Two things can be true: The Las Vegas Raiders made several franchise-defining moves this offseason that should dramatically alter the future of the organization, and the Silver and Black are still nowhere near ready to compete for a Super Bowl or maybe even the playoffs this coming fall.
It is not easy to crawl out of the gutter in this league, and it is astronomically harder to climb into the heaviest weight class. The Los Angeles Rams, whom the Raiders will host in Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season, are practically the gold standard right now, and almost everyone has them as title favorites.
But doesn't every roster have a weak point? Shouldn't every team be fallible in some way? Well, we asked writer John Sbisa of Ramblin' Fan, FanSided's dedicated Rams page, about all things LA ahead of the season, and he seems to think Las Vegas has practically no chance of beating the Rams.
Las Vegas Raiders may have ill-fated matchup with Los Angeles Rams in Week 7
Q: We have to start with the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade. Do you feel like this tipped the scales for the Rams and will put them over the top in the NFC and NFL?
A: On paper and by consensus reaction, anyway, it feels like a scale-tipping type of move. Garrett joins an already loaded roster that patched its most glaring flaw - the secondary - with other big moves this season. The Rams' pass rush itself was effective last season, just not overly dominant. Now they have Garrett. For some Rams fans, though, the hype has reached a point where they're pushing back on some of the outlandish projections and praise. No, the team isn't going 17-0. On-paper rosters win on-paper Super Bowls. The Rams also have one of the NFL's toughest schedules. Being anointed on a preseason power rankings list is a far cry from winning the real deal.
Q: Is there any buyer's remorse already with the Ty Simpson pick? It seemed like a big deal at the time, but how are the team and the young QB settling in this offseason?
A: Depends on who you ask. I think many, if not most, Rams fans have come around on the pick. I count myself among those who were initially aghast. But weighing some of the analysis behind the selection has subdued my disappointment into hesitant approval. Matthew Stafford is 38. The Rams likely won't have a pick anywhere near the top 10 as long as he is playing. The 13th overall pick they used on Simpson was originally the Falcons'. This was probably their best shot at landing a future franchise quarterback and Simpson will have at least a year or two to learn under Stafford before they hand him the keys.
Q: Was there actually some chatter about Davante Adams being traded this offseason? Do you think there is or will be any bad blood there heading into the year as a result?
A: There definitely was some smoke surrounding a potential Rams-Eagles deal involving Adams and AJ Brown, who ultimately ended up going to the Patriots. I think the majority of Rams fans are relieved the team held onto Adams, and the whole thing seems to have blown over. Adams developed a real rapport with Stafford last season despite the latter's absence from training camp with back issues. The Rams know they can count on Adams to be a professional, which isn't a guarantee with Brown if he isn't happy with his share of targets.
Q: Do Rams fans worry at all about facing Klint Kubiak again, or are they more excited about potentially taking him down in a revenge game?
A: Kubiak has certainly earned Rams fans' respect from his work as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator. Of course, he doesn't have quite the same offensive weapons to work with in Las Vegas, and L.A.'s defense is much-improved. The Raiders pulling off a massive upset would really get the narrative gears grinding as far as Kubiak's status as a Rams kryptonite.
Q: Outside of the obvious trades for Garrett and Trent McDuffie, what was the biggest or most impactful move that LA made this offseason?
A: Extending safety Kam Curl, which the Rams did just days before he would have hit free agency, is the move I go back to, and one that really hasn't been talked about at all as the Rams' other splashes have dominated the headlines. Yes, McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, his former Chiefs teammate, should be the more impactful additions given the secondary's lack of a true No. 1 corner last season. But losing a leader like Curl would have undone some of that progress in overhauling the unit as a whole. Paired with the extension of Quentin Lake in late January, bringing back Curl will help anchor the middle of the field both in coverage and against the run while McDuffie and Watson lock down the boundaries.
Q: If the Rams don't win the Super Bowl this year, what would be the reason? Do you think the Raiders potentially exploit that weakness and pull off an upset?
A: It's a boring answer, but for the Rams, injuries are an especially pertinent concern. The ship will go down with Stafford if his bad back acts up at the wrong time. Rams fans also don't want to see a situation - as was the case down the stretch last year - where one of Davante Adams or Puka Nacua is sidelined, particularly if the other is banged up. Maybe the Rams could make it work with half a receiver and a bunch of tight ends, or maybe defenses will wise up to Sean MVay's 13-personnel formations. That could be problematic in a single-game elimination setting in the playoffs. Â
From where we sit now, I don't think the Raiders have positioned themselves to take down an opponent of L.A.'s' caliber. You never know, though. They could be better than expected; their offseason spending certainly suggests they plan to be. Another thing worth noting is that the Rams are no stranger to falling on their faces from time to time, like they did against Atlanta late last season. The quarterback in the game? Oh, yeah. Kirk Cousins.
Q: Would you rather face Fernando Mendoza or Kirk Cousins?
A: Mendoza. More than the fact that Cousins beat the Rams last year with Atlanta, from a fan perspective, having the chance to see the No. 1 overall pick up close would be a must-watch event.
Other Las Vegas Raiders 2026 season previews:
Week 1 -Miami Dolphins
Weeks 2&14 -Â Los Angeles Chargers
Week 3 - New Orleans Saints
Week 4 - Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5 - New England Patriots
Week 6 - Buffalo Bills
Week 8 - New York Jets (Coming Soon)
Week 9 - San Francisco 49ers (Coming Soon)
Week 10 - Seattle Seahawks (Coming Soon)
Weeks 11&15 - Denver Broncos (Coming Soon)
Week 12 - Cleveland Browns (Coming Soon)
Week 16 - Tennessee Titans (Coming Soon)
Week 17 - Arizona Cardinals (Coming Soon)
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