The Los Angeles Rams arrived this season with heightened expectations after significant roster additions, but those hopes have been replaced by a troubling 2-4 record and last place in the NFC West. A run of defeats — three losses in their last four games — has undercut preseason predictions that branded them a near-superteam.
Sunday’s loss to division rival Arizona was emblematic of how rapidly things have gone awry. The Cardinals, a club the Rams had beaten in 16 of their previous 19 meetings, did not score a touchdown, yet prevailed thanks to a string of successful field goals. Arizona kicker Chad Ryland connected on six attempts, the final one a 43-yarder as time expired, to deliver the upset.
Kicking problems have been a recurring issue for Los Angeles. The Rams released Harrison Mevis days earlier after he finished the season’s first five weeks with a league-worst four missed field-goal attempts. The team signed Blake Grupe from the New York Jets’ practice squad, but Grupe was injured while covering a kickoff in the first quarter on Sunday, leaving the Rams without a placekicker for the remainder of the game.
The combination of unexpected personnel issues and late-game breakdowns has accelerated a fall from early-season optimism to a season that now looks precarious. With divisional standing deteriorating and confidence shaken, the Rams face pressure to stabilize both their special teams and broader execution if they are to salvage their campaign.