For .500 teams, every remaining game on the NFL schedule could be life-or-death. The New York Times' playoff simulator spells out just how essential it is for the Los Angeles Rams to defeat the New Orleans Saints in the Week 16 edition of Thursday Night Football.
A win gives the 7-7 Rams, who currently occupy the third and final NFC Wild Card slot, a 69 percent chance of reaching the postseason. According to the data, a loss would cripple the team even more than fans might be anticipating, with LA's playoff odds plummeting to just nine percent if it can't take care of business at home, via RamsWire's Cameron DaSilva.
Now, that is a lot of pressure to place on the shoulders of Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and the entire Rams squad going into this critical contest. They have found their rhtyhem since getting healthier, winning three of their last four games. Though, the Saints are also on an upward trajectory after beating up on inferior opponents the past couple weeks and are looking to clinch their own seat at the seven-team NFC table in January.
The victor of Thursday's SoFi Stadium showdown will be in position to make that happen. LA's defense will likely need to win at the line of scrimmage and apply pressure on the seldomly sacked Derek Carr to grab a hold of momentum. An impressive wide receiving core must then carry their share of the burden on the offensive end, at least well enough to ensure the Rams control the clock.
That is easier said than done, of course, but head coach Sean McVay cannot be counted out in a big game such as this one. Despite the New York Giants and a possibly unmotivated San Francisco 49ers team awaiting in the final two weeks of the season, emerging victoriously from TNF is a must.