The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2026 NFL season as the consensus preseason favorites to win Super Bowl 61, with DraftKings opening their title odds at plus 550. It marks the first time in more than two decades that the franchise has carried the league’s heaviest championship expectations, and the pressure is amplified by the fact that the Super Bowl will be played in their home stadium. The betting market places the Rams comfortably ahead of the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens, both listed at 10-to-1, while Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are not considered the top favorite. The prospect of a Rams-Chiefs Super Bowl in Los Angeles has already generated significant buzz, with analysts predicting it would shatter historic television viewership records.
Not everyone is convinced the Rams can handle the weight of being the hunted. On ESPN’s First Take, analyst Chris Canty pointed to a sobering trend: over the last three decades, only four preseason favorites have actually won the Super Bowl. Those champions were led by Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes. Canty argued he cannot assign that level of success to the Rams based on historical patterns alone.
A central concern is Matthew Stafford’s age. Stafford will be 39 when Super Bowl 61 kicks off. Only two quarterbacks in NFL history—Manning and Brady—have won a Super Bowl at age 39 or older. Canty noted he is not sure Stafford belongs in that category.
The Rams are also dealing with potential off-field trouble. Reports indicate the league is discussing possible disciplinary action for wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Jackson could potentially be a repeat offender when it comes to violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Critics have also pointed to the Rams’ top-heavy roster construction, with a high concentration of salary committed to a small group of stars.
That has raised questions about depth and vulnerability to injuries. Supporters of the Rams dismiss those concerns. On the same First Take panel, analyst Kevin Clark argued that Stafford is a future Hall of Famer who strikes fear into defensive coordinators across the league. He described Stafford as an offensive grandmaster who manipulates pre-snap coverages and safety shells with precision on a play-to-play basis.
Clark also rejected the notion that the roster is too thin. He highlighted emerging young defensive talent, including Braden Fisk, Kobie Turner, and Byron Young, arguing the defensive line remains deep and effective. He added that elite secondary playmakers like Tre’Davious White—referred to in the transcript as Troy McDuffie or Tre’Davious White—give opposing offenses a schematic nightmare. Coaching is another pillar of the Rams’ case.
Sean McVay is widely regarded as a top five coach in the league. Clark argued that while many super teams are undone by coaching failures, McVay will not let that happen. The debate reached national television when Rich Eisen was forced to choose between Stafford and Mahomes. Eisen made a bold declaration, placing the Rams at the top of his official NFL power rankings while leaving the Chiefs entirely out of his top 10.
He also picked Stafford to outshine Mahomes, win the MVP award, and capture the Super Bowl. Eisen acknowledged the Chiefs are a terrific team, and even suggested a Rams-Chiefs Super Bowl would be great for Los Angeles. Still, he insisted the Rams have the better chance to emerge as champions. The Rams are not entering this season quietly.
They are the preseason favorite for the first time in over 20 years, and rival fan bases are already bracing for what could be a dominant campaign. The central drama of the season revolves around whether Stafford and McVay can overcome the historical odds stacked against preseason favorites. For Stafford, the season represents a legacy-defining opportunity. Winning a second Lombardi Trophy at age 39 would place him in rarefied air alongside Manning and Brady.
But the path is complicated by a brutal schedule, off-field distractions, and the psychological burden of being the team everyone is gunning for. The Rams’ season will ultimately be defined by whether they can handle the pressure. The target is on their backs, and the entire league is watching.
The clock is ticking, and the question is whether Los Angeles will fulfill its destiny or fall to the chaos of the playoffs.
