# Rams Fight for Playoff Life

> Rams drop to 2-4 after loss to Cardinals, playoff odds drop to 48%.
- Title: Rams Fight for Playoff Life · SI | Shortify
- Summary: Rams drop to 2-4 after loss to Cardinals, playoff odds drop to 48%. Rams' playoff odds fall to 48% after losing to Cardinals, with a 10-game schedule ahead.
- Keywords: rams, cardinals, nfl, playoff odds, seahawks, 49ers, chiefs, packers, playoff lives, super bowl, sean mcvay, matthew stafford
- Source: SI — https://si.com/nfl/rams/forget-super-bowl-fighting-for-playoff-lives
- Published: 2026-10-19T10:00:03+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: rams, cardinals, nfl, playoff odds, seahawks, 49ers, chiefs, packers, playoff lives, super bowl, sean mcvay, matthew stafford
## Rams Fall to Cardinals
The Rams dropped the first of the five-game slate Sunday, losing to the Cardinals, 18, 16, in one of the most stunning upsets of the season.
## Rams Now 2-4
Both the Rams and Cardinals are 2, 4, and Los Angeles has slipped to last place in the NFC West.
## Playoff Focus
At this point, the runaway Super Bowl favorites in the preseason must simply focus on earning a spot in the playoffs.
## 16 Points Scored
The number of points the Rams scored in the loss. Entering Sunday’s game, the Cardinals ranked last in the league in points allowed, giving up 32.4 points per game.
## 0 Sacks on Brissett
The number of times the Rams sacked Jacoby Brissett on Sunday. The Rams’ defensive line is supposed to be a strength.
## 4.8 Air Yards
Matthew Stafford’s air yards per attempt in the loss to the Cardinals. According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, this is the third-lowest AYPA he has averaged in a start since joining the Rams in 2021.
## 22% Playoff Odds Drop
The swing in the Rams’ playoff odds by losing to the Cardinals, per Next Gen Stats.According to Brett Kollman, the Rams had a 70% chance of making the playoffs if they had beaten the Cardinals.
## 10 Carries for Williams
The number of carries Kyren Williams saw in the Rams’ loss. Williams seemed frustrated by the low number.
## 243 Yards by McCarthy
The number of yards J.J. McCarthy passed for in the fourth quarter against the Saints. Per NFL researcher, this is the third-most yards McCarthy has thrown for in any game.
## 83.3% Completion
Caleb Williams’s completion percentage in the Bears’ win over the Falcons on Sunday, the highest in a single game in his career.
## 3 Sacks by Gordon
The number of sacks cornerback Kyler Gordon recorded in his first game back from injury.
## 8 Teams No Sacks
The number of teams that did not allow a single sack on Sunday. The Texans, Jags, Saints, Patriots, Cardinals, Titans, Chiefs and Raiders all did not give up a sack during their games.
## Rams' Past Resilience
The Rams did not win the Super Bowl or reach the NFC championship game in either of those years, but also didn’t let a slow start keep them out of the playoffs.
## Key takeaway

Rams' playoff odds fall to 48% after losing to Cardinals, with a 10-game schedule ahead.