As Cooper Kupp likes to say: Iron sharpens Iron

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Rams faced half the playoff field this season in what turned out to be a brutal schedule

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

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The Los Angeles Rams did not have an easy path to the playoffs. Their schedule didn’t look all that difficult at the beginning of the year, but now that the regular season is in the books, their 18-week slate was actually quite difficult.

Of the 13 teams in the playoff field besides the Rams, Los Angeles faced seven of them during the regular season: 49ers (twice), Eagles, Steelers, Cowboys, Packers, Browns, Ravens. They also played against the Seahawks, Bengals, Colts and Saints, who all nearly made the playoffs and finished above .500.

The Rams may have gone 2-6 in those eight games against the playoff teams, but they finished the year 2-1 against them after starting 0-5. And their experience against teams that made the playoffs will serve them well in the postseason, making them more battle-tested against opponents like the Lions and potentially the 49ers.

Furthermore, the Rams only played four games this season against teams that finished below .500. The other 13 games were all against teams that had winning records, including the Seahawks, Bengals, Colts and Saints.

The Giants, Commanders and Cardinals were the only teams on the Rams’ schedule who didn’t finish above .500 and Los Angeles went a perfect 4-0 against them, so Sean McVay’s team handled its business against lesser opponents.

Based on the current draft order, the Rams had a strength of schedule of .529. Only six teams had tougher schedules than the Rams, showing just how tough the road was for Los Angeles this season.