Niner Noise
FanSided

NFC West: Early predictions for each team’s win-loss record in 2018

By Jeremy Wohlfart

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Reuben Foster #56 and Brock Coyle #50 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after tackling Tyler Lockett #16 of the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Reuben Foster #56 and Brock Coyle #50 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after tackling Tyler Lockett #16 of the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/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

Season Review

Oh how much difference does a year make.

This time last year the Rams were the darling perennial cupcakes of the NFC West, finishing 4-12 (but at least not on the basement floor of the division) with a No. 1 pick in Jared Goff who looked an absolute bust.

Enter Sean McVay. Ignoring his age proved to be a franchise changing masterstroke, winning NFL Coach of the Year and improving the Rams to 11-5 (a seven-game swing) while actually coaching up Goff from a certain bust to an actual franchise quarterback. Let’s not beat around the bush, McVay is one of the elite and he’s younger than some of the players still in the league!

But the awards didn’t stop there. Aaron Donald took out Defensive Player of the Year while MVP candidate Todd Gurley took the Offensive Player of the Year.

Losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Atlanta Falcons 26-13 was more of a whimper than a bang to end the year, but the year was still an overwhelming success.

State of the Franchise

Good. Very, very good. Like, “oh my god the 49ers-Rams historic rivalry is back on” kind of good.

The Rams are young, talented and coached by one of the best in the league currently. They ranked first in points per game and fourth for sacks.

The Rams are only going to get better, especially as their younger players gain more experience. The only question mark is how the Rams will deal with being the hunted now.

Schedule

Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers 
Seattle Seahawks 
Chicago Bears 
Detroit Lions 
Green Bay Packers 
Minnesota Vikings
Denver Broncos 
Kansas City Chiefs*
Los Angeles Chargers 
Oakland Raiders 
Philadelphia Eagles
New Orleans Saints

* game to be played in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico

As expected, this is a hard schedule for the reigning NFC West champs, but unlike the Cardinals I see the Rams having success with a lot of these teams. Even if a hypothetical loss to the 49ers and Seahawks in the division happened, the only teams right now that are arguably better are the Vikings, Saints, Eagles and Packers and I expect the Rams to at the very least split those four opponents.

Overall Season Prediction: 12-4