What does Rams-Jets mean for NFC standings

The Rams face the Jets in New Jersey on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

Week 16 brings a matchup of Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks, although one isn’t exactly playing that way right now. Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams travel to face Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon. The Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention, while the Rams control their destiny to take home the NFC West title. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET and the Rams are a field goal favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Rams playoff picture

The Rams are 8-6 and tied with the Seahawks atop the NFC West. LA has the tiebreaker edge heading into Week 16 having won their Week 9 matchup in Seattle. They meet again in Week 18, which likely will be for the division title unless we see an upset along the way. The Rams face the Jets then host the Cardinals before Week 18. The Seahawks host the Vikings and then travel to face the Bears ahead of a potential huge division finale.

Notably, the Rams don’t need to win this game against the Jets. Given the Seahawks are facing the Vikings, a win opens the door to a Week 17 clinching scenario, but it’s not exactly a must-win game in that context.

If the Rams do drop out of the division lead, they would likely miss out on a wild card berth. The Rams and Seahawks both sit a game back of the seventh-place Commanders. If the Rams drop a game the rest of the way, they probably won’t have a shot at the wild card.

Tiebreaker implications

This game would implicate a common games tiebreaker with the Seahawks if it came down to that.