There is a big time injury for the Los Angeles Rams. And the Raiders have a major concern as well. These teams meet in Week 7, and here are bold predictions for the NFL contest.
It’s a crucial game for the Rams, who stand at 2-4 and find themselves a staggering four games behind the front-running 49ers in the NFC West. Meanwhile, the Raiders stand at 3-3 in third place in the AFC West. They’re unlikely to be a playoff contender, but are trying to build a strong foundation for 2027.
Let’s take a look at what could happen when these teams battle.
Matthew Stafford will throw for three touchdowns
It’s hard to gauge what kind of yardage output Stafford will have. Without the injured Davante Adams, the Rams may lean on the ground game a little more. Adams is the team’s leading receiver with 480 yards and four touchdowns.
Sure, Stafford still has Puka Nacua. And Nacua will get his targets and yardage. But who steps into the No. 2 role? Maybe the Rams will use tight end Tyler Higbee more. Or perhaps Konata Mumpfield or Jordan Whittington will step up and produce.
However, despite the receiver situation, the Rams will need to find a way to get the ball into the end zone if the Raiders load up to stop the run in the red zone. So look for Stafford to spread it around and still get his TD passes.
Stafford said he understands the situation, according to The Athletic.
“I just feel even more responsibility to try to be as good as I can be to help us continue to win,” Stafford said. “In some of those guys’ instances where they’re going to have opportunities to hopefully come back and play for us, make sure that when they come back and play for us, it’s meaningful stuff for them.”
However, some observers think Stafford has finally reached the end of his NFL rope, according to ESPN.
“Stafford can't move,” Ben Solak wrote. “He was never the most mobile quarterback, but the Rams were willing to use him on boots in the past. In 2024, 16.8% of Stafford's pass attempts were on the run — an above-average number! That fell to 13.9% in 2025 and is down to 9.6% in 2026. Sure, designed rollouts are down — but it isn't just that.
“Stafford has zero scrambling passing yards on the season per NFL Next Gen Stats. He has yet to break the pocket and complete a pass on a scramble drill. The last quarterback to log no scramble passing yards through six weeks of a season was 2022 Tom Brady — the final season of a pocket passing titan.”
But it’s not time to write Stafford off.
Rams RB Kyren Williams will rush for 90-plus yards
The Rams must run the football against the Raiders, a team that struggles to stop the ground game. The Raiders are giving up 134.3 yards per game, which ranks No. 28 in the NFL. Keeping the ball on the ground needs to be a big part of the Rams’ game plan.
The Rams have thrown 252 passes with 148 rushing attempts. McVay wants those numbers closer together, according to theramswire.com.
“Ultimately, what I care about and what we care about is what’s the best way is to move the ball and score points,” McVay said. “Because of some of the situations that we've been in, those two-minute situations have gotten us a little bit out of balance. No matter how I cut it, it's an excuse. I'd like to be able to have a little bit more balance. And that's reflected by being efficient on early downs and sustaining drives.”
One thing is for sure, Williams and the Rams haven’t lost their belief that this can be a special season.
Article Continues Below“Man, my confidence is still as high as ever,” Williams said. “We know what we’ve got on our team and in this locker room. We come to practice every single week. That’s why we can’t lose our focus. We can’t lose what matters the most, and that’s the work.
“It’s about having faith. That the work we put in every single week will come to shine.”
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty will split carries with Mike Washington Jr.
There’s no doubt that Jeanty has been a huge disappointment for the Raiders. They picked him No. 6 overall, expecting a franchise-changing player.
Instead, Jeanty has a career average of 3.5 yards per carry. And Washington has been turning heads with the coaching staff, according to a post on the Raiders’ YouTube page via Athlon Sports. But he needs to be better at pass protection.
“He’s a rookie, so he had a lot to catch up on,” Kubiak said when asked about Washington’s role in the passing game. “He’s continuing to improve. (And) he’s putting the work in. You see the practice come to life in the games. He’s not where he wants to be. He’s got to keep growing.”
Jeanty has been a threat in the passing game. Maybe his future is as a third-down back. Washington could supplant him. And the prediction is for that to begin this week. Jeanty has time to bounce back. It's still early in his career. But he simply hasn't been able to show in the NFL what he showed in college.