OAKLAND RAIDERS RAP
FLASH RECAP:
Kurt Warner completes 4 of 5 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown to ignite the St. Louis Rams to a 31-17 victory over Oakland at the Trans World Dome in the 2000 exhibition opener for both teams Aug. 5. Mike Martz is victorious in his first game as Rams head coach.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Kurt Warner -- The 1999 NFL MVP drives the Rams to a touchdown on the game's opening drive. Warner hits Isaac Bruce for a 26-yard score in the face of a blitz by Oakland CB Charles Woodson. Bruce drops Warner's only incompletion in five attempts.
QB Trent Green -- Former Redskins starter engineers successive touchdown drives after Warner's one-series appearance. Green connects on 5 of 7 passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns to help the defending Super Bowl champions build a 21-7 advantage. Green throws a 4-yard scoring pass to Jeff Robinson and one for 13 yards to Ricky Proehl.
WR Isaac Bruce -- Contributes two catches for 47 yards and a touchcdown. Bruce breaks two tackles en route to the end zone on his 26-yard scoring pass from Warner.
LB Keith Miller -- Stops Oakland RB Jerald Moore for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the St. Louis 39. After taking possession, the Rams drive 61 yards in 6 plays for their third straight touchdown.
QB Bobby Hoying -- Leads two
scoring drives during the first half and completes 11 of 12 passes overall for 107 yards.
S Calvin Branch -- Returns a Joe Germaine intercepted pass 33 yards for a touchdown during the third quarter.
RB Jerald Moore -- Scores Oakland's touchdown on a 4-yard run. The ex-Ram also has a game-high 4 catches for 46 yards.
LB Travian Smith -- Has two of Oakland's five sacks and also recovers a fumble to set up a touchdown.
TURNING POINT:
The Rams score touchdowns on their first three possessions.
KEY DRIVE:
The Rams snap a 7-7 tie by moving 57 yards in 7 plays, highlighted by Trent Green's 4-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Robinson three seconds into the second quarter. Two plays earlier, Oakland's Charles Woodson is called for a 50-yard pass interference penalty on third-and-22.
BY THE NUMBERS:
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1: Field goals missed by Oakland place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He makes his first attempt from 46 yards but is unsuccessful on a 35-yarder when the ball strikes the left upright and bounces back onto the playing field.
5: Sacks by Oakland on St. Louis quarterbacks Trent Green and Joe Germaine.
19: Combined penalties by the Raiders and Rams. St. Louis has 12 infractions for 99 yards while Oakland commits 7 penalties for 85 yards.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson
"These games are for auditions. I believe we can get things corrected."
"We were going up against the Super Bowl champions. We knew that we were coming into a hornets' nest."
Raiders tackle Lincoln Kennedy
DID YOU KNOW?:
Jon Gruden opens an exhibition season with a loss for the first time in three seasons as Oakland coach.
The Rams' Kurt Warner throws over Oakland's Charles Woodson (24) and Darrel Russell (96) by The Associated Press
