Sometimes, coaches and players have to contrive disrespect. Sometimes, it happens naturally.
For the Rams in 2023, the perception of low expectations requires no embellishment.
The folks in Vegas have set the over-under for the team’s wins at 6.5. Rams coach Sean McVay was asked about it on Tuesday.
“Whatever I say, I’m going to get in trouble right now,” McVay said. “They don’t believe in us.”
He’s right. “They” don’t believe in the Rams. And for good reason. No Super Bowl champion fell farther than the Rams from 2021 to 2022. And an eff-them-picks roster continues to reveal potentially significant flaws.
That said, the Rams could easily win more than 6.5 games this season. In a wide-open NFC, they could contend for a postseason berth.
Much of it comes down to health. Will key players like Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Cooper Kupp hold up? If they do, the Rams likely will be better than expected.
Still, the schedule has plenty of tough games. Beyond two against the 49ers and Seahawks, the Rams face the teams of the AFC North and the teams of the NFC East. That’s 10 games right there.
There’s nevertheless something to be said for going from a measuring-stick opponent to a team that most won’t regard as a high-end opponent. It could open the door for the Rams to win enough games to find themselves in the mix for the 2023 postseason.