The Rams enter this game with a total sense of urgency and in my eyes, a sense of desperation.

The Rams cannot lose this game.

Even though the offense had to punt after the first set of downs, they did score four touchdowns on the next four sets of downs, which make up the entire first half of offense. The Rams defense held the Raiders to six points on two separate field goals.

The overall vibe out there is that in the first half, this was the Rams team many expected to see all year.

I will announce that these were the first touchdowns the Rams had scored in the last 11 first quarters. It had been eleven or twelve games, depending on how you look at it, since the team scored a touchdown in a first quarter. We therefore did get that out of the way.

However, it was choppy to me. I do not think the offense at first, ironically considering they scored 4 touchdowns, was in great sync. It evolved to be perfect play but something was off to me early in the game. I felt that they were making plays but they were also doing it out of sync. It did not hurt considering the team scored on the next four consecutive drives to go into the halftime.

My current take on the wide receiver position: Puka Nacua did play, however, that decision was made pretty much close to game time. He was healthy all game. I cannot say enough about this guy. I love him. We are lucky to have him. Considering the amount of injuries the Rams face now, some other receiver needs to step up a lot more than they have so far this season. If Tutu Atwell has more than one catch, well, that’s all I can remember, and Konata Mumpfield has done a bit more while being in on many plays this year. He has not, though, had a big game. He had a big play in this game. He made a sick catch that could have been intercepted. No other receiver besides our two starting ones has had huge games. There are signs of it, but nothing has broken for the remaining backup receivers. That bothers me a bit.

That does open up avenues for up to four Tight Ends with Coach Sean McVay’s new scheme with holding onto 5 potential starters, to now come up with big plays. For the most part, they all do well. And, this game, all Tight Ends got the ball and that also showed as they had touchdown scores too.

Matthew Stafford threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns. I thought he had many more passing yards all game, but in doing that, he is now the Rams’ all-time leader in passing touchdowns. The quarterback who held that record was Roman Gabriel, whom I never saw play as a Ram (he was on the Eagles when I discovered the Rams and, in essence, the NFL; I would see him play for the Eagles for just a year or two).

The first QB I ever saw play was James Harris. I loved James Harris. Regardless, Stafford is the first player to hold that record with two different teams. Stafford had 282 touchdown passes for Detroit, and again, that record is still in place for the Lions.

Speaking of initial intro into the Rams I am writing about my first favorite player on the Rams, Lawrence McCutchen. Expect that Substack today.

The running game was also very solid at this point in the game. It was more of the same, with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum matching carries all game. They both ended up with more than 90 yards for the game. They had 192 yards total between them, and two touchdowns. Corum technically busted one open but was called back due to a penalty. Each will have a long touchdown or two because they make so many plays happen on their own. I was also on the fence with regard to the penalty call. At first, I thought it was a face mask the way his head snapped to his left, it was however, the pad. I am not sure if it was that visual or if he had his arm somewhere. I did not see much of a penalty and so that was a shame.

Again, they are both excellent running backs. They make so much of their positives on their own. They make plays constantly.

Setting aside the three major plays we will get into, which is when the Rams were trying to lose again, the main urgent need, which must happen fast, is special teams. This new special teams coach needs to coach. This is not hard. They are spreading the team out a tad too much, and they are not all equally fast, hence the gaps that seep through on every run back. This is all about coaching and staying within their own lanes. The entire special teams unit is like watching someone fail a polygraph, when you see the line high and low and all over the place. That is what the Rams’ special teams looks like. You have one guy way down the field, another guy a few yards back, and then moving inward they are behind, but then one is ahead on the upper side, and so on, and by the time they get to a player, it’s behind them because of these gaps. A runner can get past our special teams players that are just not in sync, and boom, they have that 40-to-70-yard play.

Let me put it this way: when is the last time a special teams unit has not had at least a 40-yard run against it?

I still do not know why we did not draft a solid kicker this year. That makes zero point zero sense to me, and it did at that time too.

Like I alluded to above, the offense just systematically took the Raiders defense out of their game. There were a few bomb attempts by Stafford but none were really close and any big play came on a short pass and lots of yards after the catch.

The Rams had the fewest penalties last year, and we also doubled that, having the 11th most this year. When Puka catches it and runs it down low, Williams gets down to the one-yard line. Then Davis Allen gets called for a penalty, moving the ball back to the 11-yard line. Now it’s first and goal from the 11, when Stafford hits Allen again for his second touchdown of the game. That made it 13-3.

For the first time in over two years, I am fully confident about our kicker. I am very psyched to have Brandon McManus now on the team. This is the most secure I have felt about the kicker in years. The extra points are right down the middle, too. Last Tuesday, he competed against Matt Prater for the spot at kicker. McManus was our top pick but I also thought that Blake Grupe was a bad pick. I thought that he looks great and solid as a player for the NFL. I also think either two choices this week were excellent choices. Probably better than what I brought to the table a few weeks ago. I love this pick up. I feel so good about it.

Now, deep into the second quarter, Puka scores his touchdown before trying to execute a multi player dance routine. After the point after went down the middle again, it is a 21-3 game with 1:25 left in the half. I did not understand the dance though, Puka tried to get everyone to participate. The Rams get the ball back and I thought they should continue with the run game.

At halftime, I was very concerned about any complacency in the second half. I was also happy to hear the coach did too as he conducted the halftime interview. He mentioned that over and over during it. That made me feel good. I felt that if we could run up the score to 88 to 6, I would be fine with it for this game.

It had nothing to do withe Raiders, I kind of like the team or I do not hate them which is rare for me. I wonder if that Raiders coach, Klint Kubiak, is related to Gary. I also think they should think hard about starting that new quarterback they drafted this year, Fernando Mendoza. I think Kirk Cousins is great. I have always liked and respected his play for decades or a decade, but I think he screws up way more than not these days. He is still an excellent QB. I that a change could work if they do it this year. This game, Cousins passed for 295 yards with a touchdowns pass to Tre Tucker and running back Ashton Jeanty.

Leading up to the half, the Rams offense started executing on every cylinder.

I agree. I thought the play calling was pretty much perfect all day.

I had to think about why this one time out was called but as far as plays, man did they systematically break down that defense pretty much at will.

Puka had eight passes for 68 yards and the touchdown for the Rams we just spoke about before halftime. Davis Allen had two TDs at tight end. Though it was not for lack of trying all year, these are Allen’s first touchdown catches of the year. Stafford had made many previous attempts that failed for whatever reason. I said to someone earlier this year that Stafford wants Allen to be his sweetheart to pass to.

I also loved how the team utilized everyone on offense. They spread it out so sweetly all game.

The Rams went three-and-out after getting the ball first in the second half, before a punt down to the 9-yard line. Then the Raiders executed a fake punt. However, the Rams held them off on the next set of downs. But then the Rams fumbled, and listen, he (Williams) is going to fumble two to three times in a given year, but he must become very cognizant of that ball from now on. He recognizes his mistakes and is like a coach. He will shift and be fine but he cannot let up for a millisecond. If he stays focused from now on, because he is a worker, that reminds me of a coach, he will figure it out. He became complacent for a second and so he just needs to pay attention to holding that ball on literally every play. He has had his two fumbles we allow before getting angry. Plus, his positives outweigh two fumbles. In this case, the Rams get the ball back, and so all that did was waste more time for the Rams in this half.

Anyway, that punt to the 9-yard line was one of the best special teams plays we had all season. The Raiders then moved down the field and scored a touchdown. Then the Rams threw an interception that went off Parkinson’s hands and into the Raiders defensive back’s hands.

Then, no sooner did I asked myself if Tyler Higbee is even playing, he makes a big play with an excellent catch.

After the initial point early in the first half, the Rams led by 22 points at the half. This is the Raiders’ largest home stadium deficit at halftime was against Cincinnati 24-0 in 2015.

The Rams Defense is also playing great.

Braden Fiske got the first sack of the game, and on the very next play, Byron Young got the second sack for the Rams well into the third quarter. They did have many close calls all game. The defense did well.

The Raiders also tried an on sides kick that failed. Mumpfield snagged the ball after the Matt Gay quick switch-a-roo before attempting it. He made pretend that we was kicking it up high, but turned around to kick to where Puka was not. I like seeing Matt Gay. I did not want him to miss any short kicks but I did not want him to make any long ones.

As for the playoffs since it went to 14 teams a few years ago, 10 of 41 teams made the playoffs after opening 3-4. 4 of 33 made it into playoffs at 2-5.

As for the Raiders on offense, Tucker had five receptions with 103 yards, and Jeanty had eight catches for 61 yards versus the Rams defense. Cousins leads the NFL with 16 TD passes. Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. had only 42 rushing yards on 14 attempts. The Raiders allowed another 30-plus points for the fourth week in a row.

Los Angeles did stop its two-game losing streak.

Up next, Rams play the Chargers, next Sunday, in our SoFi Stadium. The Raiders come to New Jersey to play this week against the New York Jets next Sunday.

Overall, I think that I saw that this stadium in Vegas has a band play live. That’s pretty wild.