Darnell Sallins
December 30, 2024
The Los Angeles Rams can call themselves NFC West Champions in 2024. It's the fourth division title under Sean McVay and the first since 2021, their Super Bowl year. After a 1-4 start to the season, the Los Angeles Rams went 9-2 enroute the division crown. So much took place in Week 17 that gave the Rams the division crown before the New Year.
First, was the Rams defeated division rival Arizona Cardinals Saturday night as the nightcap to NFL Network's tripleheader. The win was led by the Rams defense as they held the Cardinals to nine points and forcing two turnovers on QB Kyler Murray. This was the third consecutive game that the Rams defense has held the opponents under ten points and the Rams have won all three games.
The offense struggled in the second half, only scoring three points and the third consecutive game scoring less than 20 points. That is concerning for Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, but they can celebrate a division crown for now.
Now, that the Rams handled their own business in Saturday night's win, they needed some help to claim the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks before playing the Seahawks in Week 18. Well, they got the help. Going into Week 17, the Rams needed a win over the Cardinals (check) and a Seahawks lost at Bears (Seattle won) to clinch the NFC West or have four teams win in Week 17 to clinch the NFC West.
The four win could have come from:
Cincinnati Bengals over Denver Broncos
Buffalo Bills over New York Jets
Cleveland Browns over the Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings over Green Bay Packers
Washington Commanders over Atlanta Falcons (SNF)
San Francisco 49ers over Detroit Lions (MNF)
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Denver Broncos in overtime on Saturday leading into the Rams-Cardinals game, so that was one for the Rams. Sunday required three wins from the four games and the Monday night game. The Buffalo Bills blasted the New York Jets which made the magic number two. The Cleveland Brown couldn't the Miami Dolphins even without Tua Tagovailoa. The Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Green Bay Packers, so the Rams needed one of the primetime games to clinch. In overtime, Commanders QB Jayden Daniels connected with TE Zach Ertz for the 30-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
That Commanders' win sent Washington to the playoffs and clinched the NFC West Title for the Rams in Week 17 on the strength of victory tiebreaker.
The Rams are the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs in back-to-back season after being under .500 after their bye week. The Rams were 3-6 after their bye week last season and made the playoff as a wildcard team. Now the Rams are NFC West champs after starting 1-4 going into their bye week this season.
The Rams can clinch the third seed by beating the Seahawks Sunday or a Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints otherwise the Rams would be the fourth seed.
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