The Los Angeles Rams will face off against the Seattle Seahawks if the San Francisco 49ers lose, or the Chicago Bears if the 49ers win.
The Seattle Seahawks were able to land the top seed in the NFC, and they await their first playoff opponent in the Divisional Round. For the Los Angeles Rams, they may face their divisional rivals if the San Francisco 49ers lose to the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the Seahawks nabbing the first-round bye, they will face the lowest remaining seed. The Rams are that currently the second lowest seed, meaning the outcome of the 49ers game will set their next opponent.
San Francisco is currently the sixth seed, and the lowest remaining. If they beat the Eagles, they will face the Seahawks next.
Los Angeles would then face the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round.
The first two games of the NFC playoffs showcased some exciting matchups. Los Angeles faced a surprisingly tough Carolina Panthers team that got after Mattew Stafford plenty.
It wasn't until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter when the Rams took back control of the game. The same can be said for the Bears and Green Bay Packers game.
Caleb Williams and company were able to pull off a late fourth quarter touchdown that led to the Bears punching their ticket to the Divisional Round. Simply put, the Rams will have their hands full with whatever opponent they may face.
Before the regular season ended, the Seahawks and Rams faced off with one antoher, in a big back-and-forth affair that resulted in a 38-37 win for Seattle. It would likely be a similar situation, as both teams have elite defenses.
The Bears, on the other hand, are very unpredictable. Despite a rough outing against the Packers through three quarters, they found a way to outlast the Packers and come away with the win.
Competition was always going to get tougher as the playoffs went on, but the Rams will face another strong opponent in their next outing. They cannot start fast and falter in the manner they did against the Panthers.
That is especially true if they happen to face the Seahawks in the Divisional Round. In terms of their opponent, the Rams may want to face the Bears over the Seattle, simply due to their week of rest from being the No. 1 seed.