The St. Louis Rams and Sam Bradford have continued to look impossibly sharp in the first quarter of their preseason matchup vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, scoring a second touchdown in the first five minutes to go up 14-0. Yes: This is the same Rams team from last year. Yes: It's the preseason. But it's hard not to be encouraged, or at least entertained, by this few-minute glimpse at everything the Rams hoped to be back in 2011. Bradford is 5-for-6 for 91 yards and two touchdowns a week after getting outperformed by Andrew Luck.
And Steven Jackson has three carries for 25 yards—in most Rams games, that sort of start would be a lone bright spot, not something that's just good enough to get mentioned under the lede. Danny Amendola has three carries for 58 yards, a distinctly un-Amendolian ratio; Lance Kendricks caught the other touchdown, on a 23-yard reception, and Steve Smith also has a catch for 10 yards. Austin Pettis, solid in last week's loss to the Colts, is the only other receiver targeted.
Jamaal Charles—speaking of running backs with a lot to prove—has two carries for 10 yards for the Chiefs, who appear blindsided by the Rams' performance both on offense and defense.