The Los Angeles Rams are sitting at 2-4 this season, with what feels like half their squad on the injury list, but make no mistake: this is still a seriously talented team. They’ve got firepower on both sides of the ball, enough to absolutely weather any storm. This Week 7 matchup against the Raiders isn’t just another game, it’s a powder keg waiting to blow up some major concerns for the silver and black.
Stafford’s Arm Is Still Elite, and It Changes Everything
Forget the Rams’ record for a second: Matthew Stafford is still an MVP-caliber quarterback. Having that kind of arm behind center covers up a ton of roster issues, doesn’t it? Great quarterbacks make everyone around them better, masking problems and putting the whole team on their back when needed. His receivers know it too. They trust that if they get where they’re supposed to be, Stafford will deliver the ball and make them look even better than they are. That kind of faith and talent goes a seriously long way in this league.
Raiders’ Run Defense Is About to Get Gutted
If you’ve been watching, you know the Raiders’ run defense has been a mess. They’ve faced some top-tier running backs already this season, and those backs have teed off on them, hard. It’s why the Raiders own one of the worst run defenses in the league. Now, enter Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Williams is tearing it up with 4.91 yards per carry this season, which puts him sixth among all backs with at least 50 carries. Corum isn’t far behind, averaging 4.74 yards per carry. This duo makes up one of the top running back groups in the entire league, and if the Rams are smart, they’ll just keep pounding the rock, leaning heavily on these guys in this game.
The Raiders’ Own Backfield Is a MASH Unit
Speaking of running back duos, the Raiders’ ground game is stuck on the opposite end of the spectrum this season. They’re already ranked 31st in the league in yards per attempt, barely scratching out 3.0 yards each time they hand it off. A big part of that has been Ashton Jeanty, who’s been battling through ankle and foot injuries, clearly not himself. He’s been averaging under 2.5 yards per carry over the last couple of weeks. And now, backup Mike Washington Jr. is also hurt. The rookie showed up on the injury report this week with foot and back issues, missing Friday’s practice, and he’s questionable for the game. Without Washington as that crucial change-up back, the Raiders’ anemic run game is in even deeper trouble heading into this matchup.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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