After starting the season with a win at home against the Houston Texans, the Los Angeles Rams will hit the road to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. It’s the first of four 1 p.m. ET road games for the Rams this season, testing their preparation and stamina as a West Coast team traveling east.
Those trips are always difficult for teams located in the Pacific Time Zone because of the time difference and early kickoff, but since Sean McVay became the Rams’ head coach in 2017, they’ve had a lot of success in such games.
Under McVay, the Rams have played 24 road games that kicked off at 1 p.m. ET. They’re 16-8 in those games, outscoring their opponents 660-549. That’s an average of 27.5 points scored per game, allowing just 23 points per game to their opponents. That includes a 27-23 win over the Titans in 2017, McVay’s first year as the head coach.
Strangely, the Rams are actually better in 1 p.m. ET games that are played in the Eastern Time Zone compared to the Central Time Zone, which is where Nashville is located. In 1 o’clock games in the Central Time Zone, the Rams are 4-5, whereas they’re 11-3 in games on the East Coast.
If you include London games, the Rams are 2-0 in such games that kicked off at 1 p.m. ET, improving their overall record in contests that started in the early window.
It’s a testament to the coaching and game planning from McVay and his assistants, who get their players ready each week no matter the circumstances. The Rams will be ready for a physical, tough Titans team on Sunday, aiming to improve their record this season to 2-0.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams have excellent record in early road games like Sunday’s vs. Titans
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
