All eyes will be on Jared Goff this season as the former No. 1 overall draft pick hopes to show he can be the franchise quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams. Goff struggled mightily as a rookie in 2016 but there is still plenty of time for a turnaround.
Los Angeles has a talented running back in Todd Gurley and a pretty good defense, and if the passing game picks up this team could win more games than a year ago, when their struggles led to the firing of Jeff Fisher.
Sean McVay is now leading the way as the youngest coach in the league and hopes to find some success in his first season. The Rams are still in rebuilding mode, though, and no matter how much Goff improves, it would take a near-miracle for the Rams to win the NFC West.
The odds to do so reflect that, as they are big-time underdogs behind the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.
NFC West Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Seattle Seahawks -350
Arizona Cardinals +300
Los Angeles Rams +1200
San Francisco 49ers +1800
Why the Los Angeles Rams Will Win the NFC West
This is going to take some imagination, because realistically it is extremely hard to picture Los Angeles hanging a banner for NFC West supremacy after the season. Goff would need to take a giant leap forward, but so too would the offensive line. The addition of Andrew Whitworth should help that goal, and he and the rest of the linemen will aim to create holes for Gurley, who had nowhere to run last season.
The Rams did make a trade for Sammy Watkins, Jr. this preseason and he is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. Between Watkins and Tavon Austin Goff does have a pair of playmakers to get the ball to, and maybe they can help the group score more points than expected.
Aaron Donald is one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL, and if he returns to the team soon from his current holdout, he should be good to go for the regular season. Robert Quinn is also a legitimate star pass-rusher, and while the secondary took some hits the past couple of seasons, this is a defense that should be solid in 2017.
The special teams unit has long been a strength, and with so many games coming down to the wire in the NFL, it’s always an advantage to have an elite kicker and punter to rely on.
Why the Los Angeles Rams Won't Win the NFC West
Well, this section is about to be much easier. There are some good things about the Rams, but when the question is about winning the division, it’s going to be a longshot.
The Seahawks have held control of the NFC West for years and don’t seem to be slowing down. If they somehow falter, the Cardinals also have a much more talented team than the Rams. While it may be easy to say Goff should improve this year, that is no sure thing.
If he is a bust, Los Angeles won’t be winning the division this year or at any point in the near future. Donald is the best player on the team, and he is still holding out, and is threatening for it to go into the season.
If the Rams don’t have their defensive star early, it’s a huge blow to their chances. There are way too many things working against Los Angeles this year to believe it has a legitimate path to the division title. Maybe is Russell Wilson and Carson Palmer both go down for significant stretches, but even then the teams could still figure out a way to piece it together.
It would take the perfect storm for the Rams to even sniff .500 this season, and anything past that is borderline delusional.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go.
Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
