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          NFL Nation

          Los Angeles Rams schedule 2023: Takeaways, predictions

          Aaron Gash/AP
          • Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff WriterMay 11, 2023, 08:03 PM ET
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              Sarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Green Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cover the Texans. She came to ESPN after working as a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated. You can follow her on Twitter @sarahbarshop.
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          THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams’ 2023 schedule was released on Thursday, May 11, along with the rest of the NFL slate.

          With an overhauled roster that includes a nearly unrecognizable defense outside of three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, the Rams will know quickly how they stack up in the NFC West with back-to-back division contests against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers to start the season.

          In a rematch of Super Bowl LVI, the Rams also will be measured early against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are seeking a third-consecutive AFC conference championship appearance, and they also must face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles -- all by Week 5. The bye falls on Week 10 of the 2023 season.

          Since embarking on a Super Bowl run in 2018, the Rams have appeared in 26 primetime games in five seasons, but in 2023 are scheduled for only two primetime matchups -- their fewest since 2017. That could change, however, if their play demands that any of their late-season games flex into primetime.

          Rams 2023 regular-season schedule

          Sept. 10 at Seattle

          Sept. 17 vs. San Francisco

          Sept. 25 at Cincinnati on "Monday Night Football"

          Oct. 1 at Indianapolis

          Oct. 8 vs. Philadelphia

          Oct. 15 vs. Arizona

          Oct. 22 vs. Pittsburgh

          Oct. 29 at Dallas

          Nov. 5 at Green Bay

          Nov. 12 BYE

          Nov. 19 vs. Seattle

          Nov. 26 at Arizona

          Dec. 3 vs. Cleveland

          Dec. 10 at Baltimore

          Dec. 17 vs. Washington

          Dec. 21 vs. New Orleans on "Thursday Night Football"

          Dec. 31 at New York Giants

          Week 18 TBD at San Francisco

          Strength of schedule: 9th, .534

          Over/under: 7.5

          Biggest takeaway

          While the Rams’ schedule won’t be as tough as last season’s first-place campaign, they will spend significantly more time on the road. Last season, the Rams only had to travel for seven road games, as one of their eight was a Chargers home game played at SoFi Stadium. Los Angeles also only made one East Coast trip during the 2022 season, when it played in Tampa against the Buccaneers. This season the Rams will have nine road games, including trips to New York, Baltimore and Cincinnati.

          Revenge game

          Week 2 vs. the 49ers. While the Rams beat the 49ers in the NFC championship game in January 2022, the Niners have won every other matchup since 2018. Rams coach Sean McVay is now 3-9 (.250) against 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who he worked with in Washington from 2010 to ‘13.

          Bold prediction

          Cooper Kupp gets off to an even stronger start than he did in 2022 -- and he will keep up the pace. Entering Week 10 -- the week he injured his ankle and what ended up being his final game of the season -- Kupp had 72 catches, for a pace of 153 over a 17-game season. The NFL single-season record is 149 by Michael Thomas for the Saints in 2019. Kupp did that without having a healthy Matthew Stafford for some of the season.

          Chargers reporter Lindsey Thiry contributed to this report.