The Oakland Raiders topped the Los Angeles Rams 14-3 in their preseason opener, but we’ll dig deeper than the score to highlight winners and losers.
After a couple of joint practices, the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Rams started their preseason schedules Saturday. The Silver and Black won the game 14-3. Although it feels good to win in August, progress matters a lot more than points on the scoreboard.
Both clubs played few starters, but the fans at the Oakland Coliseum still provided energy in attendance for the Raiders’ only home preseason game this year.
Defensive end Clelin Ferrell and safety Johnathan Abram brought the hype before kickoff:
Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell and S Johnathan Abram were among team’s four pregame captains. After coin toss, the two rookies sprinted to Black Hole and fired up crowd. Tail end of exchange: pic.twitter.com/hLsjw65rhO
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 11, 2019
Overall, the Raiders should feel optimistic about their performance against the Rams. Several players had solid outings with limited snaps. As a whole, the offense moved the ball consistently, averaging 5.8 yards per play. However, quarterback Mike Glennon would probably like to forget two passes that became turnovers.
The Raiders had a clear-cut standout on defense who absolutely needed to show improvement after an underwhelming rookie season.
Head coach Jon Gruden will shuffle the starting offensive line to compensate for losing right guard Gabe Jackson to an MCL injury. Behind closed doors, he’ll have the difficult task in sorting out the wide receiver position, which is stacked with talent.
Players who are fighting for roster spots and didn’t take the field Saturday may lose ground in a competitive setting. Multiple upstart talents opened the preseason on a solid note.
Let’s take a look at four winners and losers following the Raiders’ first preseason game. Which players made the biggest statement in Saturday’s outing? Who lost an edge in a position battle or competition for a roster spot?