EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Last week, the Los Angeles Rams pushed history aside and took care of the New England Patriots, winning decisively, 24-3.

The Rams (9-4) are still tied with the Seahawks for first place in the NFC West, and it’s looking more and more like their showdown next week will determine the division winner. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

This week, the Rams face the 0-13 Jets. It’s simple: win or tie, and they’re in the postseason for the third time in four seasons. That’s it. Pretty easy, right? One would think, but let’s see what history has to say.

• The Rams are 10-4 all-time vs. the Jets
• Their last meeting was on November 13, 2016, in a low-scoring affair where three Greg Zuerlein field goals were all that was needed in a 9-6 victory. The joy didn’t last long as their playoff hopes were crushed when they dropped the final seven games of the season.
• L.A. has won 8 of their last 10 vs. New York
• This will be the first time since 2001 that the Rams have had a winning record entering a matchup with the Jets.
• The last time these two teams met in L.A., there were only 28 NFL teams, George H.W. Bush was President, and Head Coach Sean McVay was 6 years old.

You can see, even with the small sample size, the Rams have dominated this inter-conference matchup.  

History, coupled with this season, is a recipe for disaster for the Jets. New York's offense is only averaging a lowly 10.7 points per game on the road while the Rams' defense only gives up 13.0 at home.  

That's the kicker: defense vs. offense. The Rams are currently giving up the least amount of yards per game in the NFL (285.8), while the Jets rank last in offensive yards per game (269.8). You do the math.

Spectrum News 1 reporters Kristen Lago and Timothy Parker break down their keys to victory for the Rams.

Kristen Lago: Don’t fall into the trap

The Rams enter Week 15 as huge favorites against the 0-13 Jets, and rightly so. Los Angeles boasts one of the best defenses in the league, anchored up front by Aaron Donald, who is playing at “Defensive Player of the Year” levels. The Jets’ offense has been inept up to this point, and I don’t see that changing this week. However, the L.A. offense should be careful not to fall into any traps here. The Rams still need to play smart and consistent to run up the score. 

Timothy Parker: Stick to the run

The Rams ran wild over the Patriots last week with a career night from rookie Cam Akers. They need to stick to the script this week. In a game against a lowly opponent like the Jets, it could be easy to try to open up the passing game more and get Jared Goff into a rhythm as we inch closer to the postseason. If they decide to go “Air Rams,” it could result in stalled drives or, even worse, turnovers, which would give the worst team in the NFL life. They need to run the ball and slowly take the heart of the winless Jets.

Kristen Lago: The Jets are just sad at this point and really don’t stand a chance against the rolling Rams. Los Angeles will move to 10-4 this week, clinching a spot in the playoffs and staying in the hunt for the NFC West crown. Rams win 38-0. 

Timothy Parker: The Jets do not want to go 0-16. So they will fight, and the game may be a little uncomfortable early on. But the Rams will win and put themselves in a great position leading into the home stretch and their final two games of the year, which are against division foes. Rams win 30-13.

The Rams should dominate this game. Double-digit victory. 'Nuff said.

Statistics provided by footballdb.com and espn.com