Rams Fall to 2-4 as Injuries Threaten Playoff Hopes

The Los Angeles Rams face mounting pressure to rescue their 2026 NFL season after a 2-4 start, a disappointing home loss to the Arizona Cardinals and several significant injuries. As Week 7 power rankings reflect the team's decline, coach Sean McVay must address offensive inconsistency, defensive problems and a depleted roster while the Rams attempt to remain in the playoff race.

According to CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports, Los Angeles lost 18-16 to Arizona after failing to score a touchdown against a Cardinals team that entered the matchup with a 1-4 record. The defeat left the Rams last in the NFC West and intensified concerns about a team that entered the season with championship expectations.

CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco dropped the Rams to No. 18 in his Week 7 power rankings. The team ranked 17th in scoring offense and 21st in scoring defense, while its eight sacks placed it in a tie for 26th in the league, according to the report.

Injuries have further complicated the situation. McVay said Davante Adams would miss six to 10 weeks with a ruptured hamstring, while defensive lineman Kobie Turner would be sidelined for multiple weeks with a groin injury. Kicker Blake Grupe also landed on injured reserve with a knee injury after joining the team the previous week.

Yahoo Sports reported that the Rams already had concerns about receiver depth behind Puka Nacua and Adams. Losing Adams for an extended period leaves the offense with fewer established options as Los Angeles attempts to recover.

McVay acknowledged that the team's mistakes have contributed to its disappointing results following the loss to Arizona.

"We won't win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves," McVay said.

The Rams have a relatively favorable remaining schedule, ranked as the seventh-easiest in the NFL by Tankathon, according to Yahoo Sports. However, their upcoming opponents include San Francisco, two games against Seattle and a matchup against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.

Yahoo Sports reported that reaching 10 wins could give Los Angeles a realistic chance of qualifying for the playoffs. That would require an 8-3 finish over its remaining 11 games, leaving little room for further setbacks.

The rankings also highlight a sharp contrast between the Rams and the league's strongest teams. USA Today ranked the San Francisco 49ers first after they improved to 6-0 by defeating Washington, while the Kansas City Chiefs held second place. The Minnesota Vikings climbed to third, and the Chicago Bears moved to fourth.

The 49ers' victory maintained their position atop the league hierarchy, while the Chiefs remained among the leading contenders after their bye week. The Vikings also retained an undefeated record, according to USA Today's Week 7 assessment.

At the other end of the standings, the Los Angeles Chargers fell to 0-6 after losing 22-6 to Kansas City, according to Yahoo Sports. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged the team's difficult position following the defeat.

"Obviously 0-6 going into the bye, I did not think I would be up here addressing that question," Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh also indicated that the Chargers needed to examine their offensive performance after another low-scoring outing.

"We have to address everything, especially offensively," Harbaugh said.

He emphasized the team's inability to produce enough points.

"We're not scoring enough points," Harbaugh said.

The Tennessee Titans, meanwhile, secured their first victory by overcoming a 13-0 halftime deficit against the Indianapolis Colts. They outscored Indianapolis 26-7 in the second half, giving coach Robert Saleh his first win with the team, according to Yahoo Sports.

Saleh credited the players' persistence after several earlier near misses.

"The players, these kids put in so much work, and this league is hard," Saleh said.

For Los Angeles, the immediate challenge remains reversing its downward trajectory before a demanding late-season schedule removes more opportunities to recover.