Rams PFF grades and notes from second preseason loss to Raiders

The Los Angeles Rams dropped their second consecutive preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders Saturday evening at SoFi Stadium. There were a number of individuals that impressed, especially rookies. TE Davis Allen was a pass catching vacuum and secured all eight of his targets. CB Tre Tomlinson continues to look solid on the outside and is on his way to securing a starting role.

Here’s the top five grades on each side of the ball from the Raiders game, along with a few notes outside of that.

Top five grades on offense:

1 - Alaric Jackson, LT: 75.5

It’s fair to wonder if the Rams are putting Jackson on the field to assist rookie LG Steve Avila or if he’s still competing for the starting role at LT against Joe Noteboom, who is dealing with an injury and has been absent from practice. Either way, Jackson impressed against the Raiders and is one of LA’s better and most consistent linemen.

2 - AJ Arcuri, LT: 74.5

Arcuri did not play last week against the Chargers, but he certainly stood out in a positive way against the Raiders over his 26 snaps at LT. While Logan Bruss continues to struggle, Arcuri is on the rise—as is rookie OT Warren McClendon.

3 - Xavier Smith, WR: 71.9

Smith only played 15 snaps but he was able to haul in a pass from Stetson Bennett for 25 yards. It seems he mostly played in the slot. Smith did not play last week against the Chargers.

4 - Davis Allen, TE: 71.7

Allen hauled in every pass that came in his direction, including one where he went vertical with a defender draped over him to come down with the ball. He just started practicing this week, and it’s exciting to see that the rookie is already making an impact.

5 - Ronnie Rivers, RB: 70.4

The best Rams running back of the preseason so far has been Rivers, and he consistently found yardage that didn’t seem apparent at first glance. At this point he’s playing for a role in the regular season.

Other notes on offense:

QB Stetson Bennett fared better in terms of grade than he did in his debut (47.4 vs. 39.5), but the rookie looked uncomfortable at times. He threw his first interception of the preseason when he and WR Tyler Johnson weren’t on the same page. Bennett also rushed for a touchdown.

Top five grades on defense:

1 - DeAndre Square, MLB: 90.5

Square graded in the high 70’s last week against the Chargers, and he took a step forward against the Raiders. The MLB depth chart up to Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom, and Jake Hummel. Square could be the best player after that, but his ability to make the 53-man roster heavily relies on special teams.

2 - Jonah Williams, DT: 82.9

It’s good to see Williams standout after the Rams struggled in run defense a week ago. He’ll be an important player when the regular season comes, especially in the ground game.

3 - John Johnson, DB: 82.5

Johnson seems to be picking up where he last left off with the Rams, and it’s possible that he was just misused during his time with the Browns as a primarily free safety. Johnson was active in the run game and was often around the ball.

4 - Robert Rochell, CB: 80.9

Rochell has had a quiet training camp, but he played well Saturday evening against the Raiders. He looks physically imposing in a secondary of mostly smaller players, so it’s encouraging to see him hold his own. Can he continue this momentum into the third preseason game against the Denver Broncos, or will he fade back into the background as he has most offseason?

5 - Jaiden Woodbey, MLB: 75.7

Other notes on defense:

Tre Tomlinson just missed the top five grades on defense and ranked sixth overall at 73.5. The rookie corner—who is making a strong push for a starting role outside—was credited with two tackles and allowed only one reception for eight yards on two targets.