The Los Angeles Rams have won three consecutive games, but their improving form has not changed the biggest concern surrounding their 2026 season: they are still struggling to keep pace with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.
Sean McVay’s team enters Sunday’s meeting with the Arizona Cardinals at 5–4, sitting third in the division behind San Francisco and Seattle. More concerning is their 0–2 divisional record, which leaves them with little room for further mistakes against familiar opponents.
The Rams have the offensive talent to challenge the best teams in the conference. Matthew Stafford has thrown for 2,374 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Puka Nacua has accumulated 715 receiving yards. Yet individual production has not translated into the consistency required to control their division.
Their problem is not simply that the 49ers are winning. It is that Los Angeles have made their own path more difficult by losing games against the very teams they need to overtake.
Sunday’s rematch with Arizona is therefore about more than extending a winning streak. It is an opportunity to correct a divisional weakness before the schedule brings even more consequential tests.
The Rams’ Offence Needs to Become More Ruthless
Los Angeles have produced 379.8 yards per game, the fourth-best total in the NFL. Their passing attack ranks seventh, while their running game sits ninth, according to the NFL’s official 2026 team statistics.
The problem is that the Rams have not always converted that production into points.
They average 23.8 points per game, ranking 13th, despite their impressive yardage numbers. Their minus-four turnover margin is another concern. Against divisional opponents, those mistakes can be particularly costly because the margins are often decided by a handful of possessions.
The previous meeting with Arizona illustrated the problem. The Rams managed only 286 total yards, compared with the Cardinals’ 338, and lost the turnover battle after giving up a fumble. They also struggled to finish drives, scoring touchdowns on just two of four red-zone possessions. Arizona, meanwhile, held Los Angeles to 92 rushing yards and controlled possession for almost ten additional minutes. The NFL game centre provides the full statistical breakdown.
That should influence McVay’s approach on Sunday. The Rams need to establish Kyren Williams early rather than allowing Arizona to concentrate entirely on Stafford and the passing game. Williams has 593 rushing yards, while Blake Corum has added 447. Having both available gives McVay the opportunity to vary formations, use play-action, and create favourable matchups for Nacua and Davante Adams.
Arizona have allowed 28.3 points per game, the second-highest figure in the league. Their defence has struggled to prevent opponents from scoring, and Los Angeles should be capable of exploiting that weakness. The Rams must finish drives with touchdowns instead of allowing promising possessions to end in field goals.
The 49ers Have Put the Pressure on Their Division Rivals
San Francisco’s 7–1 start has changed the stakes for everyone else in the NFC West.
The 49ers have won three divisional games without losing one, giving them a significant advantage over the Rams, whose divisional record remains 0–2. Seattle are also 5–4, but their 2–1 record against division opponents puts them ahead of Los Angeles in the standings. The official NFL standings show how the three teams currently compare.
This is where the Rams’ remaining schedule becomes particularly important. They still have a road meeting with San Francisco on December 13, followed by a Christmas Day trip to face Seattle. Their regular-season finale against the Seahawks also gives them another opportunity to influence the divisional standings. The Rams’ official 2026 schedule confirms those remaining fixtures.
Those games could become decisive in the race for the NFC West.
Beating San Francisco would reduce the gap between the teams and give Los Angeles a valuable head-to-head result. Defeating Seattle would also help the Rams improve their divisional record while potentially damaging a direct rival’s playoff ambitions. Those opportunities, however, will mean considerably less if Los Angeles continue dropping games they are expected to win.
The Cardinals are 3–6 and have struggled defensively, but they have already demonstrated that they can beat the Rams. Another defeat would leave Los Angeles with an even steeper climb before those December matchups arrive.
McVay’s Defence Must Make Life Difficult for Arizona
The Rams’ defensive performances have been encouraging, even if their overall results have not always reflected that quality.
They are allowing 20.1 points per game, ranking eighth in the league, while their 302.4 yards allowed per game place them sixth. Their pass defence has been particularly effective, surrendering just 198.7 passing yards per game. These figures can be checked against the NFL’s official defensive statistics.
That gives Los Angeles an opportunity to put pressure on Arizona’s offence. The Cardinals average 19.8 points and 318 total yards per game, both considerably below the Rams’ offensive production. They have also struggled to sustain consistent scoring.
Los Angeles should look to make Arizona’s quarterback uncomfortable by disrupting the timing of the passing game and limiting opportunities for Trey McBride to influence proceedings. McBride is one of the Cardinals’ most important receiving options, and allowing him to become a reliable outlet could help Arizona sustain drives.
The Rams must also avoid giving away easy possessions. Their defensive numbers are strong enough to keep the Cardinals under pressure, but the offence cannot repeatedly put the unit in difficult situations through turnovers. If Los Angeles can control the line of scrimmage, force Arizona into longer third-down situations and make the Cardinals work for every scoring opportunity, they should have a clear path to a better result than their previous meeting.
End Of My Los Angeles Rams Rant: The Rams Need More Than Another Winning Streak
McVay has built a team capable of competing for a playoff place, but the next stage of the season will reveal whether the Rams can turn that potential into something more substantial. Their three consecutive victories have restored some momentum. Stafford is producing, Nacua remains a major threat, and the defence has shown that it can keep opponents from scoring freely.
Yet the NFC West is not going to wait for Los Angeles to find consistency.
San Francisco have already created separation, while Seattle have put themselves in a stronger divisional position. The Rams still have opportunities to change that picture, but they need to start taking advantage of them.
Sunday’s game should be a chance to demonstrate that the previous loss to Arizona was an exception rather than a recurring weakness. The Rams do not need another reminder of how talented their roster is. They need to show that they can turn that talent into victories against the opponents who stand between them and the NFC West title.
