Los Angeles leads the NFL in yardage differential and arrives at Allegiant Stadium 2–4. Rams head coach Sean McVay has watched his team fumble away three possessions, throw six interceptions and fail on five fourth downs—a maddening amount of wasted offense. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has also lost three straight, most recently after drawing level with Buffalo in the fourth quarter. Below is my preview, prediction, and pick for this week’s NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams.
Here’s how I’ll play it. I’ll be pumping out these predictions for individual games all season, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more betting plays.
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Raiders vs. Rams prediction, preview
McVay can steady his offense on the ground. Rams running back Kyren Williams has rushed for 393 yards on 80 carries, succeeding on a league-leading 60% of attempts among backs with at least 50 carries. Fellow back Blake Corum has added 223 yards on 47 attempts. Las Vegas allowed Kansas City, New England and Buffalo to rush for 189, 165 and 103 yards during their losing streak. McVay has used three tight ends on 31.3% of plays over the past two games; I expect him to lean further into those formations and his productive backfield.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will need help replacing receiver Davante Adams, now on injured reserve. Fellow wideout Puka Nacua remains questionable after injuring his calf Thursday and missing Friday’s practice. Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby leads a defense pressuring quarterbacks on 30.9% of dropbacks, third in the league, but Las Vegas has still conceded 13 passing touchdowns. Stafford can reach tight ends Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, who combined for nine catches, 53 yards and a touchdown against Arizona. Higbee played every third-down snap.
Kubiak stretches coverage through tight ends playing different depths. Las Vegas uses two or fewer wide receivers on nearly 83% of offensive plays. Tight end Brock Bowers threatens deeper while fellow tight end Michael Mayer works underneath, with 85.3% of his targets traveling fewer than seven air yards. Buffalo matched a cornerback against Bowers last week; Mayer answered with seven catches for 95 yards, and Bowers still gained 70. Across the season, Mayer averages 2.01 yards per route with Bowers playing.
Rams vs. Raiders pick, best bet
Los Angeles has defended excellent tight ends well, most recently holding Cardinals tight end Trey McBride to 53 yards. But defensive linemen Poona Ford and Kobie Turner are now on injured reserve, and linebacker Nate Landman is out with a concussion. Cornerback Trent McDuffie remains questionable. Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty gets a depleted front after gaining 22 yards on ten carries against Buffalo. Kubiak’s heavy formations should test Los Angeles’ replacements against both the run and Mayer’s shorter catches.
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has taken only eight sacks while throwing 14 touchdowns against five interceptions. Los Angeles has managed eight sacks in six games, none on Arizona’s 35 dropbacks last Sunday. Cousins should have time to sustain possessions through his tight ends, though Las Vegas needs better finishing after scoring touchdowns on two of five red-zone visits against Buffalo. Stafford can exploit this secondary; with Cousins equipped to answer, I’ll take the protection beyond a field goal.
Best bet: Raiders +3.5 (-120).
Projected score: Rams 27, Raiders 24.
