Perspective for Los Angeles Rams looks very different after Week 13 with Monday Night Football looming

The Los Angeles Rams dominated the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13, 34-7. After the blowout loss in Week 12 to the Baltimore Ravens, it was a welcome turnaround. The win provided the tiniest spark of hope for the Rams to make the 2020 NFL Playoffs with a Monday Night Football game between the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings that could see that spark ignite a roaring fire with a Vikings loss.

Here’s the perspective outlook coming out of Sunday with a potential landscape-changing outcome tonight:

Injuries

I don’t think the Rams picked up anything, but we’ll have to see if Rams Head Coach Sean McVay brings anything up in his day after press conference at 5pm Los Angeles time.

Perhaps more relevant might be any update to the three Rams who were injured going into Week 13 in RT Rob Havenstein, TE Gerald Everett and DB Darious Williams. Between Havenstein and Everett, they certainly weren’t missed with OT Bobby Evans having played quite well as of late and TE Tyler Higbee having a career day yesterday. Everett obviously can return on a rotational basis, but the decision on whether or not to return Havenstein to the lineup would be much more difficult.

Performance Issues

Certainly not after yesterday. The offense was sparkling and the defense was lights out.

I suppose one could take this week to look at the redzone playcalling where McVay remains committed (over-committed for many) to relying on the pass. It certainly didn’t work early on as the Rams got just three points from their first two possessions deep in Arizona territory, but obviously the forthcoming possessions made sure the Rams didn’t pay a penalty for their inefficiency early. That’s not likely to be the case against stronger teams than the Cards.

Standings

The San Francisco 49ers lost a fantastic game against the Baltimore Ravens but still sit atop the division.

The real game of intrigue for Rams fans is tonight’s MNF game between the Seahawks and Vikings, because...

...the Rams are just one win back of the Vikings for the wild card spot. Should they lose tonight, the Rams would need just one more loss to catch them in the standings with the primary tiebreaker being conference win %.

I want to make this abundantly clear. I am not telling Rams fans to root for the Seahawks to win. Quite the opposite. We are rooting for the Vikings to lose.

Go...not-Vikings!