Todd Gurley, Rams Spoil Jon Gruden's Debut with Win over Raiders

The Los Angeles Rams' quest for a second straight NFC West crown is off to an ideal start.  

Los Angeles opened its 2018 season with a 33-13 road victory over the Oakland Raiders on Monday in Oakland Alameda Coliseum. Jared Goff (17-of-32 for 229 yards and two touchdowns) and Todd Gurley (108 rushing yards, 39 receiving yards and one touchdown) combined to spoil Jon Gruden's first game as a head coach since 2008.

The Raiders held a 13-10 lead in the second half, but the Rams eventually found their footing and scored the game's final 23 points.

Rams Offense Can Only Improve as Goff Shakes off Rust

Gurley making a play on his own in the first half was the only thing keeping the Rams from being overmatched.

The offense figures to put up monster numbers this season with Goff, Gurley and a talented group of receivers, but it started slowly. Goff rushed some early throws, and Gurley wasn't much of a factor in the first half, with questionable play-calling.

Some rust was to be expected, though, considering Goff did not play during the preseason, as former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon suggested to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.

"There's nothing that can be done in practice to assimilate the speed, the tempo and the pressure of playing quarterback in the NFL on game day. I'm not going to suggest [Goff's] not going to go out and play well and that he's not ready to play...I'm just saying, from a quarterback's perspective, a guy who played 17 years, it would make me very, very uncomfortable."

It took a half to work out the kinks, but Goff unleashed crisper throws down the stretch and allowed his receivers to make plays downfield. That, in turn, softened the defense and opened running lanes for Gurley, and he put the game away with some clock-churning runs.

Los Angeles scored two offensive touchdowns Monday, but that total will improve as Goff continues to shake off the expected rust that came with sitting out the entire preseason. The rest of the NFC is officially on notice.

Raiders Defense Looks Capable Even Without Khalil Mack

The Raiders defense will be under the spotlight all season after the team traded Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears.

That spotlight grew even brighter when the three-time Pro Bowler and 2016 Defensive Player of the Year tallied a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception he returned for a touchdown in Chicago's season-opening loss on Sunday.

Anyone expecting a disastrous showing from Oakland's defense in the immediate aftermath of the trade was mistaken.

Despite facing a daunting first test in a Rams team loaded with playmakers and potential MVP candidates in Gurley and Goff, the defense showed potential and limited the Rams to 10 points into the second half.

Only Brandin Cooks (87) had more than 52 receiving yards against the secondary combination of Leon Hall, Rashaan Melvin, Gareon Conley and Marcus Gilchrist, while the front seven prevented Gurley from scoring on the ground.

The defense was ultimately on the field too long, as Oakland's offense did it no favors, and Los Angeles pulled ahead for good in the third quarter by capitalizing on favorable field position following a poor punt. The Rams offense can only be contained for so long, especially when it was on the field so much in the second half.

The Raiders defense on display for the first half Monday has the potential to thrive in its next three contests against the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. Those three were a combined 11-37 last season and aren't exactly stacked with difference-makers, so expect good things in the immediate future from Oakland's defense.

Raiders' Ceiling Limited if Amari Cooper Doesn't Find Old Form

It looked as if the Raiders offense was going to dominate Monday when Marshawn Lynch capped a 75-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run on the first possession.

The dominance quickly faded, and it was clear there is a limit on the group's ceiling if Amari Cooper doesn't rediscover his old form. The one time No. 1 receiver finished with one catch for nine yards, continuing the underwhelming play that defined his 2017 campaign.

Oakland had an opportunity to seize a two-score lead before halftime, when Derek Carr's fade route to Jared Cook was intercepted by John Johnson III in the end zone. Cook is a talented tight end who had 180 yards, but those are the types of throws designed for the 6'1" Cooper to go up and get as the top receiver on this team.

The Alabama product surpassed 1,000 yards and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons, but he disappeared for extended stretches in 2017, with 680 receiving yards—48 percent of which came in two games.

The 2018 Raiders are going to need a consistent option on the outside to take defenders out of the box, especially if Gruden wants to mix in an old-school offense at times and run Lynch and Doug Martin. Cooper's presence used to be such a threat that defenses couldn't afford to completely stack the box, because he could change the game with one play.

A return to the old Cooper would also benefit Cook, because Oakland can create situations where he is matched up against linebackers instead of safeties downfield, if the back end of the secondary has to worry about the receiver.

What's Next?

Both teams face division foes in Week 2, as the Raiders hit the road against the Denver Broncos while the Rams come home to play the Arizona Cardinals.