The Los Angeles Rams responded exactly how they needed to.
Shorthanded on both sides of the ball and coming off back-to-back losses that came down to special teams, LA took the first step toward salvaging its season with a well-rounded 35-21 Week 7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The Rams' already bleak outlook entering the week in the wake of long-term injuries to Davante Adams, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner and kicker Blake Grupe seemed to take another shot on Thursday when Puka Nacua left practice early with a calf injury. However, the star receiver went through pregame warmups and was officially cleared to play hours ahead of kickoff, giving LA a much-needed bit of good news.
Nacua delivered, leading the Rams with eight catches
on 10 targets for 68 yards as they rode a balanced offensive attack behind big games from Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum to snap their losing streak.
Here are the winners and losers from the Rams' Week 7 win over the Raiders in Las Vegas:
WINNERS
Kyren Williams
A week ago, Williams publicly lamented his lack of involvement – 10 carries for 50 yards – in the Rams' 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last week. McVay defended his running back during the week, saying that Williams always wants to be a spark to the offense. Looks like that message got across this week.
Williams led the Rams on the ground with a season-high 99 yards and a touchdown on 16 rushes, averaging out to 6.2 yards per carry. Blake Corum also had a big day with 93 yards on 17 carries, including the dagger with four minutes left in the fourth quarter to kill the Raiders' rally.
Kyren Williams extends the lead for the Rams 💪
— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
LARvsLV on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/F2PBZOlOQf
Rams defensive line
No Rams unit has been more decimated by injuries than the defensive front. Myles Garrett, Poona Ford and Kobie Turner are all out for multiple weeks (though McVay did say Friday that there's a possibility Garrett can return to practice next week), leaving the vaunted position group led by Aaron Donald down to a skeleton crew of Ty Hamilton, Byron Young and Braden Fiske.
They all rose to the occasion against the Raiders. Fiske, Young and Hamilton got into the backfield for three combined QB hits, while Fiske and Young got to Kirk Cousins for a sack apiece. Young tied the team lead with six total tackles; Fiske had four with a tackle for loss.
The heart of this Rams team lies in its d-line. Sunday showed that even though they're down some major contributors, they have the depth to keep it going.
Matthew Stafford
Stafford made history before halftime when he connected with Nacua on an 11-yard comeback route late in the second quarter that he took into the end zone to put the Rams up 21-3. It was Stafford's third touchdown pass of the game – all in the first half – and his 155th in a Rams uniform, surpassing Roman Gabriel to become the team's all-time leader in career passing touchdowns.
Puka Nacua adds six more to the board for the Rams 🐏
— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
LARvsLV on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/CJMINNvBOA
Stafford also now has the distinction of being the only player in NFL history to lead two active franchises in passing TDs. His mark of 282 with the Detroit Lions still stands as their franchise record.
LOSERS
The Rams' second-half offense
As dominant as the Rams were in the first half as they raced out to a 28-6 halftime lead, they were perhaps just as bad in the second half. They didn't cross the 50-yard line until Blake Corum's 15-yard run up the middle in the final five minutes of the third quarter. They didn't do so again until early in the fourth quarter on the drive that ended in Corum's game-sealing touchdown.
Colby Parkinson
Colby Parkinson left the game twice with what looked like a leg injury, but returned each time. The seventh-year tight end out of Stanford would end up subbing out one more time, however, after he was tackled on a 15-yard catch early in the fourth quarter and immediately grabbed at his lower back. Parkinson walked gingerly off the field and finished the day with five catches for 48 yards.
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams bounce back for much-needed win over Raiders: Winners and losers
