Niner Noise
FanSided

NFL power rankings: Final post-Super Bowl LII standings around the league

By Peter Panacy

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: The Philadelphia Eagles celebrated defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: The Philadelphia Eagles celebrated defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 24: Head Coach Sean McVay talks to Quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams in a game against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 24: Head Coach Sean McVay talks to Quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams in a game against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Rams. 3. team. 51. . . Previous:

The Rams may have been one-and-done in the 2017 NFL playoffs, but they’re set to be one of the NFC powerhouses for a long, long time entering this season.

Head coach Sean McVay turned around a perennial-.500 franchise, and it was fun to see the maturation and development of quarterback Jared Goff under McVay’s tutelage. Pair that with an MVP-like campaign from running back Todd Gurley, and it’s easy to see why the Rams are on the upswing.

Oh, and this past year’s experience into the postseason should be valuable too.

All this, combined with a strong 11-5 finish in McVay’s first year, makes L.A. worthy of a top-five spot in our NFL power rankings. But a young core — and arguably the best defender in the NFL, defensive tackle Aaron Donald — pushes the Rams up into the top three.

The Rams have some decisions this offseason, namely with cornerback Trumaine Johnson and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, as they each hit free agency. Tagging one of the two wouldn’t be shocking. But with $43,469,419 in available cap space, there’s room to work out long-term deals if desired.

L.A. has two picks in the first three rounds, so they’ll need to hit on some youthful talent early. But still, there’s a lot to like with this group heading into 2018.