Cooper Kupp injury odds fallout: All-Pro receiver may miss season, Rams now playoff longer shots

The last Super Bowl champion to miss the playoffs the next season was the Denver Broncos in 2016, although they did finish with a 9-7 record after Peyton Manning's retirement following the Super Bowl 50 upset of the Carolina Panthers. The Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl 56 on their own field back in February, but they are an utter mess right now at 3-6 and might be without injured star receiver Cooper Kupp the rest of the way. L.A. is +300 to make the playoffs at DraftKings.

Los Angeles went into its Week 7 bye at 3-3 with a bit of momentum after an easy win over Carolina but hasn't won since. The Rams have failed to top 17 points during the three-game losing streak. According to FiveThirtyEight's season forecast, the team's chances of making the postseason are just 6% following their home loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. The SportsLine Projection Model gives the Rams an even lower 3.8% shot.

Matthew Stafford didn't play Sunday because he was in concussion protocol. He's yet to be cleared and is in jeopardy of missing this Sunday's game in New Orleans. The total has accordingly dropped a few points to 38.5. Head coach Sean McVay wouldn't confirm that Stafford has been diagnosed with a concussion in the aftermath of the team's Week 9 loss to the Buccaneers. John Wolford presumably would start again this week.

Kupp, the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year after winning the receiving Triple Crown (led the league in catches, yards and touchdown receptions), suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday and will need surgery. He's headed to injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games. Kupp is having another fine year with 75 catches for 816 yards and six TDs -- entering Week 10, he accounted for 35.7% of the Rams' catches this season, which is the highest mark by any player in the league.

McVay said the "tightrope" procedure that will be performed on Kupp typically has a recovery time of five to six weeks. A six-week absence would have Kupp back in time for the final two games of the season against the Chargers and Seahawks. If the Rams are eliminated from the playoffs by then, they likely wouldn't even bother bringing him back. Even with Kupp's outstanding production, the Rams are 29th in points scored and 31st in total yards. It doesn't sound like Odell Beckham Jr. will be coming to the rescue, either.

"Obviously you never ever replace a player like Cooper Kupp, but we've got to figure out the best way to accentuate the skill sets of the guys that will be playing," McVay said.

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