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Last week, the Los Angeles Rams were buried in the basement of NFL power rankings following an embarrassing 0-28 season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
This week, the Rams took back some of the hope for 2016 with a defense-powered 9-3 win at home over the Seattle Seahawks.
How do the power rankings gauge the Rams this week with the defense showing up while the offense continues to struggle?
Average ranking (# of rankings) | 24.71 (7) |
Average change from last week | +6.29 |
Highest ranking (source) | 22nd (multiple sources) |
Lowest ranking (source) | 28th (multiple sources) |
Biggest positive change (source) | +10 (FOX Sports) |
Biggest negative change (source) | +2 (SB Nation) |
SB Nation: 28th (30th last week)
Maybe it was just another case of the Rams inexplicably beating the Seahawks, as they somehow have in four of the last five meetings, but Seattle’s offensive issues were apparent in Week 1, too. Yes, Russell Wilson isn’t 100 percent, but that has a lot to do with an offensive line that looks like a serious liability.
A week ago the San Francisco 49ers offense led by Blaine Gabbert managed to piece together 28 points against the Rams, so how in the world were the Seahawks held to just three?
The Rams have not scored a touchdown of any kind this season, yet they sit at 1-1. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, if they can't find the end zone against Tampa in Week 3, they'd be the first team since the 1976 expansion Bucs to fail to score a touchdown in their first three games.
How beautiful did those Rams unis look Sunday? Wow. Oh, yeah ... the win, too. Los Angeles' front seven was outstanding, although neither ground attack could move the ball all day. The key moment of the game was not the face-mask penalty to extend the Rams' second-to-last drive. Rather, it was Troy Hill's ankle tackle of Tyler Lockett on the ensuing Seattle drive. The Seahawks' speedy wideout made a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch on Hill, but the Rams corner recovered enough to wrap up Lockett a split-second before the latter would attempt to rocket toward the end zone. All in all, it was a hot, crowded debut for the first L.A. football that mattered in 22 years. A victorious debut, that is.
CBS Sports: 22nd (31st)
They haven't scored a touchdown in two games. But they are 1-1. The offense isn't very good.
Yahoo! Sports: 23rd (31st)
I’ve said it often, but since it keeps happening: If the Jeff Fisher Rams are good enough to beat teams like the Seahawks, why are there so many awful performances like the one against the 49ers?
Pro Football Talk: 26th (31st)
Was the Jeff Fisher contract extension not announced after the win over Seattle because so many people expected it to happen?
FOX Sports: 22nd (32nd)
The Rams have scored nine points this season. NINE! Yet, they own the same record as the Cardinals and are tied for first in the NFC West. How? Because the Seahawks can’t score touchdowns, either. Los Angeles is still not very good despite the win over Seattle, but the victory pulled them out of the NFL basement.