A year after a surprise return to the playoffs, the Rams were rewarded Wednesday during the NFL’s schedule release with five prime-time games, including a Week 1 rematch with the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football at Ford Field.
The Sept. 8 game, which will be broadcast on NBC, is a rematch of last year’s NFC wild-card playoff game, which the Lions won, 24-23. The game swung back and forth, with the Lions jumping out to a 14-3 lead before the Rams cut into the lead with two second-quarter touchdown passes by Matthew Stafford.
Ultimately, the Rams managed only two field goals in the second half and the Lions sealed the game with a risky second-down passing play out of the two-minute warning to pick up the game-winning first down.
That playoff game was also Stafford’s return to Detroit for the first time since being traded to the Rams prior to the 2021 season. Stafford spent his first 12 seasons with the Lions and became a central part of the community, but the fans at Ford Field booed his entrance to the field while chanting the name of Jared Goff, the former Rams quarterback who was part of the Stafford trade.
In addition the prime-time game in Detroit, the Rams play the Minnesota Vikings and at the San Francisco 49ers in Thursday Night Football games on Oct. 24 and Dec. 12, respectively, while facing the Miami Dolphins on a Monday night on Nov. 11 and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 24.
Like last season, the Rams begin the season with three road games in four weeks. Following the trip to Detroit, the Rams go on the road to face NFC West rival Arizona in Week 2 before returning home for another divisional bout against the 49ers. The Rams close September with a road trip to Chicago to face the Bears and No. 1 overall pick and former USC standout Caleb Williams in Week 4.
October gets easier for the Rams from a travel perspective, not needing to leave Los Angeles for the entire month. Home games against Green Bay in Week 5 and Las Vegas in Week 7 sandwich a Week 6 bye, before closing the month with the Thursday matchup with the Vikings.
The Rams’ schedule ramps up in November and December, with three divisional matchups and four games against playoff teams from a year ago, not to mention road games against the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets.
This difficult stretch includes a Week 14 home game against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills followed by a road trip four days later to play Thursday against the 49ers, winners of eight of the last nine regular-season meetings between the rivals.
The Rams will close the regular season against the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, both games at home for a stretch the team hopes will allow them to lick their wounds ahead of the playoffs, not a long offseason.
It’s a more difficult road to the postseason than a year ago, the result of a second-place schedule from last year’s 10-7 campaign. An early bye won’t help as the Rams navigate the difficult November and December games as late-season injuries pile up. It will make a hot start vital for the Rams’ postseason hopes, as opposed to last year’s 3-6 record heading into the bye.
Rams 2024 schedule
Sept. 8: at Detroit 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sept. 15: at Arizona 1:05 p.m. (FOX)
Sept. 22: vs. San Francisco 1:25 p.m. (FOX)
Sept. 29: at Chicago 10 a.m. (FOX)
Oct. 6: vs. Green Bay 1:25 p.m. (CBS)
BYE
Oct. 20: vs. Las Vegas 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
Oct. 24: vs. Minnesota 5:15 p.m. (Amazon)
Nov. 3: at Seattle 1:25 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 11: vs. Miami 5:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 17: at New England 10 a.m. (FOX)
Nov. 24: vs. Philadelphia 5:20 p.m. (NBC)
Dec. 1: at New Orleans 1:05 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 8: vs. Buffalo 1:25 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 12: at San Francisco 5:15 p.m. (Amazon)
Dec. 22: at N.Y. Jets 10 a.m. (CBS)
Dec. 28/29: vs. Arizona TBD (TBD)
TBD: vs. Seattle TBD (TBD)
