The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2026 season with Super Bowl expectations. However, winning a Super Bowl is difficult, and it requires several things to go right. While the Rams have a team on paper capable of winning, they need to be able to show it on the field. The hope will be that the Rams can get over the hump, but that’s far from a guarantee. Here are five things that can derail the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes.Injuries to the Offensive LineThis would be the case for any team, but that’s especially the case for the Rams. It will be critical for the Rams to stay healthy on the offensive line during the early part of the season. Both Justin Dedich and Keagen Trost will start the season on injured reserve. If the Rams have to turn to depth on the offensive line at tackle or guard, they will be relying on David Quessenberry and Beaux Limmer.That’s not to say that the Rams couldn’t get by, but the health of the offensive line is key to the team’s overall success. In the two years that the Rams have missed the postseason under McVay, they managed injuries on the offensive line. When the Rams had injuries on the offensive line in 2023 and 2024, they got off to slow starts. If the Rams are going to accomplish their goals this season, they must stay healthy up front.Cornerbacks Not Living Up to ExpectationsOver the offseason, the Rams made it a point to rebuild their secondary at the cornerback position. After Sam Darnold was nearly flawless against them in the NFC Championship Game, the Rams went out and traded for Trent McDuffie before signing his teammate, Jaylen Watson.There’s no question that those two players are upgrades over what the Rams had. With that said, the cornerback position can be volatile from year to year. Until we see it, it’s hard to know how McDuffie and Watson will look in the Rams’ system. The Rams are making the bet that those two players can help get them over the hump, and they’ll need to play well.Lack of a Third Wide Receiver and Matthew Stafford RegressionIt may be unfair to say that the Rams didn’t make the Super Bowl last season because of a third wide receiver. At the same time, with the game on the line, they were forced to target Terrance Ferguson and Konata Mumpfield. The Rams didn’t add a third wide receiver in the offseason and will be relying on that same group. With the injury history of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the Rams may have to rely on that depth at some point.Additionally, the Rams will only go as far as Matthew Stafford takes them. Some regression from last year is to be expected. However, the Rams can’t afford the type of late-career drop-off that Drew Brees or Peyton Manning experienced, particularly when it comes to Stafford’s arm talent. The Rams still need Stafford to have the ability to make the throws that make him special.Special TeamsAs much as some may want to place blame on the secondary or lack of wide receiver depth, a major reason why the Rams didn’t get to the Super Bowl last season was because of their special teams. In both losses to the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams allowed a punt return for a touchdown and then had a muffed punt that led to a touchdown.While the Rams hired Bubba Ventrone and signed both Joe Cardona and Grant Stuard, they kept Ethan Evans at punter and opted to stick with Harrison Mevis as their kicker. Xavier Smith also retained his punt return duties following his muffed punt in the NFC Championship Game. This group is largely unproven and will need to show that they can overcome last season’s troubles.The NFC WestNot enough is said about just how difficult the NFC West is as a division. The Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions and the San Francisco 49ers are always a playoff threat. While the Cardinals are the black sheep in the division, nobody would be shocked if three teams made the playoffs.With three potential playoff teams, they are going to steal games from each other. While some top teams are guaranteed five or six division wins, the Rams would be happy with three. That can be the difference between the No. 1 seed and playing on Wild Card weekend. It can be the difference between hosting a playoff game or only making it as a wild-card team. The Rams would have won any other division in the NFC other than the NFC West last season.Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow