The Los Angeles Rams made it clear once again that they were all in on a pursuit of a Super Bowl following the blockbuster acquisition of quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford’s arrival has helped solidify the Rams’ status as a bonafide contender going into the 2021 NFL season. After all, he joins an offense that already features a stellar receiver duo in Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp under the tutelage of head coach Sean McVay.
Fans have high hopes for a potential resurgence on offense following a down year with Jared Goff under center. Even though the offseason is still in full swing, players have not shied away from all the talk of contending for a championship.
In fact, Woods is among those that are relishing in the Rams being labeled as a true contender. He feels their track record with such expectations actually bodes well for them this season, via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times:
“Last time we were picked to go to the Super Bowl, we went,” Woods said. “So, I think that’s a good thing. … We’re a loaded team. We have all the parts. We have all the pieces to get where we need to go.”
The last time the Rams were pegged as legit contenders was after McVay’s first year in 2017. Although they had lost in the NFC Wild Card Round, the promise they showed carried over into the 2018 campaign and culminated with a showdown against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII.
It is safe to say that the Rams are even better equipped this time around to make it come to fruition once again. Aside from bringing in Stafford as the final piece of the puzzle on offense, the defense is coming off a stellar year as the No. 1-ranked group in the league.
There is no question that the defense suffered some key losses this offseason, however, the presence of defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey give good reason to be optimistic that they can still play at a high level. Even if they are unable to replicate their success as the top group in the league, the added help from the offense should pay some major dividends.
Woods is focused on kicking things up a notch in the passing game for Stafford. While he and Kupp will likely remain as the go-to options, it will be interesting to see how the dynamic of this group changes with two deep threats in the mix between DeSean Jackson and Tutu Atwell.
