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Top Rams News: What experts are saying about the Rams' 2021  schedule

Throughout the offseason, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top timely and relevant Rams headlines.

Today, we take a look at experts' impressions of the Rams' 2021 schedule.

Best games

Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr ranked the Top 15 games from the league's entire 2021 schedule, with two Rams contests making the cut.

Los Angeles' regular season finale against San Francisco at SoFi Stadium in Week 18 landed at No. 6 on the list, highlighting the potential quarterback matchup of L.A.'s Matthew Stafford vs. San Francisco's Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft.

"Pairing the 49ers and Rams in the national game slot is a vote of confidence both in the Sean McVay/Matt Stafford pairing and the idea that Kyle Shanahan will have something cooking with Trey Lance at that point," Orr wrote as part of his analysis.

Meanwhile, former Rams quarterback Jared Goff and defensive lineman Michael Brockers' return to Los Angeles with the Lions in Week 7 checked in at No. 14.

Over at NFL.com, contributing columnist Adam Schein ranked the top nine primetime games on the league's slate and had the Rams' Week 5 Thursday Night Football road showdown against the Seahawks at No. 7.

"This game always delivers," Schein wrote as part of his explanation. "It's always fun and competitive, always down-to-the-wire and wacky."

NFL.com Around the NFL writer Nick Shook compiled a list of the Top 10 games of the 2021 season prior to the schedule being released, and his list included the Rams' Week 3 matchup against Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers at No. 8.

"Tampa Bay is the bully on the block after taking home (and expertly tossing) the Lombardi Trophy, but the Rams are firmly in the conversation to contend for the NFC crown," Shook wrote as part of his explanation. "They'll have a whole lot to prove against the reigning champs."

And in a more abstract project published Tuesday, a group of NFL.com panelists were asked which quarterback taken first overall – potentially eight of them being starters this season – will win the most games this season. Naturally, that included 2009 No. 1 pick Stafford, who was the choice for two of the six participating experts – Shook and analyst David Carr.

"I can't wait to watch Matthew Stafford in Sean McVay's offense," Carr wrote. "Coupling his physical ability and experience with the Rams' scheme and offensive talent feels like an NFC West title and Super Bowl appearance waiting to happen -- even in arguably the NFL's toughest division."

Best Matchups

As Orr's piece suggests, the individual player matchups always have fans and experts' attentions when perusing the newly-released schedule.

Bleacher Report's Chris Roling looked at the top wide receiver-cornerback matchups slated for this fall, and coming in at No 1. was Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey vs. Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf after the three battles they had last year.

"Ramsey won't always shadow Metcalf, as the Seahawks move their No. 1 all over the formation," Roling wrote. "But it's proverbial lightning in a bottle when these two stars line up across from each other."

Vikings team reporter Eric Smith took a deeper look at Minnesota's top non-division matchups to watch and went with the "Entire Vikings OL vs. DT Aaron Donald" for Rams-Vikings in Week 16.

Donald's versatility allows him to line up all over in the trenches, whether that's out on the edge or on the interior," Smith wrote as part of his breakdown. "That means everyone from the left to right tackle (and perhaps a few tight ends and fullback C.J. Ham) will have to account for him on every play."

With the 2021 NFL Schedule released, take a look at when and where the Los Angeles Rams will play during each week of the 2021 season.

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