Las Vegas Raiders fall to Rams, 35-21; drop to 3-4
The Las Vegas Raiders lost 35-21 to the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 25, 2026, falling to 3-4 after surrendering a 22-point halftime lead at Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas rallied in the second half but could not overcome the early deficit against a Rams team that dominated offensively in the first two quarters. Coaches and players said slow starts and self-inflicted errors left the Raiders with too much ground to make up.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said the team did not give itself a chance, adding that Las Vegas started the contest too slowly. He noted the team fought in the second half but the early deficit proved decisive. Kubiak said overcoming such a large hole against a well-coached opponent was difficult.
Las Vegas squandered an early scoring opportunity when a spot foul for pass interference on Tre Tucker set up a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Matt Gay, which went wide left. It was Gay’s second missed field goal of the season after a stretch of near-automatic kicking through the first six games. The Rams then capitalized, driving and scoring on multiple possessions with Matthew Stafford connecting with tight end Davis Allen.
The Rams scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions and totaled 28 first-half points, their most in a first half since Week 12 last season. Stafford was 17-of-19 for 148 yards by halftime and repeatedly targeted Davis Allen and Puka Nacua. Los Angeles also attacked on the ground, compiling 103 rushing yards by intermission and scoring on a 17-yard run by Kyren Williams.
Special teams and fourth-down aggression swung momentum at times for both clubs. Dylan Laube returned a kickoff 42 yards to set the Raiders at midfield, and rookie Mike Washington Jr. followed with a 21-yard run that led to a 30-yard field goal. Las Vegas went for it on fourth down three times early in the third quarter but converted only once, limiting the impact of its aggression.
The Raiders produced takeaways but struggled to convert them into points consistently. AJ Cole faked a punt, completing a pass to fullback Connor Heyward for 13 yards on one successful fourth-down play, while JJ Pegues forced a fumble on Kyren Williams that Jeremy Chinn recovered for the defense’s 11th takeaway of the season. Nakobe Dean intercepted a bobbled pass by Colby Parkinson, his first pick since 2023, but Las Vegas was unable to sustain the momentum into points.
Wide receiver Tre Tucker provided a second-half spark, gaining 78 receiving yards on two catches and finishing a drive with a 37-yard touchdown. Tucker has totaled 10 receptions for 200 yards and three touchdowns across his last two games. Ashton Jeanty caught a wheel-route touchdown and finished with eight receptions for 61 yards, his first touchdown since the season opener.
The Rams closed the game by continuing to run effectively, capping a nearly seven-minute, 12-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run by Blake Corum. Los Angeles finished with 199 rushing yards compared with the Raiders’ 49, and Las Vegas was held under 75 rushing yards for a fourth straight week. Center Tyler Linderbaum summarized the offensive line’s response succinctly, saying the unit must block better and sustain blocks more effectively.
Players expressed frustration and emphasized controllable details after the loss. Linebacker Nakobe Dean said tackling and fundamentals must improve, and Maxx Crosby echoed the need for self-evaluation and solutions. The Raiders will begin preparations for a road game at the New York Jets as they work to correct the issues exposed in this defeat.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The loss to the Rams exposed clear problems in Las Vegas’ run defense and red-zone play. Los Angeles was perfect, 5-of-5, in the red zone while the Raiders were 1-of-5, and the Rams rushed for 199 yards against a unit that had allowed 134.3 rushing yards per game over the first six games. Special-teams miscues, including Matt Gay’s missed 51-yard field goal, and missed opportunities following takeaways compounded the issues. The Raiders must address tackling technique and sustained blocking immediately if they hope to end their slide as they prepare for their next road trip.