A Lakers-Clippers situation is brewing in the NFL
(Photo via SoFistadium.com)
When you think of Los Angeles, you really only think of one NBA franchise, the Lakers. LA now has two NFL franchises to support, and it’s inevitable that either the Rams or the Chargers step into the spotlight as LA’s team, making the other the Clippers of the NFL.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers broke the “home field advantage curse” by becoming the first franchise to win the Super Bowl on their home field. The best opportunity to capture the fandom of Los Angeles comes in Super Bowl LVI, which will be held at SoFi Stadium.
Week two’s matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys showed us that there is no such thing as home field advantage at SoFi stadium. “Cowboys nation definitely came out, it felt like a home game,” said Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb.
The Lakers moved to the city almost 25 years before the Clippers, who coincidentally also moved from San Diego like the Chargers. The Rams and Chargers both moved to Los Angeles within the last five years, and LA has yet to completely accept one of the franchises as their own.
Both the Rams and the Chargers have very high potential. The Rams look unstoppable so far this season, and top most of the NFL power rankings that are updated each week. The Chargers just beat the Chiefs, and quarterback Justin Herbert looks like he will be in powder blue for a very long time.
If the Clippers and Lakers played tomorrow, STAPLES Center would be covered in purple and gold. Neither the Chargers or Rams want to end up in the shadow of the other, but the teams are in very different places right now.
Matthew Stafford has been the answer at the quarterback position for the Rams, who currently have the third best odds to win the super bowl at +850. The Rams are in win-now mode, and proved they have a shot after a win over the Buccanneers in week three.
The Chargers have found the successor to Phillip Rivers in Justin Herbert, who has looked like a seasoned veteran through three weeks. The Chargers Super Bowl odds are far below the Rams at +2600, but they feature an incredible core of young talent that continues to move in the right direction.
Both the Rams and Chargers have a real shot to play in the league’s biggest game, if one of them can win the Super Bowl at home, they will solidify themselves as Los Angeles’ team.