Breaking Down Why the Rams’ Playoff Chances Are at Risk

Week five of the 2025 NFL season just wrapped up. Is it premature to begin looking at the playoff picture? Absolutely! Will that stop people from looking at the standings anyway? Absolutely not! For the Los Angeles Rams, it's not looking pretty.

Despite appearing to be the most talented and complete team in the NFL at times, they already have two losses on the year that were completely preventable. Due to this, their chances of making the playoffs are in jeopardy.

2025 NFL Playoff Picture (for Now)

Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Brandon Astreicher is a sports writer for Pro Football Sports Network, and he released an article looking at the grander playoff picture. If the season ended today, the Rams wouldn't have even made the postseason, and Astreicher identified them as a team that's on the decline.

"A loss to the 49ers on Thursday sends the Rams out of the top five of PFSN’s power rankings. But they’re still rated pretty highly, considering the difficulty of their schedule and how well they’ve performed against top-level competition", said Astreicher.

Never too early to take a look at the playoff picture 👀 pic.twitter.com/dUrmOoP9r7
— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2025

Astreicher takes into account their tough schedule and gives them some leeway, but the reality is that this team is a couple of blocked field goals and fumble recoveries away from being undefeated and the NFC's number one seed.

For them not to even qualify to make the playoffs at this point in the season is ridiculous, given how good they've been playing. Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua were on pace to shatter single-season records for receiving yards and receptions, and all that momentum came to a grinding halt after they lost to the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers.

Sep 28, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates after a touchdown in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It's going to take a lot for this team to recover from their loss to the 49ers. Last year, they swept their divisional rival. It's safe to say that they got their revenge, and even worse, they did so in a week where everyone in the NFC West except them lost as well.

The Rams have established that they have good chemistry as a team and all the ingredients needed for a deep playoff run, but they need to get there in the first place. The good thing is that they have the benefit of the doubt.

Benefit of the Doubt

Sep 28, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay on the sidelines in the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Last year, by week five, this team was 1 - 4, and it looked like the playoffs were the furthest thing from their minds. Of course, they had a late-season push that resulted in them making it in and even advancing to the divisional round.

This team is capable of miraculous turnarounds and defying people's expectations of them, so they earn the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the playoffs. However, even with that, their chances of being back-to-back NFC West champions are slipping away from them.

Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"The Rams are the highest two-loss team slated in these rankings. Obviously, they’ll need to keep stacking wins to compete in a loaded NFC West. To start the year, they’ve shown they can stick with any team in the NFL".

It's not only that the 49ers have the easiest schedule in the NFL, but the Seattle Seahawks have looked like the more well-rounded team to start the season. The only team in the NFC West that hasn't taken that next step is the Arizona Cardinals, but every other team in this division is on a fast-track track to the playoffs.

Sep 7, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams center Coleman Shelton (65) and Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen (87) hug during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"It’s just a matter of proving they can win those games. With their loss on Thursday, the Rams’ playoff odds sit at 54.4%, and their odds to win the NFC West are 24.9%, per PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor. The Rams have the struggling, shorthanded Ravens in Baltimore in Week 6, and will be looking to prove that Week 5 was a fluke".

Their game against the Baltimore Ravens is a perfect opportunity for them to flex their muscles and show that they have the firepower needed to go on a deep playoff run. What they must avoid is playing down to the competition or this game being remotely close; they need to dominate against an injured team, like what they should've done against the 49ers.

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