The Los Angeles Rams have already gained a slight advantage to kick off their 2026 season. The Rams, who have a gauntlet of a schedule where they will play four teams that made last season’s playoffs within the first five weeks, will have an inverse during the preseason.
Since their return to Los Angeles, the Rams have always played their final preseason game on the road. While they will do so again, their final “road trip” will be against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Their longest preseason road trip will come in Week 1 of the preseason at Kansas City.
The Rams, who do not play starters in preseason, will be able to keep their players home for the final two weeks of preseason, allowing the team to get a jump on game-planning for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. That game takes place in Melbourne, Australia, which means the Rams will be one of the more well-traveled teams in 2026, especially as they’re set to play the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.
The Rams will get two weeks without travel before making the flight to Australia. If the Rams stick with the tactics they have used in international travel, they will arrive in Australia as late as possible to keep their body clocks on West Coast time. They will then depart as soon as possible following the conclusion of the game.
As an added benefit, their final preseason game is on Thursday night, rather than the traditional Saturday afternoon slot.
If that is their travel plan, the jet lag should not be as extreme. The Rams would not have to play again for another week and a half and also wouldn’t have to travel until Week 3.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ preseason schedule should ease travel load early in the year
Reporting by Brock Vierra, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
