SI Video StaffOct 19, 2026
Despite the 2-4 start and the loss to Arizona, the Rams are defended as a good team that will make the playoffs and be a factor in January, with the upcoming four-game stretch against the Raiders, Chargers, Commanders and Cardinals seen as four winnable games that would put them at 6-4.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What SI Video Staff said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThis team is gonna be good. They're gonna be in the playoffs.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- The Super Bowl-Favorite Rams Just Lost to One of the League’s Worst Teams
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidOct 19
- PlayedOct 25–Nov 8
- GradedOct 26–Nov 8
- 1Los Angeles Rams to beat Commanders“At Raiders, Chargers, Commanders, at Cardinals. ... Does that not look like 6 and 4?”
- 2Los Angeles Rams to beat Chargers“At Raiders, Chargers, Commanders, at Cardinals. ... Does that not look like 6 and 4?”
- 3Los Angeles Rams to beat Raiders“At Raiders, Chargers, Commanders, at Cardinals. ... Does that not look like 6 and 4?”
- 4Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs“This team is gonna be good. They're gonna be in the playoffs. They're still one of the best teams in the NFL.”
- 5Los Angeles Rams to beat Cardinals“At Raiders, Chargers, Commanders, at Cardinals. All due respect to the Cardinals, what they just did to the Rams. Does that not look like 6 and 4?”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams to beat Commanders1 | Game Outcome Picks | Rams 20–13 | 100 | 0 | +172 | |
| Los Angeles Rams to beat Chargers2 | Game Outcome Picks | Rams 24–9 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Los Angeles Rams to beat Raiders3 | Game Outcome Picks | Rams 35–21 | 100 | 0 | +172 | |
| Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs4 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Los Angeles Rams to beat Cardinals5 | Game Outcome Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 3 hits · 2 waiting | 100 | 33.3 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive5 checkable claims — 4 game outcome picks and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
3 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 33.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to beat Commanders
What happenedRams 20–13Rams at Commanders100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×1.72difficulty=+172skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 20-13
- skill:
- 172
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- WAS
- difficulty:
- 1.72
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 13
2Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to beat Chargers
What happenedRams 24–9Chargers at Rams100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×1.72difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 9-24
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- LAR
- difficulty:
- 1.72
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 13
3Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to beat Raiders
What happenedRams 35–21Rams at Raiders100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×1.72difficulty=+172skillClosing line (Oct 25): Rams by 3.5 · favorite pick, Rams 62%.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 35-21
- skill:
- 172
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- LV
- difficulty:
- 1.72
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 13
4Playoff PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to beat Cardinals
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 3 settled calls, each counted once
100naive 33.3
The games in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd predicts Matt Stafford stays with the Rams rather than moving on, and says Travis Hunter may underachieve because they're being asked to play both ways — Cowherd doubts they're a No. 1 receiver and would slot them as a No. 2 receiver while being a No. 1 corner.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd believes Matt Stafford's public negotiation posturing means he ultimately stays in Los Angeles, and he flags Travis Hunter as a high draft pick who could underachieve because trying to play both cornerback and receiver full-time will hurt him.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Los Angeles Rams · Hit 93
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Rams · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Conor Orr · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10.Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens.Mitch Goldich · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Matt Verderame · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.