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The Los Angeles Rams are locked into a wild-card berth in the NFC playoff field after giving away their divisional lead and control of the No. 1 seed. They'll now either be the fifth or sixth seed in the conference and as a result, their list of possible opponents in the first round is down to just four teams.
We ranked the Rams' potential wild-card matchups from easiest to toughest ahead of Week 18's season finale.
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1. Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have been reeling as of late, losing seven of their last eight games, including a 34-7 loss to the Rams on Sunday Night Football just six weeks ago. The Rams won at Tampa Bay in the divisional round in 2021, and the Tampa Bay weather is much more favorable than the other three possible opponents.
2. Panthers
Despite losing to Carolina earlier in the season in a game that featured heavy rain for the first three quarters, Carolina is in the bottom half of the league against the run and is average against the passing attack. Bryce Young is also inconsistent and sometimes struggles against pressure.
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3. Bears
Although Caleb Williams has taken a huge jump this year, the Bears' defense ranks 21st in passing yards allowed and is among the worst in the league against the run. Chicago's weather is brutal, especially in the winter, which could be favorable for a run game that features backs like DeAndre Swift and Kyle Monangai. This is also Williams' first time in the playoffs, something the Rams could take advantage of.
4. Eagles
Even though they have struggled at times this year and have an offense that is currently ranked 19th in total points, the Eagles have the most experience among the four listed here. Their defense has the ability to shut down opposing offenses, and they have had their way with the Rams, especially as of late, coming back from a 26-7 deficit in Week 3 to defeat the Rams in gut-wrenching fashion.
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Regardless of who they play, the Rams have lost two straight and have seen the No. 1 seed slip out of their grasp, mostly due to their struggles to finish out games. They can't take any of these four opponents lightly.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams playoffs: Ranking LA's possible wild-card opponents
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