The Rams finally broke the streak. They snapped their six-game losing skid with a win over the Raiders on Thursday night, a miraculous comeback win by new quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The final score of 17-16 shows it was a low-scoring, grind-it-out game, but the Rams’ defense deserves some credit for the way it played, too. We graded every position group from the victory and it’s one of the better report cards the Rams have gotten this year.
Quarterback: B+
Mayfield didn’t play a perfect game, but he led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter just two days after joining the Rams – the last of which was the longest game-winning touchdown drive inside 2 minutes in the last 45 years. He made some terrific downfield throws and had five completions of 20-plus yards, which was a new sight for this Rams offense. He played very well, given the circumstances.
Running back: C+
Cam Akers rushed for 42 yards on 12 carries, scoring a late touchdown to pull the Rams within six points. He wasn’t the most efficient runner, but he did grind out some tough yards. And Kyren Williams broke off runs of 9 and 8 yards on his first two carries, finishing with 29 yards from scrimmage on four touches.
Wide receiver: B+
Ben Skowronek came up huge for the Rams with a couple of clutch catches down the stretch, none bigger than a 32-yarder over a Raiders defender. Van Jefferson hauled in the game-winning touchdown and Tutu Atwell caught five passes for 50 yards. All three receivers contributed in meaningful ways, helping the Rams upset the Raiders.
Tight end: C-
Another quiet week from the Rams’ tight ends. Higbee caught two passes for 11 yards, and Brycen Hopkins caught one 8-yarder, but that was the extent of their contributions in the passing game. Higbee did help as a blocker, but he no longer does much as a receiver in this offense.
Offensive line: C+
The Rams’ first repeat offensive line allowed nine total pressures, five of which were surrendered by Rob Havenstein at right tackle. It could’ve been much more than that, too, if not for holding penalties – a handful of which were also missed by officials. Coleman Shelton played well outside of a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but the offensive line as a whole played pretty poorly.
Defensive line: B+
Greg Gaines absolutely dominated the Raiders on the interior, recording two pressures and four stops. He helped keep Josh Jacobs in check on the ground, with the Rams limiting him to 3.7 yards per carry. The rest of the defensive line was just OK, but Marquise Copeland had three pressures of his own and was effective as a pass rusher when given a few chances to rush the quarterback.
Inside linebacker: B+
Ernest Jones and Bobby Wagner both played really well in this one. Jones came up with a key interception in the end zone just before halftime, also finishing with five total tackles. Wagner was all over the field, making a game-high 14 tackles, tracking down Jacobs often when he was handed the ball. This linebacker tandem has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season.
Outside linebacker: C-
This was a rough outing for Michael Hoecht after a great performance against the Seahawks. The Raiders put him in tough spots in space and forced the defensive tackle-turned-edge rusher to use his athleticism to make plays, which didn’t work out for the Rams. Leonard Floyd had four pressures, which was good to see, but he only made two assisted tackles in the game.
Cornerback: C
Jalen Ramsey gave up two big plays to Davante Adams but other than that, the Raiders’ top receiver did very little to impact the game – including a catchless second half. Troy Hill played really well and didn’t allow a single reception in coverage, stepping up opposite Ramsey. Cobie Durant’s pursuit angles were a little too aggressive but he was still an improvement at cornerback over Derion Kendrick.
Safety: B-
Taylor Rapp made three tackles and caught the game-sealing interception, putting together arguably the best game of his 2022 season. Nick Scott made four tackles and neither safety missed a single attempt, nor did backup Russ Yeast. This was a solid showing from the Rams’ safeties.
Special teams: B
Matt Gay actually missed a kick, albeit a 61-yarder, so we’re not knocking him for that. Riley Dixon booted three punts for a total of 156 yards, including a 65-yarder and one that was downed inside the 20-yard line. Brandon Powell had a 24-yard kickoff return, too.
