(same intro everyday) Using the rosters as they are as of mid-June (version 2.0), obviously everyone is healthy in this simulation, and we run our data to the new NFL schedule to see 'what happens' (in our world) and taking the win-loss record projections right through the playoffs for an eventual title winner projection.
This will be a series -- three weeks of regular season results at a time released daily with some light commentary, up to the playoffs where we will publish a round at a time playoff results until a Super Bowl winner is declared.
In reality, when the first key injury happens to any team -- throw all these projections in the trash. But we are using this as a guide looking for over/under win total bets, especially 'unders' -- if a team's projected win total isn't close to their Vegas O/U line fully healthy…then there might be handicapping opportunity there.
Super Bowl Matchup:
#1 LAR v. #1 LAC
I let our McGillicuddy_AI writer take all the matchup data and our simulation results and data and build a logical ‘story’ around what was most likely to happen in the matchup, so here’s its interpretation/reports of the playoff games...
Super Bowl Matchup:
#1 LAR v. #1 LAC
The Rams win 57% of the simulations.
Rams 33, Chargers 21
For the second simulation in a row (May and June), it comes down to the Rams and Chargers both playing at home for the title. And for the second time in a row, it’s the Rams winning the championship.
I am believing more and more in the theory that the Rams are going to be a wild “All-Star” team in 2026. Now, you might think that is the most obvious statement ever made, but I mean “All-Star” team on a much deeper level. I believe Aaron Donald coming back is almost a given—and in Faux 2.0, Donald is on the team (he wasn’t in 1.0). But the real factor, which I didn’t put into the projections but feel is coming, is the drumbeat of talent taking lesser deals to be part of this one-time event: the new “Greatest Show on Turf.”
I think we may see Tyreek Hill or Stefon Diggs head to LA. Any veteran with some life left who gets cut due to salary cap reasons before the 53-man rosters are announced is going to consider joining the Rams for a one-year, steep discount--for an almost guaranteed ring. When or if Zach Ertz is cleared from his injury later this year, he could join the Rams—why wouldn’t he? Russell Wilson could even come out of retirement if there was a crisis at QB. You think of any big name floating around out there, and they could very well be a Ram this season. The Rams are going to have too much firepower and opportunity this season, things that other teams can’t provide or won’t pursue.
As for this game, the All-Star team is going to smack down the “regular” good team (the Chargers) in a Super Bowl matchup. Matt Stafford will throw the ball around like it’s practice. The Rams will have weapons galore. With Donald back, they’ll have the best defensive line in the league, and they have finally fixed their cornerback issue. There is no sense in investigating the details of a matchup with the Rams; on paper, everything is in their favor. The Chargers are the most likely team from the AFC to reach the final, but even they can only put a little bit of pressure on the Rams.
Justin Herbert can take over games, and the run game in LAC could be dominant, but the Chargers just don’t have enough firepower to overcome a healthy Rams All-Star team. Joe Burrow might could singlehandedly pull a miracle, perhaps, but I still don’t see how anyone competes against a perfectly healthy Rams roster.
So, no specific game details in this write-up—just an advertisement for the fact that the Rams are simply unstoppable for reasons we haven’t see in a long time (the Patriots peak is a parallel)...but this Rams team may be the greatest example ever of it when it’s all said and done...unless Les Snead totally effs it up, as he already dealt them a blow by having an abominably horrible draft.
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