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 finished 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 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. The Rams missed the playoffs in the following season and followed the next year with an elimination at the division round, before returning to the Super Bowl to win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Offseason Coaching changes The Oakland Raiders hired Rams quarterbacks coach Greg Olson as their new offensive coordinator on January 9, 2018. Offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur left the Rams to take the same position with the Tennessee Titans on January 30, 2018.
Uniform changes The Rams announced during training camp that they would wear their all-white uniforms for the preseason and through the Rams' first two home games of the regular season. Beginning with a Thursday Night game against Minnesota on September 27, the Rams would wear their classic blue-and-yellow throwback uniforms as their primary home uniforms for the remainder of the season and throughout the playoffs (including Super Bowl LIII). Additionally, the team would wear their all-yellow color rush uniforms for scheduled prime time games against San Francisco and Kansas City later in the season.
Roster changes Free agents Unrestricted Position Player Tag 2018 Team Date signed CB Trumaine Johnson UFA New York Jets March 16, 2018 WR Sammy Watkins UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 15, 2018 RB Lance Dunbar UFA TBA TE Derek Carrier UFA Oakland Raiders March 15, 2018 CB Nickell Robey-Coleman UFA Los Angeles Rams March 13, 2018 DE Dominique Easley UFA Los Angeles Rams March 19, 2018 OLB Connor Barwin UFA New York Giants NT Tyrunn Walker UFA New Orleans Saints C John Sullivan UFA Los Angeles Rams March 16, 2018 FS Lamarcus Joyner UFA Los Angeles Rams March 6, 2018 FS Cody Davis UFA Jacksonville Jaguars March 15, 2018 Player re-signed by the Rams
Free agent signings Position Player Tag 2017 team Date signed CB Sam Shields UFA Free agent March 8, 2018 ILB Ramik Wilson UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 22, 2018 DT Ndamukong Suh UFA Miami Dolphins March 26, 2018
Trades Acquired Position Player 2017 Team Date obtained Traded in exchange WR Brandin Cooks New England Patriots April 3 2018 1st round pick (Isaiah Wynn) CB Marcus Peters Kansas City Chiefs February 22 (became official on March 14) 2018 4th round pick (Armani Watts) 2019 2nd round pick (Juan Thornhill)
Traded away Position Player 2018 Team Date traded Obtained in exchange LB Alec Ogletree New York Giants March 14 (agreement reached on March 7) 2018 4th round pick (John Franklin-Myers) 2018 6th round pick (John Kelly) WR Tavon Austin Dallas Cowboys April 28 2018 6th round pick (Jamil Demby)
Releases Position Player 2018 Team Date released CB Kayvon Webster Houston Texans April 6, 2018
Draft
Draft trades The Rams traded their first round selection (No. 23) and sixth round selection (No. 198) to the New England Patriots in exchange for WR Brandin Cooks and the Patriots' fourth round selection (No. 136) The Rams traded their second-round selection (56th overall) and cornerback E. J. Gaines to Buffalo in exchange for Buffalo's sixth-round selection (195th overall) and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. The Rams traded their third-round selection (87th overall) to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's third- and seventh-round selections (89th and 217th overall). The Rams traded their fourth-round selection (124th overall) and second-round selection in 2019 to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's sixth-round selection (209th overall) and cornerback Marcus Peters. The Rams traded their seventh-round selection in 2019 and linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants' fourth- and sixth-round selections (135th and 176th overall). The Rams traded their fourth round selection acquired from New England (136th overall) to the Carolina Panthers for the Panthers' fifth- and sixth-round selections (147th and 197th). The Rams traded their fifth-round selection (160th overall) to Denver in exchange for cornerback Aqib Talib. The Rams traded defensive end Robert Quinn and sixth-round selection (209th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the Dolphins' fourth- and sixth-round selections (111th and 183rd overall). The Rams traded their two sixth-round selections (183rd and 217th overall) to Denver in exchange for Denver's fifth-round selection (160th overall). The Rams traded their sixth-round selection (194th overall) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's two seventh-round selections (244th and 256th overall). The Rams traded Tavon Austin to the Dallas Cowboys for their sixth-round selection (192nd overall). The Rams traded offensive tackle Greg Robinson to Detroit in exchange for Detroit's sixth-round selection (194th overall). The Rams traded their seventh-round selection (241st overall) to Washington in exchange for tight end Derek Carrier.
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Baltimore Ravens L 7–33 0–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 2 Oakland Raiders W 19–15 1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 3 Houston Texans W 21–20 2–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 4 at New Orleans Saints L 0–28 2–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap Head coach Sean McVay drew considerable attention when he opted to keep his entire starting offense and most of his starting defense off the field for the entire preseason. Other than a few defensive series against Houston, no starters saw any action during the exhibition schedule.
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Oakland Raiders W 33–13 1–0 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap 2 September 16 Arizona Cardinals W 34–0 2–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 3 September 23 Los Angeles Chargers W 35–23 3–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 4 Minnesota Vikings W 38–31 4–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 5 October 7 at Seattle Seahawks W 33–31 5–0 CenturyLink Field Recap 6 October 14 at Denver Broncos W 23–20 6–0 Broncos Stadium at Mile High Recap 7 October 21 at San Francisco 49ers W 39–10 7–0 Levi's Stadium Recap 8 October 28 Green Bay Packers W 29–27 8–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 9 November 4 at New Orleans Saints L 35–45 8–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap 10 November 11 Seattle Seahawks W 36–31 9–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 11 Kansas City Chiefs W 54–51 10–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 12Bye 13 December 2 at Detroit Lions W 30–16 11–1 Ford Field Recap 14 December 9 at Chicago Bears L 6–15 11–2 Soldier Field Recap 15 December 16 Philadelphia Eagles L 23–30 11–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 16 December 23 at Arizona Cardinals W 31–9 12–3 State Farm Stadium Recap 17 December 30 San Francisco 49ers W 48–32 13–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap Notes: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. The Week 11 game against the Kansas City Chiefs was originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City in Estadio Azteca as a part of the league's International Series, but was moved to Los Angeles due to concerns over the playing surface.
Game summaries Week 1: at Oakland Raiders
The final game of Week 1 featured a highly anticipated showdown between head coaches Sean McVay and Jon Gruden, who had given McVay his first job as an NFL coach when both were at Tampa Bay. In front of a sellout crowd in Oakland that enthusiastically greeted Gruden in his return to coaching after a 10-year absence, the Raiders took an early lead on a touchdown run by running back Marshawn Lynch. The Rams responded as Todd Gurley took a short pass from Jared Goff and ran 19 yards for a touchdown. Los Angeles finally took the lead at the end of the third quarter as Goff connected with wide receiver Cooper Kupp for an 8-yard scoring pass. Kicker Greg Zuerlein was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after converting four field goals and three PATs. Defensively, the Rams kept Oakland out of the end zone after that opening-drive touchdown, led by linebacker Cory Littleton (11 tackles) and safety John Johnson, who both had interceptions to kill Raider scoring drives. Making his debut as a Ram, cornerback Marcus Peters picked off a Derek Carr pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown with just over two minutes remaining for the game's final score.
Week 2: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Opening a three-game home stand at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rams crushed the visiting Cardinals, who were limited to just 137 total offensive yards and did not pass the 50-yard line until the game's final minute. Former Rams quarterback Sam Bradford had a rough day against the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2010, throwing for only 90 yards and an interception by Rams cornerback Sam Shields. Strong safety John Johnson led the Rams with seven tackles, while linebacker Samson Ebukam added a sack. Offensively for Los Angeles, quarterback Jared Goff passed for 354 yards and a touchdown to tight end Tyler Higbee. Running back Todd Gurley totaled only 42 yards on the ground, but equaled his career high with three rushing touchdowns while rushing for a pair of two-point conversions after each of his first two scores. Goff passed to Malcolm Brown for two points after Gurley's third touchdown. The Rams opted for the two-point attempts after kicker Greg Zuerlein pulled a groin muscle during pregame warmups. Punter Johnny Hekker, normally the holder for placekicks, stepped in and converted a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter, and then a PAT attempt after the Rams' final touchdown (Cooper Kupp held on both attempts). With the win, the Rams improved to 2-0, the first time the team started the season with two straight wins since 2001.
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Chargers