The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into their matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at a very workable moment. Las Vegas has dropped three in a row, but the opponent coming to town has its own problems - and maybe bigger ones.
The Rams were supposed to roll into the season as a powerhouse, the kind of team that steamrolls whoever gets in the way. Instead, they’re sitting at 2-4 and have lost two straight, including a defeat against the Arizona Cardinals. That matters for a Raiders team trying to stop its own slide and find some traction again.
Las Vegas has its own issues, but the mood around the team doesn’t sound broken. The Raiders took a real run at the Buffalo Bills, a team that might be the best in the AFC and possibly the entire NFL. That kind of showing can still leave a team believing it’s close.
A win over the Rams would mean more than just snapping the skid. It would also be a noticeable confidence boost against a team that has stumbled badly over the past two weeks. One of those losses came against the Bills, which is one thing, but the Cardinals defeat stood out for all the wrong reasons.
On the other side, Klint Kubiak is still finding his way as a head coach, and he’ll be trying to do it against Sean McVay. That’s not a friendly draw. Still, the source of the Rams’ trouble hasn’t just been injuries - McVay has also made some poor coaching decisions this season that have helped put Los Angeles in this spot.
For Kubiak, the cleanest path may be the simplest one. The idea is to keep the plan straightforward and not overthink it, because if he gets too complicated, McVay could make him pay and leave Allegiant Stadium with a road win.
The Rams’ availability report tells part of the story too. There’s a long list of names expected to be out for Los Angeles, including Davante Adams, Myles Garrett, Poona Ford, Nate Landman, and Kobie Turner. Puka Nacua is questionable.
That kind of injury situation leaves the Rams looking a lot less imposing than expected, and their star power has already faded some this season. From the Raiders’ perspective, the opponent in front of them is closer to their level than the preseason buzz would suggest.
So while Las Vegas is still trying to stop the slide, this is the kind of game that can change the tone fast. If the Raiders can get it done, they’d move to 4-3 and keep the season from feeling like it’s slipping away in a year when the NFL looks wide open.
In Other News...
Raiders Defensive Line Shuffle Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
The Raiders Week 7 inactive list brought a quiet but meaningful tweak to the interior of their defense, with the team setting its depth before facing the Rams. Las Vegas also listed Aidan OConnell as the emergency third quarterback, but the bigger roster note was up front, where the defensive tackle rotation will look different than it did a week ago.
Tim Keenan III was elevated from the practice squad and is set for his Raiders debut, a move that adds fresh legs to a group trying to hold up against a Rams offense that has Puka Nacua available. The timing matters for Las Vegas, too, because Thomas Booker IV and Jonah Laulu are inactive, leaving the Raiders to manage the middle of the line with a thinner margin than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A New Worry About The Rams Passing Game
The Raiders preparation for the Rams just got a little trickier, because Los Angeles is still holding out hope that Puka Nacua will be available for the matchup despite the calf issue that had him on the injury report. Nacua was feeling better Saturday and is now being treated as a game-time decision, which matters even more for a Rams passing game that already lost Davante Adams to a hamstring injury.
For Las Vegas, the concern is less about any one name than what happens if Nacua suits up and becomes the centerpiece of the Rams aerial attack. With Adams unavailable, Los Angeles is leaning harder on the passing game than it otherwise would, and the Raiders will have to plan for the possibility that Nacua is on the field after all. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Have A Real Chance To Exploit One Rams Weakness
The Raiders head into Week 7 with a matchup that could tilt in their favor if they can press a Rams roster dealing with injury issues at wide receiver. Las Vegas has reasons to like this spot, too, especially with its own tight end group looking like a usable part of the passing game and the Rams potentially forced to lean more heavily on their tight ends to keep the offense moving.
For the Raiders, that creates an opening to attack a weakened spot while still leaning into what has been one of their more workable personnel groupings. Michael Mayer and Dylan Laube are both names to watch in that conversation, since the game could push Las Vegas toward more involvement from the tight end position and more opportunity for backfield help in passing situations, even if the exact shape of that usage remains to be seen. [Read more 🡒]