Rookie Sam Bradford struggles in Rams victory
It wasn’t pretty and it didn’t have to be. On a night that heavy rain helped one team and completely put another at a disadvantage, the St. Louis Rams escaped Cleveland with a 19-17 win over the Browns to improve their pre-season record to 1-1.
Sam Bradford, the Rams rookie quarterback and the number one overall draft pick, had a tough night and looked worse than he did in his NFL debut last week. Bradford never looked comfortable and was unable to get the offence in gear, going six for 14 for 24 yards after replacing A.J. Feeley.
“Obviously, I'd like to have a couple more completions," Bradford said. "I expect to be able to go out there and tear it up every time I step on the field. Anytime you're not able to do that, it's a bit of a disappointment. When I look at the film, there will be a lot of things I learn from. It's not good enough in this league (to come close), you have to be able to get completions. I have to be better than that."
The Rams did get some positive news from running-back Steven Jackson, who played in his first game since undergoing back surgery in April. Jackson’s first carry should be a sign of good things to come as he ran the ball up the middle and earned 11 yards. "I felt good to be out there once again," Jackson said. "I got 11 yards on the first one. Not only did I get it in a way where I was untouched, but I fought for some extra yards at the end, so the back strength was there."
Despite his brief appearance which ended with four carries for 20 yards, Jackson seemed healthy and back to his usual form.
The Browns (1-1) signed veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme as a free agent in March, and he too appeared to be in rare form. Delhomme, coming off his worst season as a pro, was released by Carolina. Eager to please the coaching staff and the organization which gave his career a second chance, Delhomme put on quite a show and was the best player for the Browns and did not let the rain dampen his performance.
"We did a decent job with the conditions," Delhomme said. But the 35-year-old was being modest, as he completed 12-of-16 for 127 yards before being replaced in the second half by second string quarterback Seneca Wallace. While Delhomme managed to keep his paws on the ball, the same could not be said for his team-mates who turned the ball over five times.
"We're going to turn the sprinklers on or dunk the ball in water," a frustrated Eric Mangini said about ways to correct the situation the next time his team plays in the rain.
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