Los Angeles Rams 2020 Schedule Release: Dates, Times, Analysis

(CBSLA)- The NFL officially released its 2020 schedule tonight featuring the dates and times of each game on the 17-week slate. For the Los Angeles Rams, looking to bounce back from a 9-7 season in which they missed the playoffs, the 2020 slate presents a challenge. Mixed in with the traditional NFC West rivalry games are matchups against the NFC East, AFC East, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The league schedule is slated to begin Thursday, September 10th. The Rams start their year in primetime with a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 13th at 5:20 p.m. It is one of five prime-time games for Sean McVay's team this season with others coming against the 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers, and Patriots.

The Rams schedule ranks in the Top 10 of difficulty in the league based on opponents 2019 winning percentage (.516). The schedule features five playoff teams from last season including of course the divisional rival 49ers and Seahawks.

Here is the full schedule:

Week 1- 9/13 vs. Dallas Cowboys, 5:20 p.m.

A rematch of last year's mid-December matchup, the Rams will be hoping for a better result than the 44-21 pounding they got from Dallas in 2019. The Cowboys have a new coach in Mike McCarthy and added another weapon to the offense for Dak Prescott in first round selection CeeDee Lamb.

Week 2- 9/20 @ Philadelphia Eagles, 10:00 a.m.

The Rams will make their first trip to Philly since 2014 for their Week 2 matchup. The organization has not had a lot of recent luck against the Eagles losing six straight matchups dating back to 2005. It will be just the second time that the #1 and #2 picks in the 2016 Draft, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will meet. Wentz tore his ACL in the team's 2018 meeting.

Week 3- 9/27 @ Buffalo Bills, 10:00 a.m.

A second straight playoff team from 2019 and a second straight cross country trip with an early start time for the Rams. It will be the first meeting between Josh Allen and Jared Goff.

Week 4- 10/4 vs. New York Giants, 1:05 p.m.

The Rams return home for the first time since Week 1 for a battle with the Giants at SoFi Stadium. The first meeting between the two squads since 2017.

Week 5- 10/11 @ Washington Redskins, 10:00 a.m.

Rams fans will get a chance to see the #2 overall pick in this year's draft, defensive end Chase Young in Week 5 when the team makes another East Coast trip. It is only the second meeting between the two teams since the Rams moved to Los Angeles, the first since 2017.

Week 6- 10/18 @ San Francisco 49ers, 5:20 p.m.

This is where the schedule gets interesting. Back-to-back weeks on national television for the Rams and an opportunity to knock off the Super Bowl runners-up after losing both meetings last season. The Rams did a pretty good job of bottling up the 49ers running game last season allowing just 218 yards on 64 carries (3.4 average).

Week 7- 10/26 (Monday) vs. Chicago Bears, 5:15 p.m.

The Bears and Rams are becoming quite familiar with each other at this point. The teams have met in each of the last two seasons with each side taking a victory. Both games were low-scoring with an average of just 22.5 total points scored.

Week 8- 11/1 @ Miami Dolphins, 10:00 a.m.

The first trip to Miami since 2012, and this may be an opportunity to see the Dolphins quarterback of the future, Tua Tagovailoa.

Week 9- BYE

Week 10- 11/15 vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1:25 p.m.

The first meeting with the Seahawks making for a potentially difficult second half as the Rams will meet Seattle twice, San Fran once and Arizona twice down the stretch with a battle against Tom Brady on deck. Jared Goff has struggled with interceptions against Seattle in his career throwing more against them (8) than any other team.

Week 11- 11/23 (Monday) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 5:15 p.m.

Another prime-time battle and it will be a new face at QB for the Buccaneers. Tom Brady has relocated there along with Rob Gronkowski.

Week 12- 11/29 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1:05 p.m. 

Seahawks, Buccaneers, 49ers. The schedule makers did the team no favors here with three straight weeks against expected playoff contenders.

Week 13- 12/6 @ Arizona Cardinals, 1:05 p.m.

The Cardinals have been an almost automatic victory for the Rams in the past three years with L.A. going 6-0 against the team from the desert. This year may be just a bit different as second-year QB Kyler Murray now has DeAndre Hopkins at his disposal following a trade with the Houston Texans.

Week 14- 12/10 vs. New England Patriots, 5:20 p.m.

A new era in New England and no one is really sure what to make of it. Either Brian Hoyer or Jarrett Stidham is likely to be the QB (unless the Patriots add one between now and the season). Jared Goff did not fair well in his only other career meeting with the Pats completing just 43% of his passes for 161 yards one touchdown and two interceptions in Super Bowl LIII.

Week 15- 12/20 vs. New York Jets, 10:00 a.m.

The first meeting with the Jets since 2016 and fans will hope it's a much more entertaining affair as that 2016 battle produced just a 9-6 score.

Week 16- 12/27 @ Seattle Seahawks, 1:05 p.m.

There is a chance depending on the status of the two teams that this game could be flexed to the Sunday Night Football slot. If both are contenders for the playoffs, it's possible.

Week 17- 1/3 vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1:25 p.m.

Ending the year with the battle against the Cardinals. The Rams win total for the season, set by oddsmakers in Vegas is 8.5. SportsLine analyst Kenny White likes Goff to have a bounce back season.