Raiders' defense throws Rams early curve in road loss

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Charles Woodson watched Kurt Warner's eyes, nimbly changing direction after Warner released his pass. The football hit Woodson's hands -- and even in an exhibition, the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback got a thrill.

Woodson intercepted Warner on the Rams' first series, and Madre Hill rushed for 63 yards and a score as the Oakland Raiders beat St. Louis 7-6 Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

Woodson missed the Pro Bowl last winter for the first time in his five NFL seasons after injuring his shoulder, leg and groin. The injuries reduced him to a shadow of his Heisman Trophy-winning self, keeping him out of eight regular-season games and forcing him to play at half-strength in the playoffs.

But on St. Louis' opening drive, Warner missed his target -- and Woodson alertly changed his coverage to pick off the pass, returning it 15 yards.

"Hopefully they'll just keep rolling in," Woodson said. "I'd rather have mine when the season starts. ... Any time you get a chance to get your hands on the ball, it feels good, so hopefully I'll get a bunch of those this year."

Gordon replaces Faulk

Marshall Faulk was a last-minute scratch for the Rams, giving the starting assignment to Lamar Gordon, who rushed for 55 yards. The Rams didn't say why Faulk didn't play.

Excitement was scarce in a defense-dominated game. St. Louis rookie Kirk Farmer threw a 9-yard TD pass to Cam Cleeland with 6:13 to play, but the extra point was blocked by Raiders rookie Shurron Pierson.

Anthony Dorsett also had an interception for the AFC champions. Rod Coleman sacked Warner to derail the Rams' second drive, while Eric Johnson and rookies Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and David Moretti also had sacks.

"You can see the veteran presence on our defense," Dorsett said. "We know each other real well. There's not a lot of mistakes out there, even in the preseason."

Finding a bright spot

Marc Bulger was 11-of-16 for 104 yards for the Rams, 0-4 in exhibitions last season. Still, St. Louis' defense -- which held Oakland to 248 yards -- was heartening to coach Mike Martz.

"There were a lot of things that came out of this that I was very pleased with," he said, but "the two interceptions and the special teams play, I wasn't very pleased with."

The Rams couldn't score until Farmer led them on an 88-yard drive. But Gbaja-Biamila got another sack at midfield with 1:45 to play, and Farmer's final two passes fell incomplete.

Farmer was 8-for-13 for 130 yards, and Martz said the rookie "will be our third quarterback at this point."

Hill set up his 1-yard TD plunge late in the second quarter with a 50-yard run. It was the most exciting play of a first half that revealed both defenses are more primed than the offenses.

The teams combined for just seven first downs in the half.