Andrew Buller-Russ
The 2026 NFL schedule was revealed last Thursday. Now that analysts have had a week to review the 18-week schedule, which features a record number of nine international games, some believe the Los Angeles Rams got the short end of the stick.
It’s become a common discussion point since fans have had a chance to digest the team’s schedule reveal on social media. It turns out, it’s not just another Los Angeles conspiracy theory, the idea has caught on among NFL insiders too.
The latest comes from Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer‘s Wednesday edition of his weekly mailbag that answers questions submitted from readers. One question asked, “Does it seem like some teams get penalized for being popular when the schedules get made?”
Breer’s response: “Absolutely, Joey. Look at the Chiefs’ schedules in 2024 and ’25, and the Rams’ slate in 2026.”
Breer referenced a column from his SI colleague Conor Orr, who previously wrote that the Rams “got screwed” by their 2026 slate.
“This schedule is absurd. Seven prime-time games. A season opener in Melbourne, Australia. One of the worst net rest differentials in the NFL. Four 2025 playoff teams in the first five weeks. Thanksgiving Eve. Christmas in prime time against the Seahawks. Two Seahawks games in three weeks to end the season. This, for a team with a 38-year-old starting quarterback who couldn’t get through training camp last year without a space-age health trailer. This is how the NFL unwittingly vanquished the Chiefs last year and is seemingly attempting to do it again with the Rams. There’s a reason Sean McVay cautioned ESPN to hold their horses when talking about the Seattle games at the end of the season because it’s unlikely the Rams will get there totally unscathed. While it’s a reality of the business, it’s disappointing to see the league’s premier offense get absolutely picked apart by factors that are totally within the league’s control. “
SI’s Conor Orr on Rams’ schedule
Obviously, the league tries to put the NFL’s best teams in primetime slots. The Rams are expected to be a Super Bowl contender, so seven primetime games shouldn’t be a surprise.
Other obstacles, like playing in Australia or the defending Super Bowl champs twice in the final weeks of the season, are also products of the team’s popularity and overall expectations, where the league tries to save important divisional matchups toward the end of the season, when each moment feels like playoff positioning is on the line.
Ultimately, if teams like the Rams can emerge from what appears to be a grueling gauntlet, it means they truly are one of the NFL’s best teams. But that won’t get proven until the playoffs arrive. First things first, the Rams need to get there, and it won’t be easy.
Related: Los Angeles Rams Viewed as ‘Best Team Fit’ for Pro Bowl Receiver
