Rams 'Would Not Surprise' by Winning the NFC West Over 49ers, Seahawks

The Los Angeles Rams need a strong 2023 to keep from rebuild mode, and SBNation predicts exactly that.

The Los Angeles Rams finished 5-12 last season, gracing the NFL with one of the worst Super Bowl follow-up seasons the league has ever seen. Generally considered contenders going into 2022, things fell apart.

Now, murmurs of a rebuild and major question marks on both sides of the ball leave the team's 2023 strength in question. But not for some?

SBNation writes that the Rams can not only compete this fall but winning the NFC East over San Francisco and Seattle is also in the cards.

"It would not surprise me if the Rams went out and shocked people by winning the NFC West, and here is the main reason why: Sean McVay is still among the best minds in football," the outlet writes.

And I guess that's true. Although this is the same coach who toyed with retirement in the offseason. A great mind he may be, but McVay considered leaving the game just months ago.

The argument falls flat compared to a more realistic situation the outlet pitches, though: everyone in the NFC West ends up sucking.

SBNation cites the 49ers' quarterback issues with Brock Purdy hurt. San Francisco may have to start Sam Darnold or Trey Lance, and that's not a good thing. 

As for Seattle, Pete Carroll's team finished just 9-8 last season, and nothing is pointing to dramatic 2023 improvement.

Of course, then there's Arizona. Anything but a No. 1 overall pick for the Cardinals next season will be... disappointing? 

"Therefore, maybe the team that wins the NFC West only has to go 9-8 or 8-9, as we saw in the NFC South last year. If the Rams could win their five most-winnable games, then they only need to go 4-8 the rest of the way to be 9-8," the outlet concludes.

So, there you have it. In a vacuum where the Rams beat every team they're supposed to and everyone else in the division struggles, Los Angeles is playoff bound. I guess the Kool-Aid has been less drinkable before.

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