2018 Los Angeles Rams season | |
---|---|
Owner | Stan Kroenke |
General manager | Les Snead |
Head coach | Sean McVay |
Offensive coordinator | Sean McVay (de facto) |
Defensive coordinator | Wade Phillips |
Home field | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 13–3 |
Division place | 1st NFC West |
Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cowboys) 30–22 Won NFC Championship (at Saints) 26–23 (OT) Lost Super Bowl LIII (vs. Patriots) 3–13 |
Pro Bowlers | 4
|
AP All-Pros | 4
|
Uniform | |
The 2018 season was the Los Angeles Rams' 81st in the National Football League (NFL), their 82nd overall, their 52nd in the Greater Los Angeles Area and their second under head coach Sean McVay.
The Rams were the NFC Champions, finishing with a record of 13–3, improving on their 11–5 record from the 2017 season. The team won its first eight games of the season (its best start since 1969) before losing to the former division rival Saints in Week 9. After defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 54–51 in Week 11, the third highest-scoring game in NFL history, and a 30–16 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 13, the Rams clinched the NFC West for the second consecutive year, giving Los Angeles its first back-to-back division titles since 1978 and 1979 and consecutive playoff berths for the first time since the 2003 and 2004, when the franchise was based in St. Louis. The Rams ended the regular season tied with New Orleans for the NFL's best record at 13–3. The 13 regular season wins was tied for the second-most in franchise history (along with the 1999 season, only trailing the Rams' 14-win campaign in 2001) and is the most wins in a season for a Los Angeles-based professional football team (as the Rams played in St. Louis in 1999 and 2001).
The Rams started their playoff run by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 30–22 in the divisional round to advance to the NFC Championship Game. This would be their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 2001 as the St. Louis Rams, and their first as the Los Angeles Rams since 1989. The Rams then defeated the number 1 seed New Orleans Saints in the controversial NFC Championship Game 26–23 in overtime. By defeating the Saints, the Rams advanced to Super Bowl LIII, where they faced the New England Patriots. The two teams previously met in Super Bowl XXXVI, in which the Patriots defeated the then-St. Louis Rams 20–17, winning their first Super Bowl title and kicking off their dynasty. This was the Rams' first Super Bowl appearance since that game and first as the Los Angeles Rams since Super Bowl XIV in 1979. In a defensive battle, the Rams lost again to the Patriots 13–3. However, they would return to the Super Bowl three years later and win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.