Had it not been for the Philadelphia Eagles getting in their own way back in Week 4, the Los Angeles Rams would be 1-4 after five weeks of the season.
Still, the San Francisco 49ers' NFC West archrivals are 2-3 on the year and sit in third place within the division, and the 5-0 Niners can take additional comfort knowing they have one victory over L.A. already in place after what transpired in Australia way back in Week 1.
Perhaps Los Angeles isn't quite the superteam everyone envisioned during the offseason.
But, to think head coach Sean McVay's squad is trending closer to a top-10 draft pick this April instead of a playoff berth would be absolute folly.
Especially with a relatively easy slate of games on Los Angeles' horizon.
Simply put, San Francisco will be paying close attention to what the Rams do over the next five weeks.
Rams likely put themselves back into NFC West race over next 5 games
Here are the NFC West standings entering Week 6:
- San Francisco 49ers: 5-0
- Seattle Seahawks: 3-2
- Los Angeles Rams: 2-3
- Arizona Cardinals: 1-4
From this vantage point, it'd appear as if it'll be a two-horse race for the division crown; the 49ers have a sizable advantage over the Seahawks, particularly after Week 5's win at Lumen Field. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will happily take a perfect 3-0 record to date over NFC West rivals.
Yet L.A. has the context to get right back into the thick of it over the next five weeks, which include the following matchups:
- Week 6 vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Week 7 @ Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 8 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 9 @ Washington Commanders
- Week 10 @ Arizona Cardinals
Two games against the bottom-feeding Cardinals certainly will help get McVay's club back on track, and another affair against the winless (and hapless) Chargers almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.
The wild cards are showdowns against the 3-2 Raiders, losers of back-to-back games in which Vegas' defense surrendered a combined 75 points, and the 1-3-1 Commanders and their third-worst scoring defense.
For a Los Angeles offense that has put up more yards than anybody through five weeks with 2,122, that slate of games appears to be a salve McVay and Co. desperately need.
It wouldn't be shocking if the Niners are looking at a Rams squad that's 7-3 after Week 10. Meanwhile, the Hawks face the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears in the next three weeks.
All said, the NFC West may experience some notable changes and shakeups over the next third of games, and L.A. likely winds up being right back in the thick of it.
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