The Los Angeles Rams built their 2021 roster to win the Super Bowl at all costs. They won the Super Bowl. Now they are paying all the costs.
The reigning-champion Rams have a 3-7 record. They have lost four straight games, the last two to the Arizona Cardinals, an N.F.C. West rival, and the New Orleans Saints, teams with a combined 8-14 record. They are essentially eliminated from playoff contention; The New York Times’ N.F.L. playoff calculator gives the Rams just a 3 percent chance of reaching the postseason.
Los Angeles faces Kansas City on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in what once looked like a potential Super Bowl preview.