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In a game that was far more one-sided than the final score indicates, the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) were physically dominated by the Los Angeles Rams (3-4) on Thursday night, falling 35-21. The Raiders, who had high hopes entering the matchup, instead found themselves outplayed and outcoached, marking their fourth consecutive defeat.
Despite the Rams dealing with multiple injuries and the NFL trade deadline looming, the Raiders failed to capitalize. Instead, they beat themselves with costly mistakes and a lack of execution, a pattern that has become all too familiar during this losing streak.
Aggressive Start Fizzles
Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak started the game with an aggressive mindset, electing to receive the opening kickoff after winning the toss—a decision that defied conventional wisdom but sent a clear message: the Raiders intended to attack. However, that aggression quickly evaporated as the Rams seized control. The Raiders settled for field goals at the end of both halves, and their pass rush failed to disrupt quarterback Matthew Stafford, who, despite limited mobility, picked apart the defense from the pocket.
When asked after the game if he considered increasing the pressure on Stafford, Kubiak bluntly replied, "No." While the young coordinator and defensive coordinator Rob Leonard have shown promise, they were simply outmatched on this night—a reality Kubiak readily acknowledged.
"Well, no one's coming to help us. We've got to figure it out ourselves as a coaching staff with the players, and we have to complement each other as well because we've got to start the game a lot faster offensively," Kubiak said.
One-Dimensional Offense Dooms Raiders
The Raiders' offensive line struggled mightily, and the Rams' early lead forced Las Vegas to abandon the run. The team threw the ball 45 times while calling only 14 running plays (plus three scrambles by quarterback Kirk Cousins), making them predictable and easy to defend. Kubiak recognized the problem: "Yeah, well, you can't win in this league having to throw it as much as we're throwing it. We've got to be more competitive in the game early so that we can be balanced. But there's no balance in playing from behind."
Cousins, who still leads the NFL in touchdown passes, echoed his coordinator's sentiments, acknowledging that the game script forced the Raiders into a one-dimensional approach. "You certainly had to be a little bit more one-dimensional. I thought we still tried to do some things to stay varied, but yeah, when you get down three scores or whatever it was, then that's the game you got to play, and that's part of football and part of trying to get back in the game."
Red Zone Failures Persist
The Raiders' red-zone woes continued in stark fashion: they converted just 1 of 5 opportunities, while the Rams were a perfect 5 for 5. Kubiak didn't mince words: "Yeah, it's very disappointing, especially with the emphasis we've put on it. When it comes down to it, we have to make plays down there when we have our one-on-one opportunities. We've got to make the throws, we've got to make the catches and it didn't happen."
Cousins, ever the competitor, took responsibility for his part in the inefficiency, reflecting on specific plays and wishing he had made better throws. "I think it's really a team game, and we just got to all kind of do our part. I got to hit throws when they're there and there's just any number of things that come up," he said.
Special Teams Shine
Despite the overall struggles, special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis and his unit delivered a stellar performance. Kicker Matt Gay missed a 51-yard field goal, but the coverage and return units were exceptional. Kubiak praised the group: "Yeah, I think that's been a standard throughout the year. Coach Joe [DeCamillis] and Tim [McConnell] and Marquice [Williams] do a phenomenal job, and that's a phase that we continue to rely on."
Quarterback Controversy Brewing?
With the Raiders mired in a four-game skid, questions about rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza's playing time have grown louder. Cousins, however, remains unfazed. "It's really the same every day that it was in March or April. I mean, nothing changes in the sense that if I'm not the best option, then I don't want to be out there either. I want our football team to have the best chance to win games," he stated. "But I feel that Fernando's done a great job and has a bright future ahead. I'm going to try to go out there and play as well as I possibly can, help us win, and give him a great example to learn from until he does go out there eventually."
Execution and Accountability
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor, a high-priced free agent acquisition, emphasized the need for better execution: "At the end of the day, it's all about executing the X's and O's. We just got to find a way to do that better and complement the defense or special teams. We got to play a whole complete game as a whole team."
Running back Ashton Jeanty, despite a rough night on the ground, caught all eight of his targets. He lauded Cousins' attention to detail: "He's just super detailed every single week. Obviously, he's been playing this game for a long time, but he also has the confidence in everybody who's out there, running routes, and he gives them the chance to go make plays. You see it week in and week out from him."
No Quit in This Team
Despite the mounting losses, the Raiders' locker room remains united and determined. Superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby made it clear that the team won't succumb to outside negativity. "You've got to stay close together. The world is negative in general, the world, the media, all that. That's just part of it. Negativity is what sells, and the fanbase is going to obviously be very upset, and they have every right to be, but you can't feed into that. You can't feed into the negativity. You can't lose confidence in who you are because of noise. There's always going to be noise, good or bad, but you don't let that dictate who you are. You've just got to continue improving on a daily basis."
Linebacker Nakobe Dean, a key offseason addition, called for greater accountability across the board. "Most of it is all controllable; everything is controllable. Even if you making a play, you're not making a play. You got to control it. Just got to be real. It's a performing based league, got to perform. At this point, we know what we not good at as a defense, and we got to pick that up. And like I said, it starts with me."
Dean continued, emphasizing the need for players to hold each other accountable: "Just be real. Don't walk past nothing. No matter how small it is, it's some things that happen in the practice or throughout the week and the meeting, so that's kind of minuscule, but walking past nothing. If I see it from the coaching staff to the players, if I see it, I'm going to say my mind and speak on it without being a germ."
He also expressed unwavering faith in his teammates: "I got a lot of belief. I got a lot of faith in this team. We got a lot of great players. We just got to put it together. We got to play as a team. We got to play as one. We can't be all individual mercenaries out there."
Key Analysis
The Raiders' loss to the Rams exposed fundamental flaws that go beyond talent: coaching decisions, lack of execution in critical moments, and an inability to adapt when the game plan goes awry. While the special teams unit has been a bright spot, the offense's red-zone inefficiency and the defense's failure to generate pressure are glaring issues. With the losing streak now at four, the team's resilience is being tested, but leaders like Crosby and Dean are determined to keep the ship steady. The coming weeks will reveal whether the Raiders can translate their words into action and salvage a season that is rapidly slipping away.