Rams-Raiders: The Turf Show Times’ Staff Predict a Winner

The Rams have been quite consistent since Week 6. They've won on every odd week, and lost on every even week. Which makes them due for another win this week. Plus they're playing at home against perhaps the worst team in the NFL. How can they lose? Don't answer that...

Seems like there is a trend here...W,L,W,L. The Rams are due, so I will take them for the win...while I am at it, I will skip ahead a bit and predict a loss against Washington.

The Rams have finally escaped the Octet of Pain and managed to do so with a 3-5 record, which is probably something many reading this site would have been happy about when the schedule came out earlier this year. Of course the manner in which some of those games unfolded makes that 3-5 stretch much less appetizing than originally anticipated. Compared to that brutal 8 game stretch the rest of the schedule should be considered easy, but SHOULD isn't a word held in high regard around Rams Nation these days. The Rams SHOULD be 7-4 (possibly 8-3), they SHOULD be a playoff contender, they SHOULD be more consistent 2/3 of the way through Fisher's third season at the helm. Unfortunately not a single one of those "should"s holds much weight, just like the idea they should beat the Raiders with relative ease. Let's not kid ourselves here the Rams ARE better than the Raiders, but so are the Chiefs and probably every other NFL team. The Raiders are a bad NFL team, and yet just as they proved last week even bad NFL teams can beat good NFL teams (which the Rams haven't proven they are). The Raiders offense is very poor, with a pretty weak supporting cast for promising rookie Derek Carr to work with. They are currently last in the NFL in rushing yards on offense, and 25th in rushing yards allowed per game on defense. If there was ever an opportunity for the Rams to lean on the formula of a strong running game and strong defense this would appear to be the week! So here is my prediction, Derek Carr makes a few splash plays against the Rams but it isn't enough to overcome a big day from Tre Mason. Mason gets 20+ carries and 100+ rushing yards as well as a TD. The Rams Defense and Special Teams control the game for the most part, allowing the Rams to dominate the field position game much like they did against the Broncos.

As per Jeff Fisher, everything is going according to plan, this team is playing hard and having fun and he could not ask for more. He must not have access to the teams overall record. Last week was an up and down affair but the Rams again choked at the end of the game while then Raiders at the end took it to a possible playoff team on the road. It is a tough game to handicap since the Rams have rarely bee favored by 7 points the past few years but this is a below average Raiders team but they do have playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. I see both teams struggling big time on offense as they are pretty equal on the side of the ball. The Rams defense usually plays better at home so I lean toward a tight Rams victory.

I'm going to keep it short and sweet. The football gods have thrown us an easy pitch right down the middle of the plate and I refuse to believe we'll swing and miss. I think our defense will harass Carr to the point he starts "seeing ghosts." That will lead to a couple of turnovers and short fields. The Rams offense and Legatron will find a way to put up enough points to get the W.

Watching only last week's tape on the Raiders, you would think that they are a pretty good team. They aren't. The Rams lost against the Chargers in the last minute of the game thanks to a fluke interception by Shaun Hill. The Raiders defense is abysmal, and their offense is anemic. The Ram defense will have a good day reminding Carr that he is a rookie on a very bad team. Shaun Hill and the bevy of talent on offense will carve up the short to intermediate routes, while Tre Mason does his job and rushes for 100+ yards to keep things balanced. In a battle of the old and new guards, Janikowski and Young GZ will see who can kick the longest FG.

There's no way (knock on wood) the Rams lose to the Raiders. The defense should do enough to rattle Derek Carr. The offense will get its one TD & bevy of field goals.

I don't care what Mike Ditka is (probably) thinking, the Rams aren't losing. The Raiders truly are an awful team. However, this will not be a blowout. I'll make this quick: Rams 27, Raiders 20; Tre Mason with 2 TDs.

The Rams are edging closer to being a solid team. Penalties and miscues have rocked St. Louis all season, but the game in San Diego showed me a team shaking off it's youthful past demeanor. They stormed back into the game late in the 4th quarter, and had it within their grasp. It's a big lesson to learn, but can they apply it forward?

Oakland is a team with absolutely nothing to lose, and quite literally little to gain. They'll have a top three draft pick in 2015, and the NFL media world has no respect for them. But this time of year starts to bring out the "I gotta find a way to keep my job" play from guys who could be on the street looking for a team next season. Oakland has a boatload of free agents, and some promising young talent on defense. Khalil Mack is every bit as advertised. Rookie quarterback Derek Carr has the look of a franchise signal caller. But promise is as far as it will go this week for Oakland. The Rams are farther along the learning curve than the Raiders. Plus, since the Rams lost last week, they will win this Sunday. It's what they do, right?

The rams should have the best defensive game of the yr. With a struggling rushing attack and a Rookie Qb who checks down a lot and is far from mistake proof, theres no reason to think its out of the realm of possibility there may be 3 interceptions and 4 sacks this game.

The raiders defense is actually kind of underrated. If San Diego Shaun Hill shows up this will be a much closer game than the Rams want it to be. Their front seven especially their linebackers have played well for much of the year. But that secondary is simply mot good. Kenny Britt and Stedman Bailey should have some nice production, but again thats if Hill can be more accurate this week. True Mason will most likely finish with about 90-105 yds.

Ditka, you back-stabbin’ summbitch!

We’ve got a battle of two teams incapable of stringing together back-to-back wins.  That said, look for the Rams to steam roll the Raiders on Sunday.

It’s going to be a long day for Derek Carr, and the rookie QB is going to wish the Rams had drafted him....like the rest of us do.

And there you have it.  Based on the prognostications of the TST staff, this one looks like a clear cut win for the Rams.  With that said, I think we all know what this one sets fans up for:  ultimate disappointment.

One thing is for certain though, and that’s that these two offensive juggernauts will square off on Sunday, and only one will emerge as the victor.  Here’s to watching an enjoyable, competitive [though I’m down for a blowout] game between the two sides, where both emerge unscathed.