The Los Angeles Rams were the only team in the playoffs this past season to give the Philadelphia Eagles a run for their money before they won the Super Bowl over the Kansas City Chiefs. L.A. lost by six points in the Divisional Round, 28-22, in a snowy, turnover-ridden performance for the Rams and a healthy dose of Saquon Barkley for the Eagles.
As 2025 approaches, the Rams made a lot of necessary moves to correct the mistakes of the past. As such, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin ranked L.A. as the third-biggest challenger to the Eagles' Super Bowl supremacy at this point in the NFL calendar.
"Fluctuating between rebuild and reload in recent years, the Rams are pretty dependent on Matthew Stafford staying healthy and productive at 37, or else it's Jimmy Garoppolo's show," Benjamin wrote. "The supporting cast is very enticing, though. Fresh off a scrappy playoff bid that almost saw their young, tenacious defense knock off the Eagles on the road, Davante Adams gives Stafford a savvy safety valve opposite Puka Nacua."
The only teams listed ahead of the Rams were the Washington Commanders at No. 1 and the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 2.
One of the biggest moves that wasn't mentioned was the signing of run-stuffer Poona Ford. The Rams lacked a lot of quality size up front on the defensive line, and Ford gives them an added punch in the middle that should be able to thwart some of the best running games in the league — the Eagles included. Adams and Nacua are two of the best pass-catchers in the game, while Kyren Williams is an ascendent running back.
If the Rams can find solutions and depth at cornerback and linebacker, this time will certainly be among the top competitors for the NFC crown.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams named one of the top challengers to the Eagles' NFL reign
