Rams 2015 schedule

The Rams, who have done nothing but get off to slow starts in the Jeff Fisher era, will have their work cut out for them in 2015 even if they come out of the gate playing well. Four of their first five games will be against 2014 playoff teams. Here's the whole slate:

Sept 13: Seattle, home

Sept. 20: @ Washington
Sept. 27: Pittsburgh, home
Oct. 4: @ Arizona
Oct. 11: @ Green Bay
Oct. 18: Bye
Oct. 25: Cleveland, home
Nov. 1: San Francisco, home
Nov. 8: @ Minnesota
Nov. 15: Chicago, home
Nov. 22: @ Baltimore
Nov. 29: @ Cincinnati
Dec. 6: Arizona, home
Dec. 13: Detroit, home
Dec. 17: Tampa Bay, home
Dec. 27: @ Seattle
Jan. 3: @ San Francisco

The Rams don't end the season in Seattle for the millionth straight season! Yeah, they end it in Seattle AND San Francisco instead. And assuming the last home game is the Rams' last game in St. Louis, there's little reason the league couldn't have thrown us a bone and made Week 17 Cardinals at Rams. Instead, that potential final Rams game in St. Louis is against the Bucs on a fucking Thursday night. Screw you, NFL.

OK, there's some bright spots. The Rams get three straight home games in December, and if I read the league schedule right, will not play any team coming off a bye week. They'll also catch the Steelers while LeVeon Bell is still suspended (he gets three weeks to start the season), though I suppose that could be appealed. On the other hand, they'll have six home games for all intents and purposes; Pittsburgh and Chicago should be virtual road games. That Pittsburgh game could be a wild one, though. The Rams won't be able to defend those receivers for a minute, but Big Ben gets sacked a lot. I could see him getting sacked 7-8 times but still throw 6-7 TDs.

Sorry I let the preseason schedule slip by earlier this month; here's how that shapes up (some dates TBD):

Aug. 14-16: @ Oakland
Aug 23: @ Tennessee
Aug 28-30: Indianapolis, home
Sept. 3-4: Kansas City, home

For some reason, the Tennessee game will be nationally broadcast. America cares about Fisher returning to his old stomping grounds? That makes one of us. And, for the Rams' potential last season here, the NFL made sure to give us the most meaningless preseason game, the week 4 game, where no starter is likely to suit up for either side. Then again, the stakes may be very high that night; if St. Louis wins the heralded Governor's Cup over K.C. that night, I say we get to keep the thing forever.

-$-