LOS ANGELES _ The Rams missed the playoffs last season, parted ways with several key players and are playing catch-up in the NFC West.
But SoFi Stadium gives them a new star attraction.
That became evident Thursday when the NFL released its schedule. The COVID-19 pandemic makes everything tentative, but the Rams are scheduled to open the season at home Sept. 13 against the Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was instrumental in helping the Rams return to Los Angeles from St. Louis, so he is expected to be on hand for the first regular-season game at the venue.
The opener is one of five prime-time games for the Rams. On Oct. 18, they play a road game against the San Francisco 49ers on "Sunday Night Football." An Oct. 26 game against the Chicago Bears and a Nov. 23 game on the road against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be played on "Monday Night Football." The Rams play the New England Patriots on Dec. 10 on "Thursday Night Football."
Last season, the Rams played four games in the Eastern time zone and one in London. This season, they will play five times in the Eastern time zone. They caught a break of sorts, games at Buffalo and Philadelphia coming in consecutive weeks in September rather than during cold-weather months later in the season. The Rams are expected to stay on the East Coast between those two games.
The Rams will play three of four preseason opponents at SoFi Stadium _ the New Orleans Saints, Chargers and Denver Broncos _ before concluding the preseason at Las Vegas against the Raiders.
Here is a game-by-game look at the regular-season schedule (all times Pacific):
