In the blink of an eye, the Los Angeles Rams went from having a 90% chance to win the NFC West and earn the No. 1 seed to falling completely out of contention for both. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will play for the division title and first-round bye next Saturday, while the Rams are guaranteed to go on the road in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
A lot has changed since the Rams last took the field but there’s one thing that shouldn’t: their desire to win. Despite knowing they will be either the fifth or sixth seed, the Rams still have plenty to play for in the final two games of the regular season.
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They could play it safe and rest their starters, with the worst-case scenario being that they end up as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. They shouldn’t take that approach, though. Not yet, at least.
There are several reasons the Rams should try to win their final two games and stay hot for the postseason.
Improving draft pick acquired from Atlanta
The Rams own the Falcons’ first-round pick in 2026 following a trade in April when Los Angeles moved back 20 spots and selected Terrance Ferguson, giving the Falcons James Pearce Jr.
Currently, the Rams’ pick from the Falcons is slotted at No. 11, but it could move up if Atlanta keeps losing. With a win over the Falcons on Monday night, the Rams’ pick from Atlanta will move up to No. 9 overall. It can’t get any higher than No. 8, but the more Atlanta loses, the better the Rams’ pick will be.
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Plus, there are bragging rights on the line against former Rams coaches Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson
Matthew Stafford’s MVP case
This might be Stafford’s last chance to win NFL MVP, and for a guy on the fringe of being a potential Hall of Famer, winning the award could be the difference between getting into Canton or being left out.
He and the Rams should do everything (reasonably) in their power to get him the award. He’s the current favorite over Drake Maye and with the Patriots fighting for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Maye will be on the field in Week 18. Stafford may not.
Stafford needs a solid showing against Atlanta to bolster his case as the league’s most valuable player. That will at least give him a great chance to win the award regardless of whether he plays the finale.
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Big difference between No. 5 and 6 seed
The biggest reason to play for wins over the Falcons and Cardinals is seeding. There’s a massive difference between being the fifth and sixth seeds in the NFC. As the No. 5, you’re guaranteed to face either the Buccaneers or Panthers in the wild-card round. As the No. 6, you’ll go to either Chicago or Philadelphia in the first round.
Neither is an ideal situation, but would you rather face one of the top teams in the NFC or the worst team in the playoff field? The answer is an easy one.
Plus, if the Rams are the No. 5 seed, they’re much more likely to get a home playoff game in the second round because the 49ers or Seahawks will be the sixth seed, and they’re more likely to pull off an upset in the opening round.
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Sure, the Rams lost to the Panthers already but they’d be the unquestioned favorites in either game against Carolina or Tampa Bay. They’re not as certain to be favored over the Bears or Eagles.
The Rams must first get past the Falcons on Monday night before thinking about resting their starters in Week 18. Their backups could conceivably beat the struggling Cardinals next Sunday, but back-to-back losses to end the year ensures the Rams finish as the No. 6 seed.
In fact, simply losing to the Cardinals locks the Rams in at No. 6, regardless of tonight’s result.
The Rams badly need to bounce back and get on track after their Week 16 collapse to the Seahawks. Going into the playoffs without starters playing a game since that loss would be unwise, which is exactly why the Rams should be playing to win.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Why Rams shouldn’t rest starters vs. Falcons in Week 17
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