The tight ends could end up steering the whole thing when the Las Vegas Raiders meet the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
Las Vegas enters the matchup trying to halt a three-game skid, while the Rams are aiming to keep from losing a third straight. One of those teams is going to leave with some momentum heading into November, and the Raiders are the healthier side going in.
That matters because the Rams are dealing with a stack of injuries. They won’t have wideout Davante Adams, who tore his hamstring last week, and starting linebacker Nate Landman has been ruled out. Kobie Turner is on IR, All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie did not practice and is questionable, and Puka Nacua is working through a calf injury that makes him a game-time decision.
With that in mind, the Raiders’ offense has a real chance to move the ball. Las Vegas is averaging 27 points per game, and the Rams’ shorthanded defense could be vulnerable. On the other side, the Raiders’ defense has to be ready for Los Angeles to lean on its tight ends and running backs in the passing game, especially with Adams unavailable and Nacua less than 100% if he plays.
Michael Mayer looks primed to cash in on that setup. He has been in the best run of his career, topping 81 receiving yards in two of his last three games. In Weeks 4 and 6, he led the Raiders in catches, and he did it with Brock Bowers on the field both times.
Defenses have been shading help toward Bowers, and Mayer has taken advantage as a receiver who can win his individual matchups. The Rams have only allowed one touchdown to a tight end this season, Nate Adkins of the Denver Broncos in Week 3, but tight end is also the Raiders’ clearest strength on offense.
With Landman out, Los Angeles may be even more exposed to an inline tight end working between the hashes. That opens the door for Mayer to find the end zone for the second time this season.
There should also be opportunities for Dylan Laube. Ashton Jeanty has struggled to find efficiency on the ground, averaging fewer than 2.8 yards per carry over the last two weeks, and Mike Washington Jr. is questionable at best after missing practice on Thursday and Friday. Even if Washington is active, he does not appear set for a full workload.
That could push Laube into a bigger role as a third-down option and a spell back for Jeanty. In the 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots, he produced 25 scrimmage yards and scored a touchdown. His value as a pass-catcher gives him a path to meaningful usage if the Raiders’ rushing game stays stuck.
The Rams may also be forced into a heavy dose of tight ends on their side of the ball. With Adams out and Nacua banged up, Matthew Stafford could spend a lot of time throwing between the numbers to Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, his top two pass-catching tight ends.
Higbee enters Week 7 third on the Rams in receiving yards with 246. Parkinson just caught five of six targets for 31 yards and a touchdown last week. That’s a problem area for a Raiders defense that has already been vulnerable to tight ends in the passing game.
In Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas allowed Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant to combine for 12 catches, 86 yards and four touchdowns. The Patriots’ Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon then put together eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown against them. Last week, Dalton Kincaid scored a touchdown before a penalty wiped it away.
So if the Rams are hunting for easy answers through the air, tight ends would be the logical place to look. And if the Raiders want to keep control of this game, they’ll need Mayer to stay hot while keeping Higbee and Parkinson from doing the same.
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 Need One Overlooked Edge To Beat The Rams
With a crucial game against the Rams looming, the Raiders are looking beyond the usual offensive and defensive talking points and zeroing in on special teams as a place to gain an edge. Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis has made it clear that improving that phase is a priority, with the Raiders trying to sharpen their overall execution and take advantage of a Los Angeles unit that has had its own issues in recent seasons.
The opportunity is there for Las Vegas to turn a hidden part of the game into something more impactful, especially if the coverage unit can clean up its work and the return game can provide a spark. The Raiders have also been searching for ways to create more explosiveness on returns, with Dylan Laube and Malik Benson among the names tied to that push, and Sunday offers a chance to make special teams matter in a game where every edge could count. [Read more 🡒]