Rams-Raiders: Matchup breakdown/Wagoner

[RamBill]

Rams-Raiders: Matchup breakdown
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14098/rams-raiders-matchup-breakdown

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- A look at three individual matchups to keep an eye on when the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders meet at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald versus Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski

No matter who has been put in front of Donald this season, he has won his one-on-one matchups more often than not. Teams have begun throwing additional blockers at Donald more than they were earlier in the season which means he's seeing more double teams from the guards and center. Wisniewski is one of the more underrated centers in the league, a solid if unspectacular type who is better in the run game than in pass protection.

That might be a bad sign for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr this week because of Donald's ability to quickly penetrate the backfield. According to Pro Football Focus, Wisniewski has allowed one sack, three quarterback hits and eight quarterback hurries. He's also picked up four penalties along the way. The Rams coaches' evaluations have Donald down for five sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback pressures and nine quarterback hits this season.

Oakland has allowed the fewest sacks in the league but sacks aren't everything and if the Raiders can't contain Donald, it's going to be a long day for Carr and the offense.

Rams right tackle Joe Barksdale versus Raiders defensive end Justin Tuck

It's easy to look at the Raiders' record and dismiss them as a bad team but they've actually been pretty solid defensively this season. Amidst the many older veterans the Raiders brought in last offseason, Tuck has played better than most. He has a pair of sacks, seven quarterback hits and 10 quarterback hits to go with his 20 tackles. No, he's not the same Tuck that he was when he was a dominant player for the Giants but he can still create some chaos.

Of course, Barksdale is the player opposite Tuck who will be asked to slow him down. After a solid 2013, Barksdale has been a bit more up and down this time around. He's struggled against elite pass-rushers like Kansas City's Justin Houston but also been solid in games earlier in the season like Dallas and Tampa Bay. After a down cycle, Barksdale has been better the past two weeks but will have another tough challenge in Tuck this week.

The Rams need to get the running game going and it's on Barksdale and his line mates to make it happen.

Rams punt returner Tavon Austin versus Raiders punter Marquette King

Oakland's special teams have had their share of ups and downs but King has been one of the consistent bright spots. He's punted more than anyone in the league but his 41.66 net average ranks eighth in the league. The Raiders, though, haven't been the best at covering those punts despite the solid net average. They're allowing an average punt return of 10.27 this season, which ranks 23rd in the NFL.

The Rams, meanwhile, have been on the verge of getting Austin a touchdown in recent weeks as only a pair of questionable penalties have brought long returns back. Austin has looked more comfortable and decisive over the past few weeks and if he gets an opportunity, he could make the type of play that could change the game and leave former teammate Ray Ray Armstrong disappointed on the other side in the process.

 

[RamBill]

W2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/14095/w2w4-st-louis-rams-16

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams and the San Diego Chargers kick off Week 13 on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS regional coverage.

Here are three things to watch from the Rams' perspective:

1. Pressuring Carr: The Raiders have actually protected rookie quarterback Derek Carr pretty well in his first season, at least when it comes to sacks allowed. Oakland has given up just 12 sacks this season which is the fewest in the league entering Sunday's game. Much of that has to do with Carr's ability to get the ball out quickly. But that doesn't mean he's done it efficiently. In fact, Carr's QBR against the blitz is a paltry 16.6 with a 50.8 completion percentage. Four of his nine interceptions have come when blitzed. Not that anyone has to tell Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to dial up the pressure. Nobody in the league is blitzing more than the Rams, who have brought extra pass-rushers on 46.3 percent of their opponent's drop backs. Getting after Carr might not yield many sacks but it can lead to plenty of other good things for the Rams defense.

2. Turnover turnaround: It's true of every team and every game in the league but the correlation between winning the turnover battle and winning games has been unmistakable for the Rams this season. In their seven losses, the Rams have either broken even or lost the turnover battle, which is no coincidence considering that they've had seven giveaways turn into immediate touchdowns for the defense. In their four victories, the Rams have not had a negative turnover differential. That's good news as they prepare to meet the Raiders, who are a league-worst minus-13 in turnover margin with 21 giveaways and only eight takeaways. Rams quarterback Shaun Hill had three costly giveaways in San Diego last week but if he resolves that issue this week, the Rams will be well positioned to win.

3. Happy returns: One common denominator when the Rams win this season has been strong special teams play. Whether it was the trickery of the Seattle game or the solid coverage work in the Denver game, that's an area that's been worth watching in the many close games the Rams have played. This week, they could find themselves with a chance to take advantage of some of Oakland's struggles covering kicks and punts. The Raiders are 31st in the league in kickoff coverage, allowing an average of 32 yards per return. They are slightly better on punt returns where they have the 10th worst average allowed at 10.27 yards per attempt. That could mean some prime opportunities for the Rams to get a game-changing play (so long as they don't get a penalty).