3 takeaways from Raiders’ loss to Rams: injury added to insult

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Here are three takeaways from the Raiders’ 20-15 loss to the Rams on Sunday at SoFi Stadium:

1. Adding injury to insult

The Raiders (2-5) lost more than just another game Sunday.

They also lost a quarterback in their third consecutive uninspired defeat. Aidan O’Connell suffered a thumb injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Coach Antonio Pierce said O’Connell will undergo further testing to determine the severity of his injury. But it’s easy to evaluate the Raiders as a whole at this point. They’re not good, even if the Rams (2-4) kept the door open for them until the end.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew replaced O’Connell and led the team on five scoring drives, but none reached the end zone. Minshew also passed for just 154 yards, got sacked twice and threw three interceptions.

His last pick came on the Raiders’ final drive. The team got the ball back with 1:39 on the clock and needed a touchdown to win. The Raiders didn’t gain a yard.

O’Connell wasn’t much better before his injury. He completed just six of his 10 passes for 52 yards. The Raiders failed to score points on either of his two possessions.

The team also had far too many self-inflicted wounds. The Raiders committed 10 penalties, many in key situations. They also turned the ball over four times. Minshew, in addition to his interceptions, had a fumble returned 33 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

The Raiders’ minus-13 turnover margin is tied for the worst in franchise history through seven games with the 1962 team.

Things don’t get easier from here, either. The Raiders host the Chiefs and then travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals the next two weeks before their bye.

2. Bowers, Carlson shine

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers was once again a beacon of hope for the Raiders. He set a career high with 10 catches and gained 93 yards.

Bowers became just the fourth tight end in NFL history to have at least 10 receptions in one of the first seven games of his career. The last player to do it was Jace Amaro in 2014. Bowers is also the first rookie tight end in NFL history with at least eight catches in three consecutive games.

Kicker Daniel Carlson had a big game Sunday as well. He hit all five of his field-goal attempts to match his career high for most makes in a game.

Carlson has made five field goals three different times in his career.

3. SoFi south?

The Raiders, who played in Southern California from 1982-94, arguably remain the most popular NFL team in Los Angeles.

All the silver and black in the SoFi Stadium stands supported that claim. Even the press box public address announcer referred to them as the “Los Angeles Raiders” at one point Sunday.

The Raiders, despite the friendly surroundings, haven’t had success in their trips out west. They’ve lost their last six games at SoFi Stadium and are 1-6 at the venue since it opened in 2020.

Their only win came against the Chargers in 2020 when fans weren’t allowed in the building due to COVID-19 restrictions.