Oakland’s backup quarterback Brad Gradkowski replaced Jason Campbell and the Rams defense had no answer in stopping running back Darren McFadden as he carried the ball 30 times for 145 yards as the Rams fall to 0-2 with a 16-14 loss at Oakland.
Mark Clayton, who just joined the Rams over a week ago, caught two touchdown passes, a seven yarder early in the second quarter and a great catch in the end zone with just over three minutes to play to pull the Rams to within two, but the offense sputtered most of the day.
Oakland starting shutting down the Rams’ Steven Jackson in the second half and the Rams could muster much offense at all, in fact gaining just 12 yards in the third quarter. Meanwhile, trailing 7-3 at the half, Tom Cable replaced Campbell for Gradkowski and on the Raiders’ first two drives of the third quarter, he manufactured 10 points, going 8 for 10 on those drives. The Raiders took the lead on a four yard toss from Gradkowski to Louis Murphy who finished with six catches for 91 yards.
Sam Bradford was 13 or 23 for 171 with two TDs and an INT, but the Rams were outgained 404 to 214 as Oakland held onto the ball for almost 37 minutes.
