What a difference hiring the right head coach can make. A year after the Los Angeles Rams shocked the NFL by locking in former Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay, they’re one of the recognized best teams in the league. Frankly, it could have had just as much to do with dumping Jeff Fisher.
Still, the Rams appear here to stay and the oddsmakers at BetDSI Sportsbook have made it clear they agree. Here are their over-under odds for victories in 2018.
Los Angeles Rams 2018-19 Regular Season Win Total
Over 9.5 (-116)
Under 9.5 (+114)
As good as Los Angeles was last season, this will be a better team that’ll take the field in 2018. They added Brandin Cooks in a trade with the New England Patriots and he’ll be an upgrade over Sammy Watkins. Robert Woods is coming back after the best season of his career and Cooper Kupp was one of the two best rookie wideouts in the league in 2017.
Behind those three, L.A. has solid depth in Josh Reynolds, Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas.
This will be a good year to look hard at Gerald Everett when you’re putting together your fantasy team’s bench. He played great as a passing weapon last year, but was behind the learning curve as a full time tight end. This year, he should be ready to be an every down player.
Just can't get enough of @JaredGoff16 to @brandincooks 🤘#LARams pic.twitter.com/uZbJhpCkKU
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 5, 2018
Of course, if you won your fantasy league (or leagues) like I did, there’s a good chance you had Jared Goff and Todd Gurley on your team. Goff’s development under McVay in a single offseason should be all the evidence teams with young QBs need to better evaluate their coaching hires. Gurley hit superstar status in 2017 and is in the conversation with Le’Veon Bell as they NFL’s best running back.
The defense is where the Rams really made a splash this offseason. They signed Ndamukong Suh to line up next to Aaron Donald, the NFL’s best defensive player, in a move that has opposing quarterbacks already sweating. If that wasn’t enough, they upgraded their starting cornerbacks by trading for Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Los Angeles already boasted a couple of the best young safeties in the league in John Johnson and Lamarcus Joynder and Nickell Robey-Coleman is solid in, well, the nickle.
Looking at the Rams’ schedule, they’re set up for at least a 3-1 start to the season. Their biggest test will be a home game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sep. 27 that could already set the tone for the postseason.
Marcus Peters has allowed the lowest passer rating among CBs since 2015! pic.twitter.com/9AclAgfXOp
— PFF (@PFF) June 4, 2018
The rest of the NFC West is still a mystery as I write this. The San Francisco 49ers will undoubtedly be better, but how much of last season’s late success will keep rolling through 2018? The Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of a soft rebuild, dumping big salaries and talent, but as long as Russell Wilson is healthy, they’ll always be a factor. The Arizona Cardinals actually have more talent on offense with the addition of Sam Bradford, an upgrade over Carson Palmer, and the return of David Johnson to the line up. They’re a sneaky possible playoff team themselves.
Still, this Rams squad should win the NFC West and it’ll probably take double-digit victories to do it. I say take the over.
