Tyvon Branch flexed his muscles in the 2nd half against the Rams
The Oakland Raiders would start the game on defense after giving up a 31-yard opening kick off return to the St. Louis Rams 31-yard line. Initially, the Raiders looked stout against the run; only giving up minimal gains. The Raiders also deployed the blitz on back to back downs (2nd and 3rd downs); both yielding sacks. First by Raider defensive lineman Lamarr Houston and the second by safety Tyvon Branch; forcing St. Louis to punt away.
On the ensuing punt return, Raiders Johnnie Lee Higgins would run the punt back for 53 yards. Never the less, with starting quarterback Jason Campbell, Oakland would squander such great field position by only connecting to WR Darrius Heyward-Bey for a near first down pass play and mediocre runs by runningback Darren McFadden. The dive ended when the Raiders opted to run a fullback dive play on 4th and INCHES; electing not to run a quarterback sneak.
The Rams would make the Raiders pay and also correct their initial ineffectiveness in the run game by shoving St. Louis running back Steven Jackson down their collective throats. Jackson would accumulate 67 yards on the ground and 45 yards in the passing game. Quarterback Sam Bradford also put on a clinic with accurate passes and expertly timed screens.
The Rams, now knocking on the door to the Raiders endzone, could not find a way to punch the ball in or gain 3-points after a Raider sack then forced to attempt a field goal that went wide.
The Raiders offensive woes would continue while quarterback Jason Campbell was under center. The offensive line found itself having trouble protecting the quarterback on the left side. Campbell faced pressure while trying to stand firm in the pocket long enough for the plays to develop. Rookie tackle Jared Veldheer moved from center to left tackle and at times looked like a true rookie; allowing defenders to get by him.
Oakland later found some offense by way of a 15-yard toss run to RB Darren McFadden. The Raiders would get into field goal range, but kicker Sebastian Janikowski would also miss his field gal attempt as the Raiders again walk away empty.
The Rams would strike first blood behind solid running and receptions by RB Steven Jackson. The Raider defense, now looking like they are step behind, allow WR Mark Clayton to get behind the secondary in the endzone to go ahead 7-0.
The Raiders offense improved it’s line play a small bit with protections that allowed Campbell to connect with FB Marcel Reece for 19 yards and to TE Zach Miller for 14 yards on a 3rd-and-1 play. Heck, even Campbell scrambled beautifully for a 1st down. The wheels began to fall off again offensively with an offsides penalty to Raiders Cooper Carlisle and a subsequent 9-yard sack to force a punt.
The defense, having the Rams pinned deep on their own 7 yard line, stiffened up and only gave up 3 yards and forced the Rams to punt. The Raiders caught two breaks on the ensuing punt via a poor 30+ yard punt by the St. Louis kicker and an illegal chop block called on the Rams. The Raiders would gain excellent field position with the ball placed on the Rams’ 31 yard line.
Despite St. Louis getting penalized for hitting a defenseless receiver (WR Louis Murphy), all the Raiders managed to come with was a field goal attempt after first running or no gain on 1st down, throwing the ball away on 2nd down, and fumbling the ball on a blitz and whiffed block by LT Jared Veldheer on 3rd down. Janikowski kicked it through the uprights this time and and put Oakland on the board and cut the lead to within 4 points with a score of 3-7.
The defense began to look more aggressive and gave the Rams quarterback Sam Bradford fits and moved the Rams backwards by causing the Rams offensive linemen to hold (10 yard penalty), false starting, and getting a run play shut down for a 3 yard loss to force a punt.
With time winding down in the first half, QB Jason Campbell threw the ball deep and overthrew the ball intended of WR Louis Murphy and was intercepted. The crowd chanting loudly “Bruuuuuuce” as Campbell and the energy-less Raider offensive line limping it’s way back to the sidelines.
With the Raiders getting the ball first to start the 2nd half, Raiders had coach Tom Cable made a quarterback switch; sending Campbell to the bench and placing Bruce Gradkowski under center. Immediately, the team’s enegy changed. The offensive tempo quickened and moved the ball well. Undoubtedly due to Gradkowski being a mobile QB as compared to Campbell being a more traditional pocket passer. Gradkoski’s style of play makes the offense more efficient because of his ability to move around in the pocket and throw from different angles and the fact that this offensive line has trouble protecting it’s quarterback against the blitz.
Gradkowski lead the offense to within Janikowski’s range for successful field goal making it 6-7, but not after first converting 1st downs, a gift from the Rams, (a personal foul to move the ball to the 50 yard line), and a 26-yard pass to Louis Murphy. The refs also missed an illegal contact penalty against the Rams when the defender clearly kept Raider WR Heyward-Bey’s from using his right arm to make a catch.
The defense, not having sniffed out RB Steven Jackson, looked more stout and gave QB Bradford different looks in the 3rd quarter; making it tougher to extend drives.
Next on offense, Oakland’s Gradkowski marched the Raiders 83 yards to their first and only touchdown of the game when he connected with Louis Murphy in the corner of the endzone to put Oakland ahead for good 13-7.
On the ensuing kick off, Oakland’s special teams would introduce themselves to the Ram’s returner Mardy Gilyard when Raider LB Quentin Groves absolutely BLASTED Gilyard after an 18 yard gain. To Gilyard’s credit, he held onto the ball, but stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes to recover from the “snot bubbler” just freshly dished out by Groves. The Raider home crowd got extremely loud after the hit heard around the world.
After having stopped the Ram offense again, Oakland would come away with another field goal to extend their lead to 16-7.
Later in the 4th quarter, Oakland’s CB Stanford Routt read his receiver’s eyes and turned around just before the ball got to him and out-jumped the intended receiver for Oakland’s first interception of the season. Unfortunately, the Raider offense could do nothing with Routt’s gift and punted the ball away.
After a couple or possessions later, Oakland’s Gradkowski would also throw an interception.The Rams would respond by moving the ball down the field. The Rams kept their drive going on a personal foul penalty given to Raider LB Rolando McClain for picking up and body slamming the Rams receiver hard to the ground. St. Louis would later then score a touchdown in the corner of the Raider after a successful Rams challenge to narrow the lead to with two points (16-14) and there the game score would stay after the Raiders forced the Rams to burn all three of their timeouts before the 2 minute warning and converting a first down and a roughing the passer penalty on St. Louis along the way.
Oakland would employ the greatest play call, “The Victory Play”, or also known as the kneel down to run down the clock to win their home opener.
