Washington Commanders Opponent Preview: Los Angeles Rams

After taking a look at early season matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers, we dive into the Washington Commanders' week six opponent when they travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers.

2025 Record: 12-5, tied for second in NFC West

Key Players: Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett, Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Kyren Williams, Davante Adams, Kam Curl 

Key Losses: Tutu Atwell, Ahkello Witherspoon, DJ Humphries

Key Additions: Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, Ty Simpson, Jaylen Watson

How They Fared:

The Rams were battling for the best record in the NFC for much of the season. Going into their Week 16 match against the Seahawks, both teams stood at 11-3, tied for first place in the division. However, the Rams would come up short in overtime and drop the following game against the Falcons before winning their final game against the Cardinals to finish 12-5 and get the fifth seed. After avenging a regular season loss against Carolina in the Wild Card round, the Rams would outlast the Bears in overtime the following week. Unfortunately, their season would come to an end in the Conference Championship, as they would fall to the Seahawks. The offense finished the regular season with the most passing yards, total yards, and points scored across all teams. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had the best season of his career at 37, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns, being named the league’s MVP. Running back Kyren Williams rushed for 1000 yards for the third straight year, while wide receiver Puka led the league in catches. On defense, the Rams gave up the fewest rushing touchdowns and finished top ten in takeaways and interceptions. They were also tied for the seventh-most sacks with Houston and Seattle. Defensive lineman Byron Young led the way with 12.

DraftKings has the Rams with the best odds to win the NFC West, NFC, and Super Bowl. The team made the biggest move this offseason, trading for Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. With Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie, also acquired via trade, joining the team, it seems to be Super Bowl or bust for 2026. 

Matthew Stafford vs Washington Defense

Stafford was named NFL MVP after leading the league with 4707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns to just eight interceptions, with a career-high passer rating of 109.2. He did all of this at the age of 37 and is going into this year looking for his second Super Bowl ring since joining the Rams in 2021. This will be the toughest matchup for the Washington defense. Up front, edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson need to make things uncomfortable for Stafford and the offense. The Rams’ offensive line only gave up 23 sacks last year, so getting to the quarterback will not come easily. The secondary will have its own test covering the league leader in receptions last year, Puka Nacua. Young corners Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos need to be ready for anything when it comes to guarding Nacua. One other player to keep an eye on is rookie linebacker Sonny Styles, as he’ll more than likely have a bigger role in calling defensive plays by week eight.