Week 7 power rankings: No consensus for Rams after win over Ravens
The Los Angeles Rams present one of the most fascinating analytical paradoxes of the 2025 NFL season, a 4-2 squad simultaneously soaring to No. 3 and plummeting to No.11 in the Week 7 power rankings following their victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This schizophrenic consensus, or lack thereof, reveals a team caught between the cold calculus of their record and the troubling inconsistencies plaguing both sides of the ball.The win against the Ravens, while significant in the standings, was a clinic in winning ugly; the offense mustered a paltry 241 yards against a defense that has been a sieve for much of the season, a performance that would have been a surefire loss were it not for the defense’s opportunistic creation of three turnovers. The specter of injury now looms large, with star receiver Puka Nacua’s ankle sprain casting a pall over the team’s imminent transatlantic journey to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.Nacua’s ascent from fifth-round draft pick to offensive centerpiece has been a masterclass in scouting, a testament to General Manager Les Snead’s almost preternatural ability to unearth gems, a trend further exemplified by the recent tear of linebacker Nate Landman. An undrafted free agent castoff from Atlanta, Landman has been an absolute force of nature, racking up 31 total tackles over the last two weeks, including a monstrous 17 against the Ravens, providing the kind of defensive spine that allows a team to win even when its high-flying offense is grounded.Yet, for every Landman highlight, there is a countervailing concern, such as the special teams unit that has already surrendered four blocked kicks and saw rookie kicker Joshua Karty shank a 26-yard field goal, the kind of self-inflicted wound that typically derails postseason aspirations. The Rams' current standing, tied atop the brutally competitive NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, is both a testament to their resilience and a warning of the fragility of their position.Historically, teams that survive the mid-season gauntlet and emerge with a winning record are those that exhibit balance, and the Rams, for all their individual brilliance, currently resemble a high-performance sports car with a slightly misaligned chassis—capable of breathtaking speed but perpetually on the verge of a costly wobble. The London trip, followed by a Week 8 bye, offers a critical inflection point; it is either a potential trap game that exacerbates their issues or a platform for Sean McVay to engineer a more cohesive identity.The divergent expert opinions—from USA Today and FOX Sports’ bullish No. 3 ranking, citing the defense's playmaking prowess, to Yahoo Sports’ bearish No.11 placement, highlighting the offensive anemia and Nacua’s vulnerability—reflect a fundamental debate about what truly constitutes a contender. Is it the ability to scratch out wins on off days, as CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated suggest with their No.8 rankings, praising the goal-line stand by Jared Verse that neutralized Derrick Henry? Or is it the underlying metrics and potential for catastrophic breakdowns, as highlighted by ESPN’s focus on special teams and The Sporting News’ note that they faced a Lamar Jackson-less Ravens squad? The answer likely lies in the coming weeks. The Rams have the raw talent, the strategic acumen in McVay, and the proven capacity for in-season adjustment. But the path to Lombardi Trophies is paved with consistency, not just flashes of greatness, and until the Rams solve their Jekyll-and-Hyde act, the power rankings will remain as divided as the team’s own performance.
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Jamie Larson123k2 days ago
smh the rams are so confusing this year like are they good or not tbh idk what to think
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JA
Jamie Larson123k2 days ago
lol the rams are such a confusing team this year like how do you win but still look so bad smh just hoping puka is ok tbh
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JA
Jamie Larson123k2 days ago
tbh i see a 4-2 team that just finds a way to win, that defense is looking special and mcVay will figure the rest out
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