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Biggest Achilles' heel: Special teams

The Rams have been unable to settle on a consistent kick and punt returner, leaning instead on sure-handed receiver Cooper Kupp, which makes it difficult not to hold your breath when such duty is required of the NFL's leading receiver. Rookies Jake Funk, Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek have also tried their hand at returning, but Funk suffered a season-ending injury, and neither Atwell nor Skowronek has proved capable of handling the full-time job. And it's not just the Rams' return game that's in question. In a Week 7 win over the Lions, the Rams allowed an early onside kick and watched as two fake punts were converted into first downs. -- Lindsey Thiry

The Rams are all in. On Monday, the team pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade with the Broncos that brought three-time All-Pro edge rusher Von Miller to a defense that already leads the league in sacks. Miller's play has dropped off some since his Super Bowl MVP heyday, but adding the 32-year-old to a front seven with Aaron Donald could bring out lingering greatness in Miller in the way Matthew Stafford has been revitalized on the other side of the ball. This is the type of move you see from smart teams with a sense of the moment. It's Lombardi-or-bust time in L.A.

They dominated the Texans, which we expected, but face a tough AFC South team Sunday night in the Titans. The offense is really cooking right now and adding Von Miller to the defense is a good thing.

Who's the best team in the NFL? Pick a name out of a hat, especially among the NFC's trio of 7-1 squads. However only one of them is leading the league in sacks (25) -- and that was before the acquisition of Denver OLB Von Miller, who has more career sacks (110 1/2) than anyone else in the NFL right now. And you can bet Tom Brady, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers would rather try to outgun Los Angeles QB Matthew Stafford than hope to sidestep some combination of Miller, Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd.

How's the head coach? Sean McVay, 35, just became the youngest coach to reach 50 career wins, and he's already into somewhat of a second act with the Rams. The arrival of Matthew Stafford -- a trade McVay pushed for, and pulled off -- seems to have gotten his creative play-design juices flowing; the Rams' offense is once again fun to watch. We can all see it Sunday night against the Titans.