Despite sitting at 10-3 and atop the NFC and NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams aren’t officially in the playoffs yet.
In fact, no team has clinched a postseason berth ahead of Week 15. That can change for the Rams, though. They could become one of the first teams to clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Detroit Lions this week.
L.A. is one of three teams that can lock in a playoff spot after Week 15, joining the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. The difference, though, is that the Broncos and Patriots don’t need to win to clinch their spot. The Rams, at 10-3, must win this week if they want to breathe easier in the final three weeks of the regular season. You can thank the ultra-competitive conference and division for that.
A win in Week 15 would also help shore up the Rams’ position in the conference seeding, too. L.A. would love the No. 1 seed, which would not only give them a week off before their first playoff game but also ensure they play at home in SoFi Stadium for the entire NFC postseason. And if they make the Super Bowl, they’d only need to travel up to Santa Clara, California, to Levi’s Stadium.
A loss wouldn’t tank the Rams’ season, though. They’ll have plenty of opportunities to make the playoffs in the final three weeks. But it does open the door for losing the division, the No. 1 seed and even missing the playoffs entirely.
Week 15 will be a crucial one for the Rams and determining their future over the final stretch of the season.