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[Los Angeles Rams]

NFL Week 9 picks: Rams get much-needed NFC Conference win

Upsets by the Jets, Ravens, Dolphins, and Texans ruined a lot of people’s Week 8 picks. As for now, I am staying above the .600 winning percentage mark after 120 contests.

As for the Los Angeles Rams, they will return to action with a home date against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. While the Saints are inferior competition to the Rams, LA must get a win coming out of the bye in order to boost its NFC conference winning percentage, a key tiebreaker for playoff standings. Here’s how I see the Rams game and other Week 9 games unfolding…

Week 8 picks: 7-6, Cumulative picks: 72-47-1 (.605)

Week 9 Matchups & Predictions

(Thursday) Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins, 8:15 PM EST

I don’t understand the Miami Dolphins. When they are supposed to be bad, they win. When you think they will beat a Cleveland Browns team, they get smoked.

Lamar Jackson is expected to return and although there might be some rust, I don’t see how Miami contains Baltimore’s offense with the running threats of Lamar and Derrick Henry.

John Harbaugh is 4-12 without Lamar Jackson since 2018.

The Ravens are averaging 15.3 PPG during that stretch.

You can make a strong case that the Ravens are among the worst teams in the league when Lamar doesn't play.

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 25, 2025

Pick: Ravens win 30-20

Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 PM EST

Cincinnati’s defense is bad and that will allow Ben Johnson to exploit enough areas to get Caleb Williams operating successfully.

Cincinnati needed that win last week against New York and they might have lost their season with that collapse.

Pick: Bears win 24-20

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions, 1:00 PM EST

Someone at ESPN wrote about how the NFC North could produce four playoff teams. Talk about clickbait. The NFC North will only produce two playoff teams. Detroit and Green Bay. Chicago and Minnesota don’t have the caliber of quarterback play to make the dance.

Detroit will exploit the Vikings on both sides of the ball. The defense could give up 40 points and the offense will be trying to get out of neutral with JJ McCarthy resuming his role under center.

Talk about getting your ass kicked… the Lions OWN the Vikings in recent years.

– The Vikings haven't won at Ford Field in Detroit since the 2020 season
– The Vikings are 1-6 in their last 7 games against the Lions
– The Vikings are currently on a 5 game losing streak to Lions pic.twitter.com/PVHEhD04YO

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 27, 2025

Pick: Lions 40-17

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers, 1:00 PM EST

GB is undefeated at home and will take on a Panthers team that is 1-3 on the road. I don’t see the Panthers pulling off an upset in Lambeau.

Pick: Packers win 33-17

Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM EST

The Titans are trading away assets, one of which to the Rams. Justin Herbert should be able to expose a thin Tennessee secondary.

Pick: Chargers win 34-14

Atlanta Falcons @ New England Patriots, 1:00 PM EST

The Falcons are a confusing team too. They beat the Bills but lost to the Dolphins. New England is on a heater right now and I’ll take them at home with Atlanta having to play in the northeast, away from their indoor stadium.

Another MVP hopeful is #Patriots QB Drake Maye, who continued his hot streak with 3 TDs in their win vs the Browns, despite 5 sacks from DE Myles Garrett!

Maye has passed for 15 TDs this season, and his 118.7 Passer Rating is top of any QB with 4+ starts.pic.twitter.com/eZgWNJm5fR

— Ryan Wolf AI Sports Picks (@RyanWolfPicksAI) October 28, 2025

Pick: Patriots win 27-20

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Giants, 1:00 PM EST

The injuries for the 49ers are beginning to become insurmountable. Fortunately for them, the Giants have lost Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, making life for rookie Jaxson Dart very difficult.

Still devastated about the Cam Skattebo injury
The dude scored 7 TDs in 8 games (and barely played in Week 1). The Giants haven't had a TD scorer like that since 2018 Saquon
Was starting to REALLY come into his own as a receiving weapon. specifically red zone
Can't replace this pic.twitter.com/8L1fE2GFiQ

— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) October 27, 2025

Pick: 49ers win 26-16

Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM EST

I’m going to make my upset pick here. Something tells me that the Colts will get tripped up. Pittsburgh’s defense has been awful but just when you feel like Tomlin’s teams are bad, they surprise you. With the game being in Pittsburgh, I think they find a way to slow down Jonathan Taylor and Indy enough.

Pick: Steelers win 24-23

Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans, 1:00 PM EST

Two great defenses will highlight this game. Houston is starting to find a rhythm on offense. However, the Broncos will be too much for them to figure out…even at home.

Pick: Broncos win 24-20

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 PM EST

The Jaguars have been plagued by a lot of self inflicted mistakes (drops and penalties). If they lose this game it’s because of those things still lingering. I’m going to ride with them though coming off a bye week and having time to scheme and game plan against a weak Raiders team.

Pick: Jaguars win 23-17

New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 PM EST

With a weak opponent after a bye week, I am expecting there to be some sluggish behavior with LA. But they cannot afford to lose this NFC game. Doing so would drop them to 0-3 in conference play. They must beat a bad opponent the way they are capable of (i.e. Jacksonville in Week 7). If anything, maybe I am predicting the defense to underperform with the Saints turning to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough…an unknown.

Nine so nice. pic.twitter.com/ODLAFIMGLy

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 23, 2025

Pick: Rams win 30-20

Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills, 4:25 PM EST

Buffalo figured out how to lessen the load for Josh Allen. James Cook had a field day against Carolina.

The Bills strength of victory is only .256, so their 5-2 record has been padded by beating bad teams (Dolphins, Panthers, Jets, Saints).

I’m giving Mahomes and the Chiefs the nod here because of their win over Detroit. They have an extra gear right now that I’m not sure the Bills have found yet.

I think we will get another wire to wire game with KC and BUF…

Did Chiefs vs Bills in 2022 have the best ending in NFL playoff history? pic.twitter.com/OhZqOXYh2Y

— Kickr Games (@KickrGames) January 24, 2025

Pick: Chiefs win 28-27

(Sunday Night Football) Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Commanders, 8:20 PM EST

Even if Jayden Daniels plays, I think Seattle controls this game with their defense. Bobby Wagner and the Commanders might play with a little extra heart against Wagner’s former team but that will only carry them so far.

Pick: Seahawks 24-16

(Monday Night Football) Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 PM EST

The Jonathan Gannon seat is getting hot. And asking his team to slow down the number two overall offense is a troublesome task. Furthermore, Dallas is averaging 41.3 ppg at home this year! Give me a Brandon Aubrey field goal for the game winner.

Pick: Cowboys win 33-30

Teams on Bye: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What are your predictions for Week 9? Is this a trap game for Los Angeles or do they win handedly? Include your picks and predictions in the comments below.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-game-information/129091/nfl-week-9-picks-rams-saints

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Random Ramsdom: Who’s the last rookie quarterback to play them?

Cam Ward. No punches pulled, just a question for a headline to try and get you to check out today’s Random Ramsdom, and we give you the answer right up front. Cam Ward. I wonder how many people will click because of this headline? 100, 1,000,000, maybe zero? We just don’t know. But what we do know is the last rookie quarterback to start against the Rams, was Tennessee Titans rookie, Cam Ward.

If you are reading this, welcome! Thank you for checking out today’s Random Ramsdom, we are so glad to have you on what is hopefully a fun Friday!

This week the Rams will be taking on their second rookie QB this season when they take on Tyler Shough on Sunday. Sometimes rookies give a team an edge, but on paper the Rams should win, and that’s the bottom line. But if you know, you know. It’s any given Sunday in the NFL.

Happy Halloween! If you’re into that sort of thing, and if not, that’s cool that’s cool. Thanks again for checking out our website today!

Rookie QB Tyler Shough makes his first NFL start when Saints face surging Rams defense (hngnews)​

“Saints offensive line vs. Rams defensive line. In a quickly arranged joint practice staged back in August, the Los Angeles front got the better of its visiting counterparts. The talent shown that day in Carson, California, was on full display in London against Jacksonville, accounting for 4 1/2 of the Rams’ seven sacks and adding three more tackles for loss. The Saints’ struggles in protection have only gotten worse over the past two weeks, allowing nine sacks in losses to Chicago and Tampa Bay. New Orleans has to maximize every avenue to keep Tyler Shough upright in the rookie’s first NFL start.“

Week 9. pic.twitter.com/8WhkghoPzo

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 30, 2025

Is The Rams New CB Better As A Slot Specialist or Outside Threat? (lafbnetwork)​

“McCreary’s career has seen a significant transition from outside corner to slot specialist. Early in his career, he played predominantly on the outside, but in 2025, he has lined up almost exclusively in the slot. While he has strengths in man coverage, his slot performance this season has struggled, allowing a career-high 90.5% completion rate.“

Back to business. pic.twitter.com/1X861XdyUX

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 30, 2025

Sean McVay relishes chance to play the Rams newly acquired CB In Week 9 (ramblinfan)​

“From Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead’s perspective, the team is ready to roll through the second half (figuratively, not literally) of the 2025 NFL season. While the team emerges from its Week 8 BYE with five wins to just two losses, Snead understands that holes in the roster must be plugged instantly to ensure success the rest of the way.

It just so happens that the secondary needed the help, as starting cornerback Darious Williams is expected to sit out Week 9 with a shoulder injury. Despite Williams’ injury, Snead and head coach Sean McVay were comfortable enough to part ways with cornerback Tre Brown. That sets the stage for Week 9 and the New Orleans Saints for veteran cornerback Roger McCreary.“

Random Ramsdom Fandom:​

“Rams cut Tre Brown yesterday which opened up a roster spot. Be interesting to see if they sign someone from a practice squad (or their practice squad) or if they have another trade in the works.“ -holtfan

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/129234/rams-news-tyler-shough-cam-ward

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Should Rams consider resting key injured starters vs. Saints?

The Los Angeles Rams will play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday as they come out of their bye week and enter the second half of the season. Following the Saints game, the Rams will enter a gauntlet over the next three weeks. The Rams will play the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Seattle Seahawks in back-to-back-to-back weeks.

Over the past few weeks, the Rams have been managing injuries at key spots. They were without wide receiver Puka Nacua in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Additionally, right tackle Rob Havenstein has been navigating an ankle injury for most of the season that has caused him to miss each of the last three games. Nacua was limited in practice on Wednesday, but a full participant on Thursday and Friday. Havenstein was a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday. For the first time since early in the season, he was upgraded to a full participant on Friday. According to McVay, both Nacua and Havenstein will play against the Saints.

Final Rams-Saints injury report of the week pic.twitter.com/9wkr3280Im

— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) October 31, 2025

It is the NFL and no opponent should be taken lightly. Still, the Saints are 1-7 and that’s a game the Rams should be able to win even if they’re not at 100 percent. If the plan is for Havenstein to take over at right tackle when he is healthy, there shouldn’t be a rush to get him back in the lineup, especially with Warren McClendon playing as well as he has.

In the case that Havenstein takes over at right tackle again, it would need to be for the remainder of the season. It doesn’t make sense to rush Havenstein back and disrupt the chemistry of the offensive line only for him to re-injure his ankle. At that point, it’s better to just stick with McClendon. The Rams need Havenstein healthy through this difficult stretch.

When it comes to Nacua, the answer is slightly less clear and gets more complicated, especially with Tutu Atwell going on injured reserve. With that said, the Rams had one of their better offensive performances in their last game without Nacua. There’s no doubting the value that Nacua brings to the offense. At the same time, when it comes to the second half of the season, the Rams really need Nacua healthy for the division games and against the Buccaneers and Lions. This may be a game that the Rams could get by without Nacua and once again rely on the tight ends and running backs.

Again, it’s the NFL and no team should be overlooked and treated lightly. That still applies to a team as bad as the New Orleans Saints who sit at 1-7 and are making a change at quarterback. If Havenstein plays, it’ll give the offensive line a chance to build chemistry before the three-game gauntlet mentioned earlier. In Nacua’s case, the Rams can at least limit his role if they deem that necessary.

The worst thing that the Rams can do is play Nacua and Havenstein and have them re-aggravate their injuries in the same way that Atwell did. While it’s trending towards Havenstein and Nacua playing, hopefully they can both get out of the game healthy as the Rams look ahead to a crucial second half of the season.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...1/rams-injury-report-week-9-saints-puka-nacua

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams fans reach peak level confidence

A couple weeks after hitting a season-low under 60%, fans have checked in with a season-high 98% confidence level for the 5-2 Rams. The results this week, coming off of a bye, show that L.A.’s fans believe that this is the type of team that can win the franchise’s third-ever Super Bowl and certainly should have no problem with the New Orleans Saints.

Do you agree with the 98% confidence or is that too high?

The Rams did not play last week but they did move up in the standings with the 49ers loss. L.A. is one of the top teams on both sides of the ball, as Matthew Stafford is an MVP candidate and Chris Shula could be one of the hottest names on the head coach interview circuit in January. The defense is top-10 in most major categories without having that many big stars and some obvious holes in the secondary.

What’s it going to take for the Rams to reach 100%?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/129296/rams-fans-confidence-survey-saints

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Pete Carroll compliments Sean McVay’s coaching tree

The Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars face off this weekend. Ahead of the matchup, Raiders coach Pete Carroll told reporters that Jags coach Liam Coen comes from the coaching tree Carroll respects the most—that of the Los Angeles Rams’ leading man Sean McVay:

“He’s got all of the good stuff that’s going around the league,” Carroll said. “The tree that he comes from is really the one I respect the most, in terms of innovation and creativity and really good fundamental aspects of their offense. He’s representing all those guys. It’s a big offense, they do a lot of stuff. You can’t just zero in on this or that. They love to run the football, they’re willing to stay with it when they can, the play action is good, The perimeter stuff off the running game is there. And they really trust the quarterback. They have a lot of downfield routes and concepts.”

Current head coaches from the McVay tree​

• Kevin O’Connell, Vikings
• Matt LaFleur, Packers
• Liam Coen, Jaguars
• Zac Taylor, Bengals
• Raheem Morris, Falcons

The McVay tree, including Sean himself, accounts for nearly one in five of the head coaches around the NFL.

Current coordinators from the McVay tree​

• Wes Phillips, Vikings OC
• Zac Robinson, Falcons OC
• Ejiro Evero, Panthers DC
• Brandon Staley, Saints DC
• Nick Caley, Texans OC

This is an impressive list for someone who has been a head coach for less than a decade, and there has still been enough time for McVay acolytes to find jobs elsewhere and lose them—such as Thomas Brown’s stints with the Panthers and Bears and Shane Waldron with the Seahawks and Bears.

Who is the next branch on the tree?​

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula should draw attention in coaching searches this spring. Shula has been molded by the three different coordinators he’s worked under during his time in Los Angeles: Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley, and Raheem Morris. Shula has overseen a youth movement and defensive turnaround for the Rams, and he’s one of McVay’s closest confidants.

There’s no reason that Matt LaFleur shouldn’t get a look, though when he went on his own to become the offensive coordinator for the Jets under Robert Saleh, he fell flat and couldn’t get Zach Wilson’s NFL career off the ground.

Other names to keep an eye on:

• Aubrey Pleasant – Rams’ current assistant head coaching and someone they’ve been grooming for a larger role
• Nate Scheelhaase – Interviewed for OC positions a year ago and will be on radar for 2026
• Alex Van Pelt – Was Patriots OC recently and is probably overqualified for his current role

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...carroll-compliments-sean-mcvays-coaching-tree