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The 5 O’Clock Club
The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
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2026 opponent preview series: Wk 1 Eagles | Wk 2 Cowboys | Wk 3 Seahawks | Wk 4 Colts | Wk 5 Giants | Wk 6 49ers
Previewing Washington’s 14 opponents of the ‘26 season — one at a time
In 2026, the Commanders will, like every other team in the NFL, play 17 games against 14 opponents. With the amount of roster change that NFL teams undergo annually along with the unusually large number of head coach and coordinator changes in 2026, it seems useful to spend some time to review each of Washington’s regular season opponents.
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By the time the Commanders reach Week 9, fans should have a strong sense of what this 2026 team is all about. In the first 7 games of the season, the Commanders will play 6 teams (they play Philly twice) with a combined 2025 season record of 56-45-1 (55%). More importantly, I think, 5 games will come against teams ranked in the top-11 of ESPN’s 2026 Power Index.
Week 9 versus the Rams at Landover could be the toughest game of the season. Not only were the Rams 12-5 a season ago, but they are also ranked No. 1 in the ESPN Power Index for the upcoming season and are currently the consensus #1 favorite to win the Super Bowl with betting odds hovering around +550. Following a blockbuster trade for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, they are the only team in the NFL with single-digit odds on major sportsbooks.
The result of this game should help clarify just how far the Commanders have come as legitimate contenders.
Week 9 Preview: LA Rams at Washington Commanders
Date: November 8, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Northwest Stadium in Landover Maryland
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The Rams are led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has had a career renaissance in Los Angeles. With the championship window possibly closing as Stafford reaches his 18th season at age 38, the front office acquired edge rusher Myles Garrett through a trade and signed cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to bolster the defense.
With respect to the coaching staff, Sean McVay promoted Nate Scheelhaase to offensive coordinator to maintain playbook continuity after Mike LaFleur’s departure to the Cardinals. The team also hired former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury as assistant head coach, and Bubba Ventrone from Cleveland to lead the special teams unit.
All in all, analysts see this as a winning combination. The Commanders will need to be at their best against a Rams team that will come to Landover in Week 9 fresh off of three west coast games against the Cardinals, Raiders and Chargers, ranked 29th, 28th, and 7th, respectively, in ESPN’s 2026 Power Index.
The Athletic recently named the Rams as one of the NFL’s 2026 ‘winners’
General manager Les Snead made the biggest splash of the offseason when he traded for Myles Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year. That acquisition, coupled with the additions of Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie in another trade and Jaylen Watson in free agency, could put defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s unit over the top. With a defense like that, Sean McVay’s potent offense could further torment opponents, and the Rams could win another Super Bowl in their stadium this winter.
Additionally, Snead raised eyebrows by drafting quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round, but picking Matthew Stafford’s understudy now could position Los Angeles for a smoother transition down the line while giving the Alabama product adequate time to develop before taking the field. The Rams have fortified themselves for both the short and long term.
The All-Time Series Numbers
The Commanders vs. Rams rivalry has been played 42 times (including 4 postseason games) dating back to 1937 when the two teams were the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Rams. Washington leads the overall series 26-15-1, but they have split the playoff matchups 2-2.
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The Rams beat the Redskins in the 1945 NFL Championship game
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The Rams also won the 1974 Divisional round playoff game
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Washington beat the Rams in ‘83 & ‘86 in the wildcard round & divisional round, respectively
The two teams have been fairly evenly matched in recent times. They have split the 14 games played in this century, 7-7, and have split the 4 games played since 2015, 2-2, though the Rams won the two most recent games against Ron Rivera’s squads in 2020 and 2023.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has a career record of 2-1 vs the Rams, with all three games occurring during his tenure with the Falcons. He split two regular season meetings (1-1) winning in 2016 and losing in 2019, but beat LA in the NFC Wild Card game following the 2017 season.
Quinn is 1-1 against Sean McVay (the 2016 playoff game and the 2019 regular season game)
Rams Coaching Changes
The Rams underwent several coaching changes during the 2026 offseason, finalizing a restructured staff featuring eight new hires and multiple internal promotions.
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The shake-up was primarily driven by the departure of former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who left to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. However, with Sean McVay in his 10th season as head coach in LA, the disruption to the coaching staff should be limited.
Some of the key offensive staff changes
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Offensive Coordinator: Nate Scheelhaase was promoted to offensive coordinator to replace Mike LaFleur. Scheelhaase previously served as the team’s pass game coordinator.
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Assistant Head Coach: Former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the new assistant head coach, replacing Aubrey Pleasant.
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Senior Offensive Assistant: Brian Johnson came to LA with Kliff Kingsbury to bolster the passing strategy.
Special Teams Changes
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Special Teams Coordinator: After firing Chase Blackburn mid-season, the Rams hired Bubba Ventrone (formerly of the Cleveland Browns) to lead the special teams unit.
The core of the defense remains stable, with Chris Shula returning for his third season as defensive coordinator.
Offense
The Rams offense in 2026 should look a lot like the Rams offense from 2025. Because McVay retains play-calling duties, the foundational West Coast-based scheme will remain the same; however, Scheelhaase’s elevation and recent roster moves could signal a shift in how the team plans to attack defenses.
Scheme Similarities and Differences
The main similarity between the 2025 and 2026 offenses is the retention of starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and the core passing game philosophy. The unit finished first in the NFL in points scored last season, and the overall framework will continue to prioritize play-action and timing-based concepts.
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The primary difference under Scheelhaase is expected to be even heavier reliance on multiple tight end sets, specifically 13 personnel since, during his time as pass game coordinator, Scheelhaase frequently utilized these heavier packages to create mismatches. The team intends to double down on this approach for the 2026 season to create more physical run-blocking configurations while maintaining passing options out of heavy sets.
Key Roster Additions and Losses
Roster continuity is high for the Rams, who return their core offensive starting group. The main pieces of the passing game remain intact, including wide receiver Puka Nacua and veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. The backfield also remains stable with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum returning to lead the rushing attack.
The most notable offensive addition is rookie tight end Max Klare, who was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft. His addition directly supports the strategic shift toward more frequent tight end sets. In short, the team avoided major personnel losses on the offensive side of the ball, allowing Scheelhaase to work with a familiar group of players.
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Impact of Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury’s presence is expected to influence the weekly game planning. His integration into the staff provides McVay and Scheelhaase with an alternative perspective on spacing and passing concepts, which can be blended into the existing system to offer different looks out of the team’s standard formations.
Defense
The Rams defense in 2026 should feature schematic continuity alongside significant changes to the starting personnel. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula returns for his third season leading the unit, ensuring that the foundational scheme remain in place; however, a substantial increase in defensive spending and multiple high-profile acquisitions will alter how the system operates.
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Scheme Similarities and Differences
The core approach under Shula should remain consistent with the 2025 season, with the Rams continuing to utilize a 3-4 base formation that relies heavily on complex personnel packages — specifically leading the NFL in dime packages with six DBs on the field. Shula will also maintain his use of sim pressures to disrupt opposing QBs.
The primary difference in ‘26 is likely to be a shift from scheme-reliant pressure to player-driven execution. In previous seasons, a lower positional budget required Shula to focus on out-scheming opponents to compensate for talent gaps. With an influx of premier defensive talent, the unit can now run more straightforward four-man rushes while trusting individual defenders to win their matchups.
Key Roster Additions and Losses
The Rams executed multiple major trades and free agent signings to upgrade the DL and secondary. The most notable addition is edge rusher Myles Garrett, who arrived via trade from the Cleveland Browns. To fix coverage issues from last season, the front office also acquired two former KC Chiefs CBs, trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson as a free agent in March. These acquisitions replace Jared Verse, Cobie Durant, and Ahkello Witherspoon (who signed with the Commanders) in the starting lineup.
On the interior DL, the team signed veteran DT Poona Ford to boost the run defense. The Rams also managed to retain former Washington safety Kamren Curl on a new contract to preserve stability in the deep secondary. These signings complement returning young players like Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, giving Shula a significantly more experienced group for the 2026 campaign.
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Summary of coaching changes
While the Rams are changing offensive coordinators this season, it’s really “more of the same” since Sean McVay runs the offense and the new OC got the role via internal promotion. Kliff Kingsbury and Brian Johnson may help add wrinkles to the passing game concepts, we are likely to see a Rams team that is basically just an enhanced version of the 2025 team’s offense and defense. The Rams may be the cream of the NFC in 2026, and Week 9 should be a challenging game against a very good coaching staff and outstanding roster.
Key statistical 2025 rankings
Key Offensive Rankings
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Scoring Offense: #1 in the NFL (30.5 points per game).
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Total Offense: #1 in the NFL (6,709 total yards / 394.6 yards per game).
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Passing Offense: #1 in the NFL (268.1 yards per game).
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Rushing Offense: #7 in the NFL (2,152 total yards).
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Advanced Metrics: #1 in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play (+0.12) and offensive success rate (49.6%).
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Key Defensive Rankings
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Scoring Defense: #10 in the NFL (20.4 points allowed per game).
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Total Defense: #17 in the NFL (5,568 total yards allowed).
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Rushing Defense: #12 in the NFL (1,884 total yards allowed).
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Passing Defense: #19 in the NFL (216.7 yards allowed per game).
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Defensive Line Execution: #5 in the final positional rankings.
Roster Moves: Trades, Free Agency, and the Draft
Trades and Free Agency
Player & Draft day trades
The Rams made three trades during the ‘26 offseason — 2 veteran acquisitions and a draft-day move:
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Trent McDuffie (March 4, 2026): The Rams acquired 2-time All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie from Kansas City. LA traded away their 2026 1st-round pick (29th overall), a 2026 5th-round pick, a 2026 6th-round pick, and a 2027 3rd-round pick.
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Myles Garrett (June 1, 2026): The Rams acquired edge rusher Myles Garrett from the Browns. LA traded edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 1st-round pick, a 2028 2nd-round pick, and a 2029 3rd-round pick.
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Draft Trade (April 25, 2026): During the Draft, the Rams traded up with the Eagles to select WR CJ Daniels at pick No. 197. To move up, LA packaged sent a 6th-round pick (No. 207) and two 7th-round picks (No. 251 and No. 252) to Philly.
While the Rams made some big trades, they felt pretty good about how complete their roster was otherwise, and were generally quiet in free agency.
Key Free agent signings
Free agent losses
While the Rams lost 7 veteran players to other teams in free agency and another 6 remain unsigned by any team, the only one of the 13 players of significance is RT Rob Havenstein, who announced his retirement after 11 years playing for the Rams, the team that picked him in the 2nd round of the 2015 Draft.
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The 2026 NFL Draft
Round 1, No. 13 overall: Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
The Rams drafted Simpson as the potential successor to starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, and he will compete for the primary backup role during the offseason.
Round 2, No. 61 overall: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State)
Klare joins a deep tight-end position group to support the team’s heavy usage of three-tight-end formations, though he is not expected to see regular playing time until future seasons.
Round 3, No. 93 overall: Keagen Trost (OT, Missouri)
Selected to provide versatile depth for an offensive line facing multiple expiring contracts, Trost allowed a highly efficient 1.5% pressure rate at Missouri last season.
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Round 6, No. 197 overall: CJ Daniels (WR, Miami)
The Rams traded up ten spots to select Daniels, a receiver who caught seven touchdowns last year and will compete for the team’s open third-receiver role.
Round 7, No. 232 overall: Tim Keenan III (DT, Alabama)
The only defensive player chosen in this Rams class, Keenan is a three-year collegiate starter who projects primarily as a nose tackle.
Betting Lines
Oddsmakers have established the home team as the solid favorite for this matchup.
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Game Total (Over/Under): 50.5 points
A 4.5-point preseason spread represents a large margin for a road team, indicating that bettors are heavily leaning into the Rams to win this mid-season game in Landover en route to a possible return to the Super Bowl. The point total is set at 50.5, reflecting expectations of high offensive output from at least one of the offenses.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Should the Rams be Super Bowl favorites?
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Which team will win this game?
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Will you feel better or worse about Washington’s chances if they add a receiver like Aiyuk or Diggs before training camp?
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