QB Gauntlet: Rams' Defense Faces Some of NFL's Best Passers This Season

Even before the release of the full NFL schedule Thursday, the Rams know they'll have their hands full with some of the league's best quarterbacks this season

Zach Dimmitt | May 12, 2022

The NFL is set to release the complete 2022-2023 league schedule Thursday, but the Los Angeles Rams, coach Sean McVay, and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris are likely already planning for the rough gauntlet of quarterbacks the team will have to face this season.

It's currently unknown when these meetings will take place, but we know this much: LA will face the best QBs the NFL has to possibly offer, including Kyler Murray of the Cardinals, Dak Prescott of the Cowboys, Derek Carr of the Raiders, Russell Wilson of the Broncos, Josh Allen of the Bills, Tom Brady of the Buccaneers, 2022 MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, and Justin Herbert of the Chargers.

Sean McVay (left) and Tom Brady

Josh Allen

Russell Wilson

Aside from Wilson and Murray, who missed multiple games last season due to injury ailments, the other seven QBs on the list all finished in the top 10 in passing yards alongside Rams QB Matthew Stafford.

Brady led the league with 5,316 passing yards followed by Herbert (second, 5,014), Stafford (third, 4,886), Mahomes (fourth, 4,839), Carr (fifth, 4,804), Prescott (seventh, 4,449), Allen (eighth, 4,407), and Rodgers (10th, 4,115).

NFL scheduling requires the defending Super Bowl champs to draw matchups with the first-place division finishers from a season ago, but this is some unprecedented talent LA will have to face this season.

Matthew Stafford

McVay (left) Stafford (middle) and Brady

Russell Wilson (left) and Aaron Donald

Luckily, the Rams acquired some defensive talent in the draft and free agency. All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, the league's third-leading tacker from a season ago, will bring some veteran leadership behind a defensive line that already includes Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and Ernest Jones.

In the secondary, superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey will continue to hold things down alongside new rookie defensive backs Decobie Durant, Quentin Lake, Derion Kendrick, and Russ Yeast.

But LA had the league's 11th-worst passing defense a season ago (247.1 passing yards per game) leaving major room for improvement. Now with the league's toughest projected schedule against a handful of future and potential Hall-of-Fame signal-callers, the Rams' defense won't be in for an easy path to repeat titles.

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Published May 12, 2022