Vegas, baby, Vegas! Why the Rams season could go bust in Sin City

In the 1996 cult classic movie “Swingers,” a heartbroken Jon Favreau gets a phone call from Vince Vaughn, who offers his struggling buddy a simple solution to life’s problems.“Vegas, baby, Vegas!”Thirty years later, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams could use a similar intervention.Because what began as a season filled with Super Bowl aspirations has become a five-alarm fire, and the team that dreamed of playing for a Lombardi Trophy in its own stadium might need a miracle just to escape the NFC West basement.After consecutive home losses, including Sunday’s humiliating 18-16 defeat to the previously 1-4 Arizona Cardinals, the Rams (2-4) head to Allegiant Stadium for a Week 7 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders (3-3).The Rams couldn’t beat a Cardinals team they were favored to defeat by nearly two touchdowns.Now we’re supposed to believe they can stroll into Sin City, missing half their starting lineup, and beat a Raiders team averaging 27 points per game?Yeah, good luck with that.Somehow, Los Angeles enters Sunday as a 4.5-point favorite.

Apparently, oddsmakers haven’t watched the same Rams team the rest of us have or maybe they haven’t read the injury report.Davante Adams is headed for surgery on his ruptured hamstring.Kobie Turner is on IR.Poona Ford and kicker Blake Grupe are done for the season.

Myles Garrett remains on injured reserve, while cornerback Trent McDuffie (groin) and linebacker Nate Landman (concussion protocol) did not practice most of this week.Without Garrett and Turner, the Rams’ pass rush resembles a casino patron desperately searching for his last chip.They’ve recorded just eight sacks all season, tied for second-fewest in the NFL.That’s music to Kirk Cousins’ ears.The Raiders quarterback has thrown for 14 touchdowns, tied for the league lead, and wasn’t sacked once in Sunday’s 33-30 loss to Buffalo.

With Brock Bowers terrorizing defenses over the middle and Tre Tucker coming off a 97-yard, two-touchdow...