Raiders inactives: RB Josh Jacobs will play vs. Rams

Bobby Wagner worked all week to control his emotions, to funnel them into one of the better games of his long career Sunday afternoon.

Wagner, spitting fire throughout the game toward Seattle’s sideline — the same one he used to stand on, before his unceremonious release by the team last spring — had seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. His last two-sack performance was in 2020 and his five sacks this season are his most since totaling five in 2013.

But as the Rams know all too well this season, it’s the things you can’t control that kill you.

Head coach Sean McVay knows it, as the Rams started backup quarterback John Wolford for the second time in 2022 — starter Matthew Stafford has a spinal cord contusion and is likely out for the year — and the team featured its 12th offensive line combination in 12 games. They were minus Cooper Kupp, minus Aaron Donald, minus the Robinsons (A’Shawn and Allen), and feature around $83.4 million of their 2022 salary cap on injured reserve (and over $130 million not playing, if you’re counting overall 2022 cash payout), according to Over the Cap.

“This is challenging,” McVay said postgame. Down to the hairs he cements into place each day, he is the picture of control. He has little control over his team’s circumstances now.

“But,” he said, “I’m proud to be going through this with these guys, and this is where real growth can occur. … I know for me personally, this is the most challenging thing that (I have) ever gone through, that’s forcing a lot of reflection that wouldn’t exist otherwise.”