OAKLAND — With 30 minutes of the 2019 preseason in the books, the Rams are down 7-3 to the Raiders. Here are some notes from the first half of action.
- Quarterback Blake Bortles and wide receiver Mike Thomas have shown a good amount of chemistry so far in camp, and that came through on an early 3rd-and-8. Bortles dropped back and found Thomas on the left side for a 12-yard gain, giving the visitors a first down.
- Playing two series, Bortles completed three of his eight passes for 50 yards.
- Defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day and inside linebacker Micah Kiser were the lone players penciled in for starting roles on the field for Los Angeles. Kiser is currently in competition with Bryce Hager for that spot on the starting defensive 11.
- The Raiders made quick work of their first offensive drive, going 70 yards in six plays for a touchdown. Quarterback Mike Glennon hit wide receiver J.J. Nelson with a 38-yard pass down the right sideline to put the home team in scoring position.
- Rookie safety Taylor Rapp made an impact in his first action as a professional, batting down a third-down intermediate pass over the middle intended for Raiders wideout Hunter Renfrow.
- Second-year running back John Kelly made a nice tackle on a punt. With the Rams' depth at running back, any impact Kelly can make on special teams should be a good boost to his case for a roster spot.
- Cornerback Kevin Peterson got the Rams' first takeaway of the preseason early on in the second quarter, picking off Raiders QB Mike Glennon on a pass over the middle. Peterson missed all of the 2018 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first preseason game against Baltimore.
- Safety Steven Parker also made an impact in the first half, picking off a Glennon pass deep in the red zone to keep points off the board for the home team. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma last year, Parker spent the entire 2018 season on the practice squad.
