Pretty early on Sunday, the Rams figured out they could have their way with the Raiders on both sides of the ball. Come their second drive, they starting driving through them easily while the Raiders couldn't mount a real threat on offense to match it.
Busters
G Caleb Rogers
You will rarely see a lineman fail as much as Rogers did in this game. Time and time again he was either beaten, fooled, or just plain lost. And the Raiders' offensive possessions failed right along with him.
The second play of the game, missed his block to give up a tackle for loss and the Raiders went three-and-out. Next possesion began with a pass interference that put the Raiders in field goal range at the LA 30. The next play, Rogers got Kirk Cousins blasted almost immediately causing him to be flagged
for intentional grounding, backing them up to borderline field goal range. Two plays later he gave up another pressure for an incompletion. And Matt Gay's 51-yard field goal attempt missed wide left.
The next drive made it all the way to the 12-yard line before Rogers whiffed on his block to give up a five-yard loss and the Raidesr had to settle for a field goal. Next possession he whiffed again on his block to give up another tackle for loss and a three-and-out.
To begin the third quarter, the Raiders were able to mount a drive. In part because a successful fake punt. They drove to the 13-yard-line where they lined up in third-and-two. And Rogers gave up pressure for a run stuff at the line. The Raiders had to go for it on fourth and two and couldn't convert for a turnover on downs. Absolutely brutal game. It might be time to make another change at right guard.
CB Darien Porter, S Treydan Stukes, CB Hezekiah Masses
Porter gave up two catches for 20 yards that put the Rams inside the ten on their first touchdown drive. Stukes got fooled by the play action on second and goal of the first Rams scoring drive to give up a wide open touchdown catch to TE Davis Allen.
The second TD drive for the Rams was a rough one for Masses to say the least. It began with him giving up an 11-yard catch on third-and-five. Then he missed a tackle on a seven-yard run to give the Rams a first down at the Vegas 27-yard-line. Two plays later he gave up a 15-yard catch to the 12. Then in first and goal from the six, he gave up the touchdown catch.
On the fourth touchdown drive for the Rams, Porter gave up an eight-yard run, then was out of position while Stukes missed the tackle to give up a 17-yard touchdown off a pitch play to Keyon Williams.
QB Kirk Cousins
Started the game by nearly throwing an interception third down for a three-and-out. Down 21-3 in the second quarter, he held onto the ball too long on third and five to get stopped for two yards. Then on fourth-and-three he took a chance Brock Bowers would drag two defenders with him and lead Cody White open. He didn't and the ball was knocked down to turn the ball over on downs. The Rams took over at the 48-yard-line and drove for their fourth touchdown.
The opening drive of the third quarter for the Raiders, because they were already in a 28-6 hole, they had to go for it on fourth-and-two from the 13-yard-line. Cousins overthrew White in the end zone for another turnover on downs. A forced fumble by JJ Pegues on the next play would get the Raiders the ball back. And they gave it right back with Cousins late on a pass to Tre Tucker and short and wide on a pass for Jalen Nailor for yet another turnover on downs.
LB Quay Walker
Yeah, I know he tied for the team lead with 12 catches. But if any of you followed how many times Devin White led the Raiders in tackles last year, you know full well how little that stat means. The second TD drive began with him giving up a five-yard run and later lining up too deep and allowing a 15-yard catch and run. The third TD drive saw Walker give up a 10-yard csatch to the 13 and two plays later be out of position to give up a 12-yard catch and run for the score. And the fourth TD drive featured him getting flagged for pass interference that put the Rams in scoring range.
LB Tommy Eichenberg, DT Folorunso Fatukasi, DT Tim Keenan
These were the three guys who were being asked to help strengthen the Raiders run defense. Eichenberg got his most snaps of the season so far and Keenan saw his NFL debut. And it's safe to say that plan was a huge bust. The Rams nearly had two backs go for 100 yards each and they moved the ball at will on the ground.
Eichenberg was routinely getting beaten both in the run and the pass. He had a roughing penalty on the Rams' first TD drive, gave up the run that put them in first and goal on their second TD drive, and got worked over in their final TD drive in the fourth quarter. This included giving up a catch with a missed tackle for a 15-yard gain, giving up a five-yard run on third-and-one, and being among those to give up the touchdown run in first and goal from the four.
As for the others, they were practically invisible. Fatukasi didn't post a single stat. Closest he had was getting held on a play. And Keenan had two assists while getting blocked on a nine-yard run and a three-yard first down run.
WR Jalen Nailor
While we are on the subject of being invisible, we turn back to the offense for a moment. And we marvel at the two catches for 14 yards on five targets that were actually six if you count the failed two-point conversion. Getting open in a pretty consistent problem for Nailor. He is supposed to be a worthy starter opposite Tre Tucker and he provides absolutely no threat to the defense.
Defenses save any plans for double teams for Tucker and Brock Bowers and squat on the short stuff. Hell, on that failed two-point conversion, Nailor just gave up on it because the defender ran his route for him. It's pretty sad especially considering the kind of money he got this offseason. Money that they are probably wishing they had just given to Tucker on an extension.
DE Maxx Crosby
He was pretty ineffective in this game. And there were several times where it appeared he was supposed to be in one gap and in his attempts to make a play, left that gap and the defense got burnt by it. He missed a tackle to give up a nine-yard run early in the Rams second TD drive. Then he gave up a 17-yard run that put the Rams in scoring range on their third TD drive. And on their final TD drive in the fourth, he was blocked on third-and-seven, which forced Treydan Stukes to try and make the play and he was flagged for a horse collar tackle that put them in first and goal.
See the Ballers
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Busters for Raiders Week 7 loss to the Rams
