Key Matchups: The main objective is keeping Kirk Cousins' jersey clean against Rams

Oct 22, 2026 at 05:16 PM

Digital Team Reporter

The Las Vegas Raiders have dropped three straight after beginning the season 3-0, but despite the skid, the Silver and Black have shown vast improvement from last year – being competitive in games with multiple AFC frontrunners.

They're averaging nearly double of their amount of points per game from last year, and have notched a whopping 10 takeaways in six games. But obviously, moral victories won't help in the standings.

As for their next opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, they're just as desperate to get their season back on track. Coming into the year as Super Bowl contenders, the Rams have lost three of their last four games. Injuries on both sides of the ball has only made matters worse. Regardless, the Rams still have more than enough talent to be impose a threat this Sunday in Allegiant Stadium.

Here are two matchups that could come into play on Sunday.

Kirk Cousins vs. Matthew Stafford

Age is nothing but a number for these two quarterbacks.

Kirk Cousins is lighting up scoreboards in his 15th NFL season, leading a Raiders offense that is averaging 27 points a game. The 38-year-old QB is playing some of his best football as he's reunited with Klint Kubiak and Andrew Janocko, who he spent time with during his Pro Bowl years on the Minnesota Vikings.

"He has a different base of knowledge that we can bounce ideas off of each other," offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said of Cousins. "Being around different ideas, different players. ... He's a guy that thrives on accountability. So, he wants to be pushed, he wants to be coached, and when other guys see a guy that's been in this league that long, want to be coached, and is the first one to say, 'I got to do this, I can make this throw or I got to step up'. And then when it's successful, it's we, it's us, it's together. That's type of stuff that young guys should mimic."

Cousins' 14 passing touchdowns are tied for the most in the league. He also ranks top five in passing yards (1,582) and first-downs passing (82). Yet when asked what he believes he can still improve in, the list was extensive.

"Footwork, progressions, decision making, your leadership, your presence, your communication skills, your toughness," Cousins said. "You're always being tested, mentally, physically, emotionally, and every day you're asking yourself, 'Am I meeting the standard to win a championship?' And you're always going to do that."

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Sunday's game could be a shootout between Cousins and Matthew Stafford. Along with Peyton Manning, Y.A. Tittle and Raiders legend Rich Gannon, Stafford became the third-oldest player to win NFL MVP at 37 years old after leading the league in passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46) in 2025.

While the Rams have gotten off to a slow start in 2026, Stafford is still playing at an MVP level in his 18th season. Through six games, he leads the league in passing yards (1,794) and pass completions (164).

"He's seen it all," defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said. "He's great at identifying coverage. They're great at identifying what you're doing and adapting, and he's seen everything. So, it's a big challenge."

A huge reason for both quarterbacks' success this season has been their protection. Both Cousins and Stafford have been pressured on less than 35% of their dropbacks, per NFL Next Gen Stats. If both offensive lines can keep their veteran quarterbacks upright, it should make for quite the aerial attack from the two.

Tyler Linderbaum vs. Aaron Donald

Tyler Linderbaum must put Week 6 in the rear view and prepare for arguably the best pass rushing interior lineman in NFL history.

The Raiders offensive line has been successful in pass protection, with Cousins being sacked just eight times so far. Linderbaum also has a 93% pass blocking win rate from ESPN Analytics, the fifth-highest of any interior lineman.

"Tyler, he's an energy guy," said offensive line coach Rick Dennison. "He's a leader just by the fact of how hard he works. ... He's the one that's got to make all the calls. His contribution of keeping everybody on the same page has been tremendous."

However, there are still a few things to clean up. Linderbaum has committed four penalties this season, with three of them coming on Connor Heyward short yardage rushes that would've all been first-down conversions. Additionally, he's allowed six quarterback pressures in his last two games against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

"There's a lot of things you watch on film and it's like, 'Dang, I wish I would've done this better,'" Linderbaum said. "But you want to eliminate that as much as you can before it happens."

Across the line of scrimmage will be 10-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. The defensive tackle returned to the the RAms this year after retiring at the end of the 2023 season. His production level hasn't been as high as it was in years past, as he's played under 60% of defensive snaps in four games.

Nevertheless, the generational tackle is still a threat to any offense at any moment.

"He's a good player," Linderbaum said. "I think guys like him draw attention, just because they've earned that respect and they've earned it with the way they play the game. So yeah, I have to understand where he's at at all times and going to have to be ready for him on Sunday and prepare for the challenge."

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Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) before practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.