After the blockbuster Matthew Stafford–Jared Goff trade, the stakes are very high for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
It is clear the franchise wants to win now; otherwise, they would not have traded multiple draft picks for the 33-year-old Stafford.
The Rams (and also the Chargers) will vie to be the second team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium; SoFi Stadium is hosting Super Bowl 56.
Today marks the 56th day of the year! To celebrate as we count down to Super Bowl LVI (56!) we are excited to share this look at the future home of the big game @SoFiStadium. #LASuperBowlHC #ChampionsShineHere
📹: LA Drones / @ajslays pic.twitter.com/qhtfcX1TED— Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (@LASEC) February 25, 2021
That feat had never happened before Super Bowl 55 when the current Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the championship at home.
It is the 2021 offseason so every team has a viable chance at this point of making it to Super Bowl 56.
Let’s talk about what would be the easiest and perhaps most successful path for the Los Angeles Rams to host the Super Bowl at home.
Here are the steps the Rams need to take.
1. Win The NFC West Division
Is the NFC West the best division in football?
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 1, 2021
The Rams compete in the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers.
By virtue of the offseason activity thus far with the Rams and Cardinals, this division could become even more competitive than before.
The Seattle Seahawks won the division with a 12-4 record in 2020; whereas the Rams finished in second place with a 10-6 record.
This earned the Rams the sixth seed in the NFC playoff picture.
The Rams went on to beat the Seahawks in the wildcard playoff game only to lose the following week to the top seeded Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Moral of the story, the Rams need to be higher than the sixth seed in the NFC in 2021 to get to the Super Bowl.
That starts by winning the NFC West.
2. Earn Home Field Advantage
Of course, road teams win playoff games.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers proved that in supreme fashion in 2020.
However, the road to the Super Bowl through the “Frozen Tundra” at Lambeau Field is an enormous challenge.
Best way for the Rams to avoid that is to be the top seed in the NFC and earn home field advantage.
3. Perform Well In Big Moments and Big Games
What is the difference between the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers?
The Steelers ran out to an 11-0 record and lost steam in December and January, and they lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Tampa Bay admittedly struggled early on in 2020, but they peaked in December and January.
Everything came together at the right time in the big moments when it really counted.
What does this mean for the 2021 Los Angeles Rams?
It is unrealistic to expect a brand new quarterback on a new team with a new offensive playbook to come out firing immediately.
The Rams need to build momentum and win when it counts.
The Los Angeles Rams need to do these things to put themselves in the best possible position to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 56.
