Rams officially eliminated from playoffs with loss to Packers

For just the second time in the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams will miss the postseason. By losing 24-12 to the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, the Rams become the first Super Bowl Champion since the 1999 Denver Broncos to lose 10 games.

The Rams missed the playoffs in 2019 under McVay, but finished that season 9-7 and were in the hunt until the final week. This year, the Rams sit at 4-10 through 15 weeks and have 10 losses for the first time since 2016. They are also the first Super Bowl champion since the 2016 Broncos to miss the postseason.

2022 hasn’t gone according to plan to say the least. The Rams have dealt with a plethora of injuries along the offensive line, starting 12 different combinations in their first 12 games. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, Aaron Donald, and others have also been significant losses.

It’s no coincidence that both seasons that the Rams have missed the playoffs are the two seasons following Super Bowl appearances. The Rams were the first team in NFL history to play 22 games in a single year last season.

The Rams head into a 2023 offseason with a lot of question marks. Does McVay go into broadcasting? Do Donald and Stafford retire? With no first round pick and limited cap space, it’s going to be very difficult for the Rams to re-tool.

It hasn’t been the Super Bowl defense that the Rams wanted as they are arguably the worst defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history. With three games remaining against the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Seattle Seahawks, the Rams will try to find some positives to take into the summer.