Rams are not out of playoff race, despite 3-6 record

The Los Angeles Rams are not out of the race yet, not even at 3-6. According to ESPN Analytics, the Rams still have a 14% chance to reach the NFC playoffs as a wild card, trying their hardest to keep pace with the other four teams who are standing just outside of the final playoff berth as we enter Week 11.

The Falcons are next above the Rams with a 25% chance to make the playoffs, but their odds are greatly influenced by the fact that the NFC South is probable to be won by a team with a .500 record, give or take a win (9-8 or 8-9).

The Rams would do a lot for their playoff chances by beating the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Lose and they are all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs, as they would then trail the Seahawks by four games with seven games remaining. The other two current wild card teams are the 6-3 Cowboys and 6-4 Vikings. Only the 4-5 Buccaneers are within a game of the Vikings for the seventh playoff seed.

The other teams with six losses besides the Rams are the Commanders, Falcons, and Packers.

Because the Vikings are playing without Kirk Cousins for the rest of the season, Minnesota could be the most vulnerable to a collapse. The Rams have opportunities to win in the future, as they play the Cardinals in Week 12, then the Browns (who have ruled out Deshaun Watson for the season) in Week 13. After a Week 14 game against the Ravens, the Rams next play the Commanders, Saints, and Giants.

If the Rams just beat the teams with losing records or backup quarterbacks, they will win at least seven games. If they beat the Seahawks for the second time and the 5-5 Saints, they will win at least nine games.

It’s not easy, but making the playoffs isn’t supposed to be easy.