Two teams that are trying to find some form of good this season prepare to collide in a game that does not mean much now except for giving themselves a much-needed moral boost. This game should provide some Tecmo Bowl vibes for anyone who was alive long enough to play the old school classic. The only difference is that neither of these teams are the powerhouses they used to be.
So who wins in a lackluster showdown between the Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams?
The Raiders come into this game with the 24th ranked offense to match up with the Rams’ 13th ranked defense (26thranked offense). The Rams are dismal in almost every category as only their defense is ranked in the Top 15 in the league. But the same can be said about the Raiders who have the 16th ranked defense. So with two pretty decent defenses, why is it that these two teams have such abysmal records entering Week 7 (Raiders are 2-4, Rams are 1-4)?
Is it really necessary to look deep into the madness of this game? The Raiders just traded away their best receiver to the Jets, leaving Gardner Minshew, boasting 1014 yards on 99/140 passing with four touchdowns and five interceptions, with not many options to go to. Last season, Josh Jacobs left The Black Hole, and this year, it’s Davante Adams. But Brock Bowers has been a good target for Minshew to this point as he has a little over 10 yards per catch this season. The Raiders biggest issue in this game may not just be their offense. With All-Pro Defensive End Maxx Crosby questionable along with Jack Jones, Zamir White, Dylan Parham and Kolton Miller, the Raiders may be coming into this game limping from the battle with the Steelers last week.
On the other side of the ball, the main question on everyone’s mind is ‘Will The Real Matthew Stafford Please Stand Up?’ You can’t blame them though. After shocking the Niners a few weeks ago, the Rams have been the kid shoved into lockers during middle and high school the last few weeks. Losses to the Packers and Bears in back to back weeks have the Rams looking more like the Chicago Bears of the last few years than a team that won a Super Bowl in the past decade. Stafford has only been able to produce 1238 yards on 118/175 passing with three touchdowns to go with his three interceptions. Now while his numbers may not show it, the absence of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have left him trying to instill trust in his rookie receivers as well as Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson. However, the Rams may have some good news on the horizon heading into this weekend’s clash. There is a good chance that Alex Ward, Jordan Whittington and Cooper Kupp could see the field this weekend as all three are listed as questionable heading into Sunday.
The plus side for the Rams is that their running game is finally coming to fruition as Kyren Williams has been doing his best to keep the offense relevant in the absence of LA’s Dynamic Duo. To date, he has 360 yards on 95 carries with six touchdowns to his credit. Now that might not mean much to anyone else, but considering how the Rams have been struggling to get their offense moving in the right direction this season, every little bit helps.
With Robert Saleh out in New York, no one’s job is safe, not even Antonio Pierce or Sean McVay. With many calling for a changing of the guard a the head coach slot on both teams, this could be a chance for both coaches to bring out their best. Regardless on if they make it to the postseason or not, Al Davis wanted wins, Georgia Frontiere wanted wins, so therefore, someone JUST WIN!
The Raiders may boast a mean defense led by Crosby, they seem to have problems still with the deep ball. Being able to utilize Williams on the ground should open up many options for Stafford to find an open man in the end zone. The Raiders don’t seem to get out the blocks on the road as quickly as they do at home, while the Rams are trying to erase that catastrophe against Jordan Love and the Packers a few weeks ago. In a game where mediocre is the name of the show, I expect the Rams to be…LESS mediocre than the Raiders.
Besides, they couldn’t possibly lose to another tight end this soon…right?
Final Score Prediction: Rams 23, Raiders 10