The Rams went into Week 7 with a defense that had been getting bullied on the ground, then tried to piece together a front with Tyler Davis at nose tackle, Shaun Dolac at linebacker and Josh Wallace at cornerback against the Raiders.
That could have gone sideways in a hurry. Instead, the makeshift group held up better than anyone probably expected.
Los Angeles built a 28-6 halftime lead, and that game script mattered. Once the Rams had stacked up that kind of cushion, the Raiders had little choice but to lean more heavily on the pass in the second half. Las Vegas did make a push at one point and got within 10 points, but the Rams never completely lost their grip.
What stood out most was the way they handled the run after a rough stretch that had included the horror show against Buffalo. Even with five defensive starters missing in Myles Garrett, Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, Trent McDuffie and Nate Landman, the Rams kept the Raiders under three yards per carry.
And they did it in a game that still had some real stress baked in. Las Vegas scored 21 points, which was six below its season average entering the matchup, but it also came in ranking 13th in yards and sixth in points. The Rams gave up yards, sure, but they kept the damage manageable and made the Raiders earn almost everything.
That showed up on money downs, too. The Raiders went just 3-of-14 on third down and 2-of-5 on fourth down. They also benefited from two Rams turnovers, including a score after a deflection off Colby Parkinson’s normally sure hands was intercepted.
For a defense that was scraping the roster for answers, the performance had some real substance to it. The Rams leaned on their veteran core, but they also got meaningful contributions from players who are not usually in the spotlight. Ten defenders recorded at least one tackle along the defensive front, and the team kept cycling bodies in and out with frequent intentional rest intervals.
Chris Shula has not been in command of this defense every week, but he had a sharp call sheet in Week 7. After the way Los Angeles finished this one, maybe this was the game that starts to change the conversation.
In Other News...
Rams May Have A Short-Term Answer To Their Kicker Problem
Kicking issues have a way of surfacing at the worst possible time, and around the league there is already speculation that Tennessee veteran Joey Slye could be part of the next round of roster shuffling. Slye is on an expiring contract with a $2 million cap hit, and analyst Jason La Canfora pointed to him as a possible trade candidate if teams decide they need a steadier leg before the season drifts any further.
For the Rams, that sort of move would fit the kind of short-term fix teams often explore when the position becomes unsettled. Slye has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2019, and he has handled himself well in Tennessee this year, making 10 of 11 field goals and all of his extra-point attempts in seven games. If Los Angeles is looking for a veteran answer rather than waiting on internal options, he would be one of the more obvious names to monitor. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Have 4 Young Auditions Fans Should Be Watching
Injuries have opened the door for a few younger Rams to make their case, and Week 7 offered a useful snapshot of who might be worth tracking beyond this season. Shaun Dolac, Davis Allen, Ty Hamilton and Konata Mumpfield each got a chance to show what they can bring, giving the Rams a better sense of which developmental pieces could grow into larger responsibilities down the line.
The immediate focus is still on surviving the present, but the longer view is getting harder to ignore. None of these auditions guarantees a major role, yet the Rams are clearly learning which players can handle more than spot duty, and that matters with an eye toward 2027. For now, the most interesting part is not a roster decision already made, but the possibility that several young contributors are starting to turn opportunity into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Are Still Waiting On A Huge Pass Rush Boost
The Rams have spent the past few weeks waiting for a familiar kind of lift on defense, and Myles Garrett could be the one to provide it. After missing six games following knee surgery, the pass rusher is nearing a possible return to practice, a sign that Los Angeles may finally be close to getting back one of the pieces it has been missing up front.
Sean McVay still has not put a timeline on the move, saying the next step will come after he confers with the medical staff and Garrett himself. But the possibility of him getting back on the field in practice this week, with a chance to be available in Week 8, gives the Rams a reason to keep an eye on the injury report and the state of a defense that could use the boost. [Read more 🡒]