5 winners and 2 losers from Rams' Week 6 win over the Ravens in Week 6

For the Los Angeles Rams, the effort needed to pull off a road win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 was the type of game that could either galvanize the team into something better or erode it into something much less.

While the Ravens defense has not been effective at shutting down passing attacks, the same can't be said about Mother Nature, whose blustery conditions at M&T Bank Stadium squelched both teams' aerial assaults.

But for Los Angeles, a bigger factor was an early injury to elite wide receiver Puka Nacua. He left for the locker room in the first half due to an ankle injury. While he did return, he only played one offensive series thereafter.

That forced the offense to scratch and claw for points, finding new ways to get the passing game going. The offense was not overpowering in Week 6, but the defense certainly was.

And so, in a game that many expected to be a shootout, LA put on a defensive masterpiece.

So, who were the players and units to note from this win?

5 winners and 2 losers from Rams' win over Ravens

Loser 1: Kicker Joshua Karty

Make no bones about it: Former Stanford kicker Joshua Karty missed one field goal, made an ugly attempt at another field goal, and is wearing out his welcome with head coach Sean McVay.

McVay made a veiled warning to his kicker in the postgame press conference. And even ESPN NFL analyst Bill Barnwell picked up on it.

Karty's accuracy is falling into the danger zone. Unless he starts kicking and making his attempts, this is a story very much worth monitoring.

Loser 2: Rams' run defense

The Rams defense has been so effective at snuffing rushing offenses that it has failed to stop aerial assaults. In Week 6, defensive coordinator Chris Shula surrendered his run-stuffing proficiency to better manage the tempo of the game.

The decision to let the Ravens find success at running the football was problematic.

Baltimore ran for 179 yards in the game. Running back Derrick Henry rushed 24 times for 122 yards. How is it that the defense allowed the Ravens to run at will, dominate the time of possession, yet only emerge with three points?

Ah, that's the point of the first winner in this article.

Winner 1: Rams' red-zone defense

With their backs against the wall, time running out in the first half, the Rams' red-zone defense faced 1st-and-goal to go from the 4-yard line. Despite facing Henry, the defense held.

It was everything fans could have hoped for.

It was a stand that not only ended the first half, but it also changed the dynamics and momentum of the entire game. That allowed the offense to regroup at halftime and change everything about the outcome.

Winner 2: Tight end Tyler Higbee

The final stats for tight end Tyler Higbee may not seem to be very impressive, but they were.

The seasoned veteran hauled in all four of his targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. His 40 yards were the most receiving yards for LA, and he even hauled in a 24-yard reception. His touchdown reception was crucial, as it put the visiting team up by two scores and gave the entire squad some desperately needed breathing room for the fourth quarter.

Winner 3: Defensive back Quentin Lake

Defensive back Quentin Lake was as versatile in Week 6 as ever. He rolled up six tackles, deflected one pass, recovered a fumble, and picked off his first interception.

If the optics were true, he played as though he took recent criticism of the secondary personally. He was everywhere, and in a low-scoring game, that was exactly what was needed.

Winner 4: Defensive back Darious Williams

Another veteran defensive back who showed up in a big way in Week 6 was Darious Williams.

Los Angeles originally claimed him after he was waived by the Ravens in 2019, and it was clear he brought a little something-something for his former employer.

In this game, he put up four tackles, three of them solo, and two pass deflections. Best of all, this was the first game in which Williams seemed to be making a huge impact as the game played.

His ascension was one of the keys to a smothering defense.

Winner 5: Linebacker Nate Landman

Nate Landman is one of the team's best additions of 2025, and perhaps one of the most important free-agent signings since hiring McVay in 2017. While the Rams have seldom invested heavily in the linebacker position, Landman has clearly outplayed his contract so far. He just put up 17 tackles in Week 6, a franchise best.

While he is not on track to top the NFL's single-season record for most solo tackles set by Ray Lewis of 156 in 2002, he is nevertheless wowing fans all the same.

The presence of Landman in the heart of this defense appears to be exactly what the group needed. He is an outspoken leader who delivers, and it just held an effective offense that had averaged 28.2 points per game to just three points.

It doesn't get much better than that.

As always, thanks for reading.

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