The Los Angeles Rams finished second in their division last year, conceding the crown to the Seattle Seahawks. Sean McVay’s team reached the NFC Championship game, where they met Seattle for the third time.
The Seahawks won and advanced to the final.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford won the league MVP. Stafford threw for 4707 yards and 46 touchdowns. Most of last year’s starters are returning in 2026. Moreover, the Rams added reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and Super Bowl champion DB Trent McDuffie in the offseason.
On Sunday, August 30, the Rams announced the return of 3x DPOY DT Aaron Donald, who retired in 2024. According to NBC Sports, the Rams are clear favorites to win the Super Bowl, boasting +500 odds.
Dan Orlovsky believes the Rams can win the Super Bowl if they remain injury-free.
I think if this team is healthy… like win-or-go-home games, I think it’s gonna be hard to keep [them within] single digits [win].
Dan Orlovsky said on Monday’s segment of ESPN’s First Take
Host Kimberly Martin was about to ask Orlovsky another question but was interrupted by Stephen A. Smith, who joined the discussion online. Smith called Orlovsky ‘a phony’ for not backing the Rams because in the past, he supported the LA franchise due to his close ties with Stafford.
This is the phoniness of Dan Orlovsky… Of all the fawning he has done over the years over [Rams] quarterback… Never he has fawned over a quarterback as much as he has fawned over his big bro Matthew Stafford… But now that, Matthew Stafford is the quarterback, the reigning league MVP… Dan Orlovsky tried to downplay him… You gotta stop it… You aren’t thinking about anybody else coming out of that NFC but your boy Matthew Stafford… Stop it, stop it.
Stephen A. Smith ranted
Orlovsky spent seven years on the Detroit Lions setup in two spells. The Lions re-signed him in 2014. Detroit’s starter at that time was Stafford, whom the Lions selected first overall in 2009.
Orlovsky and Stafford formed a solid friendship during their three years as teammates. DO retired in 2017. In 2021, the Lions traded Stafford to the Rams. Stafford won a ring in his debut campaign. The Rams came close to another championship last year before the Seahawks knocked them out in the conference title game.
Even though the year ended in disappointment, Stafford earned the best player award and nearly won offensive player of the year, which eventually went to Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Orlovsky on First Take argued that if , wins another ring before his retirement, then he will go down as one of the best signal callers ever.
Matthew Stafford gets another one, he has an MVP in his back pocket, he becomes top-five, top-seven of all-time conversation.
Orlovsky said
Super Bowl winner and former ESPN employee Damien Woody questioned his ex-colleague’s hypothesis on Twitter.
Stafford has been on a hot streak, recording four winning seasons since the trade. However, the former Georgia man had just four in 12 seasons with the Lions. He did not have a winning record until last year, when he finally achieved it (120-118-1).
Stafford has earned one All-Pro and 3 Pro Bowl selections. Compared to Stafford, Eli Manning earned 4 Pro Bowl selections and he won two championships, but still can’t get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Stafford needs to have back-to-back top seasons to be in the conversation as one of the greatest signal-callers of all time.