Oakland Raiders vs. St. Louis Rams: Full Report Card Grades for St. Louis
The St. Louis Rams (5-7) clobbered the Oakland Raiders (1-11) by a score of 52-0 in what was by far St. Louis' most dominant and promising performance of the 2014 season.
The Rams came out of the gates firing, and the Raiders just stood by helpless. St. Louis scored three first-quarter touchdowns and held Oakland to three-and-outs on its first three drives.
St. Louis extended that commanding lead by 17 more points in the second quarter and finished the game with 52 points. It was St. Louis' first 50-point game since 2000 and the team's first shutout since 2006 (which happened to be against the Raiders).
This was by far the most impressive performance by the Rams this season. Every unit—offense, defense, special teams—got it done. St. Louis manhandled the Raiders in every way and sent them home demoralized.
This article will grade St. Louis' performance based on stats, consistency and game-changing plays. As you can probably guess, this will be St. Louis' best report card of the year by far.
Quarterback: A
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Shaun Hill's goal-line interception lost the game for the Rams last week in San Diego, but he redeemed himself in a big way against Oakland.
Hill had an 80 percent completion rate in the first half and 173 passing yards. He finished the game with two touchdown passes and zero turnovers. He also added a rushing touchdown, proving that 34-year-old quarterbacks can in fact run if they put their hearts into it.
Hill had some questionable moments against the San Diego Chargers after turning the ball over three times, but he gives St. Louis the best chance at winning games. He had a remarkable game.
Running Back: A
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Tre Mason has provided a nice boost to the St. Louis backfield, and he was a force in this game. Oakland simply did not have an answer for him.
Mason caught a 35-yard touchdown for St. Louis' first score of the afternoon, and he added an 89-yard rushing touchdown later on in the second quarter.
Mason went on to add a third touchdown in the second quarter, making him the first Rams back to score three touchdowns in a game since Steven Jackson in October of 2008 (against the Dallas Cowboys).
Overall, Mason finished with 164 total yards, including 117 rushing yards. For a third-round pick, he's certainly becoming quite the bargain.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: A
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Stedman Bailey had just five catches over the first 10 weeks of the season, but he now has 15 in the last three games.
Bailey had a breakout game with a career-high 100 yards on five catches. The second-year pro is really becoming a dangerous weapon for the St. Louis offense.
Kenny Britt was somewhat quiet in the first half and missed out on the gaudy stats his teammates acquired, but he had a nice 13-yard grab on the first drive, which eventually set up Mason's touchdown catch.
Cory Harkey also contributed out of the tight end position with two catches, including a four-yard touchdown grab.
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Offensive Line: A
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This was the best performance of the season for the St. Louis offensive line. The group has been a liability at times this season but not Sunday afternoon.
Hill was sacked once in the first half, but he otherwise went untouched. He had plenty of time to drop back and deliver passes, and great protection really gave a boost to the offense.
The line also opened up incredible run lanes for Mason. He ran his 89-yard touchdown through a wide-open gap, and the run game was moving the chains all game.
The Rams offensive line felt zero intimidation against the front of the Oakland defense, and it showed with an incredible performance.
Defensive Line: A
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The defensive line harassed Oakland quarterback Derek Carr like no other team this season. It was a long day for the rookie passer.
Chris Long injured his ankle in Week 1, per NFL.com, and this was his first game back from the injury. He managed to record his first sack of the season and even had a takeaway.
In the second half, Robert Quinn put a big hit on Matt Schaub, and the ball came loose (one of two forced fumbles for Quinn in the game). Long, even though he lost his helmet, dove toward the ball and made the recovery.
Quinn finished the game with three sacks, bringing his season total to nine.
Aaron Donald also got in the backfield. He recorded his sixth sack of the year, and the rookie No. 13 overall pick continues to make a case for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The gutsy play by the front four was visible all game. The Rams recorded six sacks and eventually forced Carr out of the game (Oakland presumably feared for his health), and the Raiders struggled to put anything together due to the constant disruption.
Linebacker: A
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Alec Ogletree had a thunderous hit on Oakland running back Marcel Reece, which put a damper on the Raiders' drive and forced a punt, and he also contributed a sack in the second half.
The linebackers did an excellent job at not only stopping the run, but also covering the Oakland receivers and tight ends on short routes. Carr had a tough time completing even the short dump passes.
Overall, Oakland was held to 61 yards on the ground, and Darren McFadden was the team's top rusher with just 27 yards. That's a testament to the excellent play by the linebackers.
Secondary: A
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Carr completed just over 53 percent of his first-half passes and was held to 173 total passing yards. That's a testament to the solid coverage and aggressive play from the secondary.
Rookie E.J. Gaines recorded a first-half interception. It was his second pick of the year, and the sixth-round rookie has been an excellent addition—it's possible he's already St. Louis' best corner. It's baffling that he was available that late in the draft.
Third-year veteran Trumaine Johnson recorded a pick in the opening half, and he recorded a second pick against Schaub in the fourth quarter, which he returned for a pick-six. He now has eight career picks.
Rodney McLeod also had a fumble recovery after Oakland running back Marcel Reece coughed it up. McLeod has really been coming alive for the Rams in his third year, and he appears to finally be a legitimate starter after taking a lot of criticism last year.
The Oakland passing game was nonexistent, and the St. Louis secondary flat-out got it done.
Special Teams: A
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The special teams unit didn't make any fakes or flashy plays, but the group quietly had a nice game.
Tavon Austin did a great job fielding punts (he returned four) and had a 10-yard return. The Raiders did a nice job covering him, but he was able to add a few extra yards on each return.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein nailed a 38-yard field goal (his only attempt of the game). It may seem trivial, but without the kick, the Rams would be bragging about a 40-point performance instead of 50 points. For a young team that needs confidence that's a good thing.
Punter Johnny Hekker was busy in the second half after the offense took the foot off the gas. He had six punts, including a 60-yarder, and he landed three inside the 20.
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