The Los Angeles Rams have won fifty-six NFL Super Bowl titles and are the defending champions. Throughout the past year, the team has played great football. However, this year they look like a completely different team.
This season has been highly disappointing for the fans, who had high hopes. Even though the Rams seemed promising when they won their opening game, they failed to capitalize on that start. The team only managed to win four games out of their thirteen outings.
When it comes to defending titles, the Los Angeles Rams are not a team to bet on. In Los Angeles’ fifty-six championships, the team missed the playoffs sixteen times the following year.
This season is their seventeenth, which is very likely to happen. The Rams are going through a “Super Bowl Hangover,” making the team competitors for the NFL’s worst-defending Super Bowl champions.
There are many reasons for the Rams to be considered the “worst” defending team. Here are our top reasons:
GOAT Losers
As the worst Super Bowl title-defending team, the Rams are the GOAT. Only seven other teams that won the Super Bowl had a losing season the following year.
Two are the 1982 49ers and the 1987 Giants, who could not perform due to the seasons being strike years. On the other hand, the Rams have the worst winning percentage compared to the rest of the five teams.
The Rams have made some deplorable off-season decisions, and the team going through a losing streak played a considerable role in the team’s lack of success.
Weak Offensive Line
Los Angeles has the worst offensive line this year. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth retired, and guard Austin Corbert left the team. This is one of the primary reasons the Rams fail to perform this season.
The replacement for the star players is unheard-of. Tai Naseki, Brian Allen, Chandler Brewer, Rob Havenstein, and Coleman Shelton are part of the team’s new offense. None of these offensive players is well recognized. Tai Naseki is the last person anyone wants as a left tackle, making this an awful offensive team.
Departures
One of the other biggest mistakes the defending champions made was to trade and let go of their experienced players.
Los Angeles traded Robert Woods to the Titans because they could not use him; the player could only play nine games. However, the team could use the player’s experience this season.
Von Miller also left the team for free agency, which proved very costly to Los Angeles. Miller was a key contributor in the Los Angeles Rams’ 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
During the game, Miller had two sacks. Only two players, including him, have ever had multiple sacks in multiple Super Bowls. The Giants’ Justin Tuck is the first one.
Injuries
Los Angeles impressively has six reserve offensive linemen. Including Logan Burruss, Tremaine Ankrum, Joe Newtboom, Aj Jackson, Chandler Brewer, and David Edwards. The Rams, unfortunately, did not have the services of linemen Brain Allen and Zack Thomas in the game against the Saints due to injuries.
Tai Naseki was sent off the field during the same game and later hurt his ankle. Even with these injuries, Cooper Cup is the one who is suffering the most. Cup suffers from a high ankle sprain in Week 10 and will undergo tightrope surgery.
Cup holds the NFL record with thirty-three receptions, led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns in the postseason, and became a Super Bowl matchup odds sensation for 2022 LVI MVP, which subsequently helped him secure a three-year contract deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
Some sources say the Rams will likely miss the player for at least another week. Others say he might not be able to play this season at all.
Matt Stafford also missed the ninth game as he was in concussion protocol. He was free for the tenth week. However, the player had to leave for another concussion evaluation.
Back-to-back concussions are a huge problem for the player and team. Stafford’s health has been a concern even during the offseason. The player suffered many elbow injuries last year and had a procedure. Later on, he had to get the elbow injected.
Because of his injuries, the player couldn’t even participate in training, and he is now too hurt to play. Los Angeles is missing his incredible skills on the field that allowed the team to win last year.
Another reason to be okay with this pick up. 💁🏻♀️ https://t.co/8DICB7FFST
— RAMS REPORT🗯 (@RamsNFLReport) December 6, 2022
There are many other issues within the Rams, like a lack of ability to make sound financial decisions. The Rams’ chances of successfully defending their title are slim due to their inability to win games on a consistent basis due to the numerous problems they must deal with.
The Los Angeles Rams appear to be the weakest team to defend the Super Bowl, with several key questions remaining unanswered and only a handful of wins. The Los Angeles Rams will be hoping for a turnaround and a return to winning ways next season.
