With the Davante Adams saga officially in the rearview following his trade to the New York Jets, the Las Vegas Raiders can move forward and focus completely on the task at hand on the football field. Antonio Pierce will be looking to avoid a third straight loss as the Raiders hit the road to take on the Los Angeles Rams.
The Raiders doomed themselves against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6 committing three turnovers to that dominant defense that was the main issue in their loss. The Rams defense is a far call from what the Steelers bring to the field, so the Raiders have an excellent opportunity to get their offense going.
This is especially the case on the ground, as the Rams are the worst in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run. If the Raiders can avoid an early deficit, they have a chance to really establish the run game, be it with Alexander Mattison or a possibly returning Zamir White, who has been limited in practice this week.
Unfortunately the Raiders may once again be without Jakobi Meyers who has yet to practice due to an ankle issue. This means Brock Bowers will once again be powering the passing game as Aidan O’Connell gets another chance to show he can be a starting quarterback in this league.
The Raiders defense will definitely need to be locked in as Rams running back Kyren Williams has been powering their offense and can make a huge impact both on the ground and through the air. Speaking of through the air, the Rams could be welcoming back star receiver Cooper Kupp, which would give Matthew Stafford his favorite target back.
Maxx Crosby will be crucial for this Raiders defense as always, but the unit as a whole must be on point in dealing with this Sean McVay offense that always seems to find ways to get down the field when they need to.
Don’t let the Rams 1-4 record fool you, three of those four losses were by one score or less to NFC North teams all looking like playoff squads to this point. There are some holes for the Raiders to exploit against this team without a doubt, but this is far from a gimme game.
Third-down conversion percentage and turnovers, two areas the Raiders have struggled with all season long, will once again be key. Both squads are in similar positions looking to turn their season around before things get out of hand, and it could be a matter of who wants it more.
Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) vs. Los Angeles Rams (1-4)
1:05 p.m. PT, Sunday, October 20, 2024
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
TV: CBS
