The Los Angeles Rams are trying to stop the slide before it gets away from them. After entering the 2026 NFL season as major Super Bowl 61 favorites, they’re now 2-4 and coming off the season’s biggest shocker: a loss as double-digit favorites to the Arizona Cardinals.
That puts a lot more pressure on this Week 7 trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders. The Rams have already dropped behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, and another loss would start knocking their playoff hopes down fast.
The biggest issue in Los Angeles has been the play of the reigning NFL MVP. He’s averaging 299.0 passing yards per game, but he’s also thrown six interceptions, and too many of them have come at damaging moments. With Devante Adams injured, the Rams need him to carry even more of the load if they’re going to get back to the level they were expected to play at.
Even with the rough start and the growing injury list, there’s still a case to be made for Los Angeles in this matchup. In this week’s Road to 272 Bets, the argument was to buy low on the Rams at this price against the Raiders.
The Raiders may have looked like a possible playoff team earlier this season, and even their recent losses had at least made them appear competitive. But the numbers underneath the surface are a problem. They sit 26th in net yards per play at -0.7, 25th in opponent EPA, and 27th in opponent success rate.
Kirk Cousins has been excellent for them at quarterback, but the warning sign is clear: if that production dips, the whole offense could unravel because of the ground game. Las Vegas ranks 27th in rush EPA and 29th in rush success rate.
In Other News...
Matthew Stafford Off-Field Admission Adds New Twist To Rams Struggles
Matthew Stafford and the Rams have been trying to find steadier footing early in the 2026 season, and a recent loss to the Arizona Cardinals only added to the questions around a team that has looked uneven. Off the field, Kelly Stafford offered a personal glimpse into the familys routine when she shared on Instagram that she has been dealing with insomnia, a reminder that the quarterbacks life away from the facility can be just as demanding as what happens on Sundays.
Kelly Stafford also spoke in a 2025 Forbes interview about how sleep quality has affected their marriage, which gives this latest admission a little more weight than a passing update. Whether or not it has anything to do with Staffords play is impossible to say, but it does add a human layer to a Rams start that already has plenty of people looking for reasons behind the inconsistency. [Read more 🡒]
Sean McVay Tries To Defuse Kyren Williams Drama As Rams Spiral
Sean McVay spent part of the week trying to calm things down after Kyren Williams comments following the Rams Week 6 loss, insisting the running back was speaking out of emotion rather than intent. McVay said Williams misspoke and made clear that the back is viewed inside the building as a positive influence and a leader, a notable show of support at a time when Los Angeles is searching for some stability.
The backdrop is hardly ideal for the Rams, who are 2-4 and fighting through real offensive issues. With Davante Adams expected to miss several weeks, the margin for error gets even thinner, and the teams frustration has only been easier to spot as the losses pile up. In that kind of stretch, McVays message was as much about protecting a player as it was about keeping the season from sliding further off course. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Stafford Off-Field Concern Adds To Rams Fans Growing Frustration
Matthew Staffords uneven stretch comes at an awkward time for the Rams, who are trying to steady themselves after a frustrating 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The veteran quarterback has been up and down in recent games, and any inconsistency around him tends to magnify quickly in Los Angeles, where expectations are always tied to how well Stafford is driving the offense.
Adding another layer, Kelly Stafford recently shared on Instagram that she has been dealing with insomnia, and she has spoken before about how sleep quality affects their marriage in a 2025 Forbes interview. It is the kind of off-field detail that can easily get pulled into the conversation when a quarterback is searching for rhythm, even if any connection to Staffords play is only speculation for now. [Read more 🡒]