NFL Week 7: Rams Favored Despite Travel, Injury Concerns in London Clash with Jaguars
LONDON – Teh Los Angeles Rams are 3-point favorites heading into their Week 7 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium, despite a grueling travel schedule and uncertainty surrounding the status of star receiver Puka Nacua, who is dealing with an ankle injury. The game presents a critically important prospect for both teams - the Rams to solidify their position as contenders, and the Jaguars to prove their strong start to the season is sustainable.
analysts are divided, with Lorenzo Reyes of USA TODAY backing the Rams due to their more complete roster and consistent offense, even factoring in the long trip mitigated by staying on the East Coast after their win against Baltimore.Conversely,Christopher Cotta and blake Schuster favor the Jaguars with the +3 spread,citing Jacksonville’s strong performance against the spread this season (4-2) and the potential for turnovers to swing the game in their favor. Schuster also notes that novelty games like this one often feature lower scoring.
The Rams’ travel schedule is a key consideration, though they lessened its impact by remaining on the East Coast following their Week 6 victory over the Ravens. Even without Nacua, Reyes believes Los Angeles possesses the edge in overall team quality. Cotta emphasizes the importance of the Jaguars forcing turnovers from Matthew stafford and the Rams’ offense to have a chance at victory.
Current USA TODAY NFL Picks Standings (Week 6 Results Included):
| Name | Week 6 | 2023 Record |
|---|---|---|
| jon Hoefling | 8-7 | 48-42-3 |
| Blake Schuster | 5-10 | 46-44-3 |
| Tyler Dragon | 5-10 | 44-46-3 |
| Chris Bumbaca | 7-8 | 43-47-3 |
| Lorenzo Reyes | 5-10 | 40-50-3 |
| Jordan Mendoza | 7-8 | 31-30-2 |
| richard Morin | N/A | 16-12-1 |
