The Los Angeles Rams head into Week 4 sitting at 1-2 and are at a turning point in the season. With games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills on deck, it’s very possible that the Rams could be 1-4 going into Week 6. 

However, winning this week and then losing to the Bills, would keep the Rams undefeated in the NFL with a chance to get back at the San Francisco 49ers later in the season. If the Rams can enter Week 6 at 2-3, a 7-4 record is realistic before the Rams go into their bye week. That would put them in a great spot as they hopefully begin to get healthy. 

Still, the Rams are three weeks into the season and it’s hard to know exactly who they are. All three of their games have been vastly different. The only consistent thing about the Rams is that they’ve been inconsistent. Despite being considered one of the top teams in the NFL, some are beginning to lose confidence. In this week’s power rankings, the Rams are only just hanging onto the top 10 and an argument can be made that they should be outside of it. 

Similar to the game in Week 2 against the New York Giants, it’s hard to call games this early in the season a ‘must-win’, but that may be the case this week against the Eagles. Let’s get into this week’s consensus power rankings. 

ESPN: 7th

The Rams are out of the top five in ESPN’s Power Rankings and down to number seven following their loss to the Broncos. While they are inside the top 10, it’s only barely. A third loss on the season to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday would almost certainly knock them out of the top-10.

Sports Illustrated: 7th

Like ESPN, the Rams were fifth in Sports Illustrated’s Power Rankings last week before dropping to number seven. 

“The issue with the Rams is going to be patience as we wait for the team we were promised to finally materialize together,” said Connor Orr. “When Aaron Donald signed, I predicted it would look a little like trying to see the Dodgers at their playoff roster strength. That feels accurate a month into the season.”

It’s possible that the Rams simply need time to find their groove, but is that time they can afford? If the Rams aren’t careful, they’ll be stuck with a wild card spot for the third year in a row and be forced to go through the postseason on the road. That’s only been done a handful of times in NFL history. 

The Athletic: 8th

The Rams are outside of the top five in The Athletic’s Power Rankings as well and are placed just inside the top 10. While the media seems to understand that the Rams are dealing with injuries, that can only save them for so long. At some point, the Rams are going to have to get an impressive win to give people some confidence. If the Rams were another 1-2 team without the talent on the roster, it’s hard to see them ranked as high as they are. 

“Matthew Stafford threw a pick six and another interception on the goal line in the final five minutes Sunday, but if you live by the gunslinger, sometimes you die by the gunslinger. Especially when the gunslinger doesn’t have Puka Nacua,” The Athletic explained. 

Pro Football Talk: 8th

Mike Florio actually had the Rams moving up in Pro Football Talk’s power rankings. There are no moral victories, but it certainly felt like the Rams were the better team and should have won on Sunday night. Like the others, the Rams are just hanging on inside the top 10, but it’s nice to see them get rewarded for a tight loss on the road to another good team. 

NFL.com: 13th

This is our first ranking with the Rams outside of the top 10. Nick Shook from NFL Media has the Rams outside of the top 10 at No. 13. While it may be harsh, it’s also hard to blame Shook for putting the Rams here. The Rams are 10th in total DVOA. At some point, it’s about results and the Rams are missing those right now. 

“We’ve seen the Rams look flat, play like an elite team, and collapse in a road game they led 16-0 at halftime,” wrote Shook. “It’s better to get these mistakes out of the way now, but we can all agree this isn’t how we expected L.A. to start its season.”

CBS Sports: 10th

The Rams dropped to 10th in Pete Prisco’s power rankings. A serious argument can be made that the Rams don’t deserve to be in the top 10 given that they are 1-2. They’ve shown nothing that says they are a top team. Even in their lone win, they beat a team with a backup quarterback. 

“So much for cruising to a Super Bowl,” said Prisco. “They need Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua back in the worst way.”

Prisco does refer to the Rams as a dream team and there are a lot of references to the Rams being a super team. With that said, unlike the 2011 Eagles, the Rams never referred to themselves as such. That label has specifically been handed to them by the media. Still, despite the talent on the roster, the Rams have played up to it at this point. Injuries have a lot to do with it, but the Rams have not met expectations. 

This Week’s Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

Based on the rankings from the sources above, the Eagles have an average ranking of 11.7. Following their loss to the Chicago Bears with Case Keenum on Monday Night Football, it’s clear the media doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the Eagles. The loss to the Bears comes one week after the Eagles only just beat the Tennessee Titans. 

It will certainly help for the Eagles to be back at The Linc this week and playing at home. However, while some have started to write the Rams off at 1-2, this is still a very winnable game. The Rams can absolutely get back on track and it would give them another win in the NFC.

The Grisak 10: Ranking the NFL’s Best Teams After Week 3

The Bills beat the Chargers in Week 3 despite having five turnovers. They look like the best team in the NFL right now. An argument could be made for the San Francisco 49ers at No. 2 as Brock Purdy is playing like an MVP. In my rankings, the Rams hang on at No. 6, but if they don’t turn it around this week, that will change.