Stafford Breaks Rams TD Record in 35–21 Raiders Win — but the Run Game Tells the Bigger Story

October 26, 2026 | NFL Week 7 (final). Matthew Stafford became the Los Angeles Rams’ all-time leader in touchdown passes for the franchise as Los Angeles defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 35–21 on Sunday, October 25. His record-setting third touchdown pass was an 11-yard throw to Puka Nacua, moving Stafford to 155 scoring passes in a Rams uniform—one more than Roman Gabriel’s previous franchise mark.

Why this win was about more than Stafford’s record

Stafford completed 23 of 29 passes for 195 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. But the Rams’ clearest improvement came from the ground game: Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 192 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries. That balance helped Los Angeles score touchdowns on four consecutive first-half possessions after its opening three-and-out and take a 28–6 halftime lead.

There is a strategic lesson in those numbers. A quarterback can be historically productive without being forced to carry every possession. A reliable rushing threat gives an offense a different answer when defenses focus on passing lanes. Against Las Vegas, the Rams could finish drives through both the air and on the ground rather than relying exclusively on Stafford’s arm.

How the game turned

Stafford opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen, found Allen again from five yards, then reached the franchise milestone with his 11-yard scoring pass to Nacua. The Raiders rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, narrowing the margin before Corum’s late four-yard rushing touchdown helped settle the result.

Finishing opportunities mattered. According to the game statistics published by Sports Illustrated, the Rams converted all five of their red-zone trips into touchdowns; Las Vegas scored a touchdown on just one of five. The Rams also ran for 199 yards as a team against the Raiders’ 48. Those gaps help explain why a late Raiders push never overturned Los Angeles’ lead.

What it means for the Rams

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and moved Los Angeles to 3–4, still below .500. Stafford’s record deserves recognition, but one well-balanced afternoon is not proof that the team’s wider problems are solved. The next test is whether the rushing efficiency and red-zone execution can be sustained against stronger defensive opposition.

Watch: Official Rams–Raiders Week 7 highlights

Watch the NFL’s official highlights of Rams 35, Raiders 21 (October 25, 2026). This is the league’s exact-event Week 7 video, not archival footage. It includes the plays surrounding Stafford’s franchise milestone. Video source: NFL. The footage is linked rather than embedded because permission for a third-party iframe and regional playback could not be independently established; no footage has been downloaded or rehosted.

Verified result and sources

Final score: Los Angeles Rams 35, Las Vegas Raiders 21. Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026. Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas. Stafford: 23 completions on 29 attempts, 195 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, one interception.

Reporting checked against the NFL’s final game record, the Rams’ October 25 game recap, and the team’s record announcement. Tactical interpretations are this publication’s analysis, not statements attributed to the teams.

Featured image: Illustrative archival photograph of an American football field under stadium lights by Tim Mossholder / Unsplash (Unsplash License). The image does not depict the Rams–Raiders game.

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