TNF: Raiders vs Rams Betting Preview

Fresh off a tight 27-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers that kept their AFC Wild Card hopes alive, the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Los Angeles Rams this Thursday with a chance to win their fourth-straight game. For all intents and purposes, the Rams’ season is over as Los Angeles has dropped six games in a row and will likely be without starting quarterback Matthew Stafford the rest of the way. So, this Raiders vs Rams betting preview features a lopsided signal-caller matchup with two teams heading in completely opposite directions.

As you’d expect, the NFL Week 14 odds have the Raiders as comfortable road favorites. Las Vegas opened as a 4.5-point favorite and the spread has opened up to six points. The over/under started the week at 43 points and is now 44.5 points while the Raiders were -210 moneyline favorites on Sunday night and are now -250 on the moneyline. All signs are pointing to a comfortable Raiders win, particularly with John Wolford — who has struggled in both of his starts this season — likely starting for the Rams under center.

Game Information

Raiders Finally Winning Close Games

After losing each of their first six one-possession games this year, the Raiders have figured out how to prevail in tight contests. All three of the victories on their winning streak have been by seven points or fewer — two in overtime — as the Raiders have managed to (slightly) turn around what was shaping up to be a disastrous season. Of course, it’s tough to account for that “skill” in this Raiders vs Rams betting preview because winning in close games isn’t such a sustainable attribute for a team. But, it’s undeniably true that the Raiders’ offense has stepped up big time recently and the defense has done just enough.

Las Vegas has eclipsed 400 total yards of offense in each of the Raiders’ last three games. That has been enough to overcome some turnover issues and the Raiders’ propensity to be unable to put teams away when they have an early lead. The three-headed monster of Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams is fully in-sync and, when each of those guys is playing well, Las Vegas is really hard to stop even with a rather lackluster defense.

Los Angeles Looks Ready to End the Season

It feels like an eternity since the Rams were in Super Bowl LVI. Matthew Stafford is on injured reserve, Cooper Kupp is injured, Darrell Henderson is on the Jaguars and Odell Beckham Jr. is a free agent. Add all of the injuries and offensive underperformances — highlighted by a non-existent running game — to a defense that doesn’t force turnovers and you get Los Angeles in the cellar of the NFC West.

The league office can’t be happy that the NFL schedule for this week, as well as for a few of the season’s remaining weeks, features the Rams in primetime. Plus, Aaron Donald might not play this week either after missing last Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.

Even Sean McVay’s brilliance can’t figure out how to get the banged-up Rams, whose offensive line has been a disaster and who have a very top-heavy defense, into the win column. The offense overall has been anemic with the fourth-fewest points in the NFL and the second-fewest yards.

Los Angeles hasn’t had 400 total offensive yards in any game this season and has failed to reach 200 passing yards in any game since Week 6. It’s almost impossible to win in the NFL with that lack of production. The Rams are 29th in yards per pass and 31st in yards per rush. That’s a nightmare combination.

Vegas’ Pass Defense Has to Step Up

A key aspect of this Raiders vs Rams betting preview is that this might be a good matchup for Las Vegas because the Raiders’ weakest unit is its secondary and the Rams’ pass offense was bad when Matthew Stafford was healthy and has gotten even worse since he went on IR.

It’s not just that John Wolford is the new No. 1 but it’s also that Kupp and Allen Robinson are both injured and that the Rams’ offensive line doesn’t give LA’s quarterbacks much time in the pocket.

Even though Las Vegas has allowed the third-most yards through the air and has only four interceptions this season, the Raiders could be in for a big defensive day against the Rams who simply don’t have the weapons or signal-caller to make much noise on that end of the field.

Las Vegas got lit up by both Geno Smith and Justin Herbert over the past two weeks but it’s unlikely that Wolford will be able to do the same.
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