Las Vegas Raiders at Rams 2022 Week 14: Things to watch for
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Los Angeles Rams on a short week in Week 14, and here are some things to keep an eye on.
On a short week, the Las Vegas Raiders will head to LaLa Land to take on the Los Angeles Rams inside SoFi Stadium. It has been a tough season for the reigning Super Bowl champions, as the Rams have had to battle key injuries in 2022, especially to star quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The Raiders, on the other hand, have seemingly shaken off a terrible 2-7 start to the season, and have won three straight, including two against divisional opponents. Two of those wins have also come in overtime against Seattle and Denver, so they are finding ways to win, and finding ways to win close games late.
Here, we look at some early storylines to keep an eye on heading into Thursday.
Las Vegas Raiders at Rams 2022 Week 14: Things to watch for
The health of Josh Jacobs
In the last two games, the Raiders have had to get game time decisions in terms of the health of Josh Jacobs, but hearing him after the game, there was no question he was going to play. The problem with Week 14 is that Jacobs is not going to have much time to rest, and the Silver and Black need him in a big way against the Rams.
The health of Jacobs’ calf will be the big storyline over the next few days because if 28 is available against this Rams defense, it could spell a blowout victory for Las Vegas.
A Darren Waller return?
It has been quite a while since we have seen Darren Waller take the field for Las Vegas, but a return could come very soon. In fact, Waller could be back in time for the Week 14 matchup against the Rams, which is a great thing considering Foster Moreau had to be evaluated for a concussion in the first half on Sunday.
When healthy, Waller is one of the best tight ends in the NFL, and his return gives the Silver and Black another dominant weapon on offense. This unit is already playing its best football of the season, and a Waller return could put them over the top.
Playing on a short week
Playing on a short week is always tough, especially for a road team. However, Los Angeles is basically a home game for the Silver and Black, and if they can get healthy ahead of this Week 14 matchup, they should be able to go on the road and take care of business.
Las Vegas is one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now, and while they have some issues going into this matchup, they are in great shape to continue to turn their season around.