OAKLAND, Calif. -- It was the first series of the season opener and a long-anticipated look at the Los Angeles Rams new star-studded defense. The result was hardly what was expected.
Under a pile of blue-and-white jerseys, Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch ran up the middle, dragging a pile that included defensive linemen Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers, among others, across the goal line for a 10-yard touchdown.
If anything was apparent Monday in the Rams 33-13 victory over the Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, it was that the defense needed at least a half to learn to play together -- and knock the rust off.