The Los Angeles Rams are looking for answers as they start the 2023 season. We are here to share our NFL odds series and make a Rams over-under win total prediction and pick for the 2023 season.
The Rams went 5-12 last season as they failed to follow up on a Super Bowl title defense with a clunker of a season. Now, they look for redemption. Sean McVay is back after teasing retirement. Therefore, expect him to try and fix a team that became the first Super Bowl champion to suffer a losing season since 2016. The Rams produced a .294 winning percentage that was the worst ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. Furthermore, they became the first team to produce a losing record after winning a Super Bowl since the 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also became the first Super Bowl winner to miss the playoffs since the 2016 Denver Broncos.
Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald all suffered injuries that kept them out of a significant amount of games. Additionally, there were 11 different offensive line combos through the first 11 games. The Rams started the season 2-1 and then quickly fell apart after losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Also, they suffered a terrible six-game losing streak after being 3-3.
NFL Odds: Over/Under Win Total Odds
Over 6.5 wins: +104
Under 6.5 wins: -128
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Why The Rams Can Win 6.5 Games
There are some positives for the Rams. Remember, they won the Super Bowl just two seasons ago and still hold the core players that helped them win the championship. Stafford is 35 years old but can still produce when healthy. Significantly, he completed 68 percent of his passes in 2022 with 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. But Stafford was excellent in 2021, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.
Cam Akers rushed 188 times for 786 yards and seven touchdowns at a 4.2 yards-per-carry rate. Thus, expect him to get even more chances to build on that season. Kupp is back and healthy. Thus, the 29-year-old caught 75 passes for 812 yards for six touchdowns in 2022. But Kupp had 145 catches for 1,947 yards for 16 touchdowns in 2021, so expect him to try and get back to those stats again. Likewise, the Rams expect Van Jefferson to take the next step. Jefferson caught only 24 passes for 369 yards for only three scores in 2022. However, he had 50 receptions for 802 yards for six scores in 2021. The Rams know what he is capable of and understand his potential. Now, he is the number-two receiver in Los Angeles and will need to step up.
The Rams lost some key players on defense. However, Donald returns after teasing retirement. Donald battled through various injuries and only produced five sacks in 2022. However, he had 12.5 sacks in 2021 and 13.5 in 2029. If Donald can stay healthy, he is still good enough to warrant double teams and make the Los Angeles defense competitive.
The Rams will win seven games if their offense returns to peak form. Then, they need their defense to play competently.
Why The Rams Can Not Win 6.5 Games
The offensive line is still in shambles. Thus, there are many question marks coming into this season. Can they protect Stafford? Moreover, will they be able to open lanes for Akers? If the Rams cannot run the ball, then they will become predictable on offense. Therefore, it will hurt them when they are facing ferocious defenses like the San Francisco 49ers.
The secondary will be weaker and easier to expose. Thus, they must find an answer. Their schedule includes games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles. Thus, all these teams have quarterbacks that can pick apart secondaries. The Rams have also lost eight straight regular-season games against the 49ers.
The Rams will win six games if they can produce a competent offensive line. Then, their secondary needs to play well against good quarterbacks.
Final Rams Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick
The Rams are in rebuild mode. Expect things to get worse before they better. The Rams will not win six games this season.
Final Rams Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick: Under 6.5 wins: -128
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