Rams schedule offers a path to get right and no excuses

The Rams are about to run out of reasons why they cannot get rolling.After going through a two-game gauntlet facing the Eagles and Bills, the schedule that follows offers an opportunity to turn their uneven start into something considerably more convincing.Six games.Seven weeks.

Five opponents whose collective struggles should have the Rams thinking about how much ground they can gain before December.If ever there was a get-right stretch, this is it.The Rams follow Buffalo with the Cardinals, Raiders, Chargers, Commanders, Cardinals again and Packers.A bye separates the second Arizona game from Green Bay’s Thanksgiving Eve visit.

Then come the Chiefs and a trip to face the 49ers, bringing considerably less room for error.The assignment between now and then should be clear: Stack victories, establish some consistency and arrive at those December showdowns with something sturdier than the promise of eventually becoming the team everyone expected.There is enough opportunity here to demand that much.Through Sunday, Arizona was 1-4, the Chargers 0-5 and Washington 1-3-1.The Raiders and Packers were each 3-2.

Although the Raiders have dropped two straight, and are showing signs that despite their promising start, they still have a ways to go in their rebuild.Those five teams have a combined 8-16-1 record.Count the Cardinals twice to reflect the actual six-game stretch, and the mark falls to 9-20-1.That does not guarantee anything.

It does, however, put the responsibility squarely on the Rams.A team with championship ambitions should be able to take advantage of that schedule.Especially one that needs to replace the uncertainty of its opening month with a clearer sense of what it can reliably do.The distinction matters.Winning a game can change the mood.

Playing well for a month can change the trajectory of a season.That is the opportunity sitting in front of coach Sean McVay.The Rams do not need six weeks of offensive fireworks.They need repeatable football: produ...