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The Los Angeles Rams (5-3) head east to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) on Sunday in Week 10. After a rough 1-4 start to the season, the Steelers are now winners of three straight, keeping aspirations of the postseason alive.
A few weeks ago this game looked, at least on paper, to be an easy win for the Rams who need to win this one in order to stay afloat in the NFC playoff race themselves. But this is far from a cakewalk game. The Steelers have one of the league’s better offensive lines, a fierce pass rush that features T.J. Watt and reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week Bud Dupree. They will, however, be without starting QB Ben Roethlisberger and RB James Conner.
Having to travel coast-to-coast is never ideal but the Rams have been good on the road and, following their Week 8 win over the Bengals, Sean McVay is now a perfect 10-0 against against AFC teams.
This is one the Rams need to win. Can they put it all together in a road contest in Week 10, clawing their way closer to a projected playoff spot? The Turf Show Times staff make their predictions...
gorams (@AndrewKulick)
Mason Rudolph is more like the name of revolutionary founding father then a NFL QB.
Prediction: Rams win, 28-10
Eddie Perez (@iAmEddieP_)
The Rams head out to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers who still present a tough opposition even without QB Ben Roethlisberger and RB James Conner. They still do have WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, however. He is still a beast. On defense, Pittsburgh boasts a good pass rushing duo. The offensive line has to play up to par, cuz Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt will create havoc. I’m a homer though. I see Mason Rudolph struggling against our secondary, Jalen Ramsey in particular. Goff will do just enough to get us the W. The run game will be enough to suffice.
Prediction: Rams win, 24-20
Skye Sverdlin (@skyeattolah)
I gotta believe the post-bye Rams will be able to flex on the Steelers. Like the Rams in the NFC, the Steelers suddenly find themselves in the thick of the Wildcard race, so I figure the Rams will get their best shot, but should ultimately have the fire power to score more points. One things worth considering though, the Steelers lost close ones to the 49ers, Seahawks, Ravens so outside of their opener in Foxboro, they have competed well.
Prediction: Fearsome Foursome - 27, Steel Curtain - 17
Kristian Ramirez (@KristianRamirez)
I find myself worried with the Rams heading into Pittsburgh. They began to find their footing just before the bye-week, but the Rams have not had the greatest success coming out of the bye. Even so, I think they’ll be able to perform well enough to best the Steelers. Maybe not by a wide margin, but we should come away with a “W” on this one.
Prediction: Rams win, 27-21
Elijah Kim (@Big_EZK)
The Rams come off a bye and travel to the east coast to take on the Steelers. Despite not having Big Ben, the Steelers are sitting at 4-4, led by their stingy defense. Los Angeles has had extra time to prepare and that’ll be the difference.
Prediction: Rams win, 28-24
Joey Aucoin (@LARamsRamsRams)
The Rams will give a couple deep looks to new starter WR Josh Reynolds and I think good things will happen. This could be tight, with the Rams winning the game out of sheer force of will.
Prediction: Rams win, 17-14
Sean Wilkinson (@Papa_Lurch)
The Rams are a bit banged up, but I don’t think that will stop them from dismantling the Steelers. I expect the defense to have a big day and set the tone for the second half of the season.
Prediction: Rams win, 31-6
Sosa Kremenjas (@QBsMVP)
The Steelers aren’t the same team we’ve grown to know over the past two decades, but they aren’t nearly as bad as some think either. The Steelers have lost ONE single game by more than four points this season, and that was all the way back in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. The Rams will travel to Pittsburgh for an away game post-bye week, so the potential for a slow start is very real. Ultimately, I believe the Rams will play with desperation and urgency and need to begin to make up ground in the NFC West and NFC playoff race.
Prediction: Rams win, 27-24
seattlerams (@seattlerams_nfl)
If the Rams hope to be playing in January, they’ll probably need to finish the 2nd half of the season 6-2. Booting a game against a backup QB would not be an ideal way to reach this goal. Jalen Ramsey gets his first pick as a Rams player with the boys in horns winning,
Prediction: Rams win, 23-17
3k (@3k_)
Prediction: Rams win, 29-17
Brandon Bate (@NoPlanB_)
Really excited for this matchup, actually. The Rams have had an extra week to prepare for this one, and I anticipate their play will reflect that. The push for a postseason starts in Week 10, and anything other than a win on Sunday would indicate to me that it’s probably not their year.
Prediction: Rams win, 26-17
Staff pick summary: 11 picks for the Rams, 0 picks for the Steelers