SB Nation Reacts: LA Rams fans excited about chance to win NFC West title in Week 17

Week 17’s road battle against the desperate Baltimore Ravens may be a “hat and t-shirt” game for LA. The Los Angeles Rams are potentially one win away from clinching the NFC West, pending an Arizona Cardinals loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

After opening the week favored to win in Baltimore by three points, our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook now view the Rams as 5.5-point road favorites.

The change in the point spread may be due to the likelihood that quarterback Lamar Jackson may miss his third straight start, after reports noted that he has been seen limping late in the week. The former NFL MVP practiced on Wednesday, but has been unable to return to the field since.

The Ravens will likely turn to Tyler Huntley to lead the offense for the third time in the last seven games. Huntley missed last week’s 41-21 blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He played very well in his last stint as the Ravens starting quarterback; Baltimore was a two-point conversion away from beating the red hot Green Bay Packers. The former undrafted free agent completed 28 of 40 passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns. He also added 73 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

While the Ravens seem to be trending down after losing four games in a row, the most recent SB Nation Reacts polling indicate most Rams fans see success in the near future, as 93 percent of those who voted believe LA is heading in the right direction. It’s hard not to agree, as Los Angeles appears to be peaking at the right time, going unbeaten during December.

Powered by a Sony Michel led running game, the Rams current four-game win streak has them on the verge of a division title. Winning the NFC West will be quite the accomplishment if the Rams are able to complete the feat on the way to their ultimate goal of winning Super Bowl 56 in their very own SoFi Stadium. Voters also think the NFC West is currently the best division in the NFL.

Most supporters of the Rams, Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco know the NFC West has been one of, if not the most competitive divisions in the league for better part of a decade. The division has been responsible for providing the NFC’s Super Bowl representative in five of the last nine championship games. Hopefully, Los Angeles will make it six out of the last 10, and become the second team in as many years to win the big game in their own stadium.

Happy New Year to everyone and enjoy this week’s slate of games!

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