FLASH RECAP:
Marques Tuiasosopo throws a 10-yard touchdown pass to Alvis Whitted with 38 seconds remaining to lift Oakland to a victory over St. Louis before an announced crowd of 38,499 at Network Associates Coliseum on Sept. 2, 2004.
With the Raiders facing a fourth-and-4, Whitted is all alone in the left flat as he catches his second TD pass of the game (he also has a 60-yarder from Kerry Collins in the second quarter). Teyo Johnson's 34-yard catch and Amos Zereoue's 21-yard run help Oakland (3-1) move 72 yards in eight plays in 2 minutes, 23 seconds for the winning score.
The Rams (1-3) get touchdowns from Marshall Faulk (7-yard catch), Cam Cleeland (3-yard catch) and Lamar Gordon (2-yard run).
The Oakland defense surrenders 418 total yards and allows St. Louis to convert nine of 13 third-down situations. During their four-game 2004 exhibition season, the Raiders allow opponents to convert 30 of 57 third-down tries for 53 percent.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
WR Alvis Whitted - His only two catches are for touchdowns - a 60-yarder in the second quarter and a 10-yarder in the final minute.
RB Amos Zereoue - Has a team-high 67 yards rushing on 14 carries, including a 21-yarder on the Raiders' final touchdown drive.
QB Rich Gannon - Is 5-of-8 passing for 48 yards and a touchdown. Gannon shows his 2002 NFL MVP form as eludes Rams pass rushers before tossing a 5-yard TD pass to Justin Fargas on the game's first drive.
LB Tim Johnson - Seals victory with a Jeff Smoker interception in the end zone on the game's final play. Johnson finishes with two interceptions and 9 (8 solo) total tackles.
QB Marc Bulger - Is 3-for-3 passing for 66 yards and a TD on the Rams' opening drive. Fortunately for the Raiders defense, Bulger is given the rest of the night off by Rams coach Mike Martz.
RB Lamar Gordon - Has a game-high 77 rushing yards on 22 carries. His 2-yard TD run with 8:57 left gives the Rams a 24-21 advantage.
RB Marshall Faulk - On the Rams' 6-play opening drive, he rushes three times for 9 yards and catches 2 passes for 20 yards - including a 7-yard TD reception.
KEY STAT:
The Raiders' Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins and Marques Tuiasosopo complete 16 of 25 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. They combine for a 129.0 passer rating.
BY THE NUMBERS:
2: Touchdowns by Raiders WR Alvis Whitted, who has only five touchdowns (4 receiving, 1 kickoff return) in 82 career games in six NFL seasons.
4: Touchdown passes by Raiders QB Kerry Collins in four 2004 exhibition games.
418: Rams total yards (the Raiders have 298 yards).
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders WR Alvis Whitted
"I couldn't believe Coach went for it. It was a gutsy call. It shows you what type of coach he's going to be this year."
"I got flushed, I wheeled around and saw him (Justin Fargas) in the end zone. The linebacker was in a no-man's zone. He acted like he was going to come up on me. Then he tried to retreat, and I just laid it in there."
Raiders QB Rich Gannon
DID YOU KNOW?:
In his first exhibition season with the Raiders, Kerry Collins throws four touchdown passes for 228 yards - an average of 57 yards per pass.
Raiders S Ray Buchanan (34) tackles Rams TE Cam Cleeland.
