arrives the Week 7 of the NFL and with it a fundamental match for Las Vegas Raiders (2-4), who will have to visit the Los Angeles Rams (1-4). The bad guys will want to put the loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers (32-12) behind them and add a win against the Rams who are coming off their bye week and have been hampered by injuries, mainly in their offense.
There is a lot to consider in this match and that will test the Raiders rosterfrom a scenario that has been hostile for them, the confrontation of two first-round rookies and a clash between one of the most feared quarterback hunters in the league against a quarterback who still has one of the most powerful arms today.
A hostile enclosure
The results have not been in the Raiders’ favor at SoFi Stadium. Although their first visit to this modern complex in Inglewood (California) occurred in the ninth week of 2020, when they beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-26 against their division rivals.
But they have not beaten this house shared by two teams from the NFL: five consecutive defeats at this stadium. The last time they faced the Rams in this building was in Week 14 of the 2022 season, in which the Angelenos won a tight game (17-16). Furthermore, they have not beaten the Chargers again in this scenario, as seen in the setback suffered in Week 1, with a score of 22-10.
The team led by Antonio Pierce will have one more opportunity in 2024 to put an end to this malaria, taking advantage of its Los Angeles past (the Raiders played in LA between 1982 and 1994), so it would not be strange if there is a greater presence of the Raider Nation compared to the Rams who have still struggled to make local fans fall in love with them again, although the victory in Super Bowl LVI helped with their identity.
Rookie Duel
Brock Bowers He has more than demonstrated why he was chosen by Las Vegas with the 13th pick in the most recent Draft, being the one who leads tight ends in the entire League in receptions (37), yards (384) and passes in which he was the objective (46).
Additionally, the Georgia graduate He has 206 yards after the receptionplacing himself as the only rookie within the top 10 players in said statistic for this campaign.
The Rams will also want their outside linebacker Jared Verse (chosen six picks after Bowers) demonstrates his talent on the field. The Florida State linebacker has 22 tackles, 14 solo, as well as a sack, a forced fumble and four plays for loss of yardage.
Bowers’ role is expected to increase in the attack to that of the main referenceespecially due to the departure of Davante Adams via trade to the New York Jets. Verse, who was drafted to be the eventual successor to Aaron Donald’s (retired) Rams glories, leads his team in quarterback hits and will be a major concern for the Raiders’ offense.
The two are not expected to face each other directly in the match… at least not on a recurring basis. In ground plays, Bowers may have to show his chops and block Verse.
reunion
This will be the first time since his rookie season that Maxx Crosby plays against Matthew Staffordboth in completely different situations compared to their last crash. In 2019, Crosby arrived as a rookie with 10 sacks against a quarterback who was still part of the Detroit Lions.
As the face of the Raiders, Maxx will seek to generate constant pressure on a quarterback who can do damage with the vertical attackeven if their best receivers (Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp) have suffered from injuries, to the point that the first will not be available for this game.
El pass rusher de Las Vegas He missed one game this year, but still has nine tackles for loss on the season, tied for the lead. Furthermore, before the Steelers generated eight pressures in the gameaccording to NFL Next Gen Stats, which could be beneficial for the defense to make Stafford uncomfortable. To do this, he will have to overcome offensive lineman Rob Havenstein, who has allowed 13 pressures and 2.5 sacks in 141 blocks.
RGS
