always Win

Many would describe the Rams as having a Super Team. The Rams likely would have entered the season as favorites even without the moves they made this offseason. However, as Les Snead often does, he took big swings. The Rams traded for a top cornerback in Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson. McDuffie and Watson will address the defense’s biggest weakness from last season. They also traded for Myles Garrett and might get Aaron Donald if he comes out of retirement.

With that said, super teams often don’t meet expectations. The 2007 Patriots fell in the Super Bowl to a less superior New York Giants team. In 2011, Vince Young famously called the Philadelphia Eagles a ‘Dream Team’ and missed the playoffs entirely. The 2010-11 Miami Heat finished second in the Eastern Conference with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh and then fell short in the NBA Finals.

That’s not to say they all fall short. That season’s Los Angeles Dodgers team completed the inevitable and won the World Series. However, it’s very easy to fall into the hype. How the Rams are able to manage that will be key to whether or not they meet expectations.

“At the end of the day, the way people feel about us as a team has no bearing on what we do and how it turns out for us,” said wide receiver Davante Adams. “We have a lot of veteran guys who’ve been in these positions where they’ve been on teams where you start the year and they go, ‘Hey, this looks like the best team we’ve ever seen.’ At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. You can be the best, but you gotta play like it. That’s really what matters.”

Managing Expectations Will Define the Season

This is a team with a lot of players who have been there before. They are officially in Super Bowl-or-bust mode. Watson and McDuffie both come from a team that managed those expectations almost every season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Adams and Stafford have both been part of those teams as well. In Adams’ case, he’s been part of those teams that have come up short. Adams has lost in the NFC Championship game five times in his career. Last year’s Rams team and the 2020 Green Bay Packers were two of his best chances.

Winning the Super Bowl is arguably one of the more difficult championships to win in all of sports. While a team may have the best roster on paper, that doesn’t guarantee hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February. One bad day can end everything.

There isn’t a seven-game series where teams can come back tomorrow. A bad bounce can end a season. It’s rarely talked about how much luck is needed to win a Super Bowl. When the Rams won in 2021, they certainly had a few things go their way. Still, they were able to manage adversity and make the plays they needed to win. Had Zach Charbonnet not scored on a two-point conversion, it may have been the Rams winning the Super Bowl last season.

Talent Doesn't Guarantee Titles

The Rams may arguably have the best roster in the NFL, but they have the fifth-hardest schedule going into 2026. To start the year, the Rams play a playoff team from last season in four of their first five games. Additionally, they play in the toughest division in the NFL with the defending Super Bowl champions and a San Francisco 49ers team looking to make noise.

That’s not to temper expectations or say that the Rams won’t be able to handle it. It’s only to say that the road isn’t going to be easy. How the Rams handle the expectations and outside noise will be a big part of that.

“We know the potential the team has, but we have to maximize it and that starts today, taking it one day at a time,” said cornerback Jaylen Watson.

On paper, the Rams have put together one of the best rosters in the NFL. They addressed all of their biggest weaknesses from last season and got better at a position of strength. However, the Super Bowl isn’t won in July. How the Rams are able to handle the pressure of high expectations will play a big role in whether this team is still standing in February.

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