OAKLAND – Rams cornerback Aqib Talib attempted to downplay it for a couple months, but finally had to acknowledge the obvious: he is a leader. His new teammates took care of that.
Rams players voted Talib as one of their six captains for the 2018 season. That made it official. The volume emanating from the defensive side of the locker room, and the fact that younger teammates have been revolving around Planet Talib since the start of training camp, made the choice obvious.
Talib, the Rams’ oldest defensive player at age 32, opened his 11th NFL season Monday when the Rams played the Raiders. Talib made his debut with the Rams, and even though in previous weeks, he insisted he wasn’t deliberately seeking a leadership role, Talib said he felt honored to receive one.
“It meant a lot,” Talib said. “It’s a huge honor. I come out and be myself, and the guys respect that. There’s a huge responsibility that comes with it, and it’s an honor to be voted by my teammates.”
The idea of Talib being recognized as a model player might have seemed improbable even before his 2008 rookie season, when he allegedly fought a teammate and overslept for a function.
In the early years of his career, Talib was suspended for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and also was involved in multiple off-field issues. The latest of those came in 2016, when Talib admitted that he accidentally shot himself in the leg, after he previously claimed he had been a victim.
By all accounts, though, Talib has been very reliable with the Rams, and even before. Last year, Denver players named him as a captain for the first time in his career, and when his name came up as a trade possibility, Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips – who coached Talib in Denver – approved.
Throughout the Rams’ offseason program and training camp, Talib was a magnet for younger teammates, particularly cornerback Marcus Peters. On the field and in the locker room, Rams players gravitate toward Talib and even mock him, in a good-natured way, when he attempts to conduct interviews.
Talib said that as a captain – along with quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, left tackle Andrew Whitworth, defensive lineman Michael Brockers and punter Johnny Hekker – he feels some extra pressure to do things the proper way.
“It’s a leadership role,” Talib said. “You’ve kind of got the tag now. There’s no lazy ways, no lazy days. There’s no being late, period. You’ve got to continue to lead by example.”
HOMECOMING GAME
Peters and receiver Brandin Cooks debuted with the Rams on Monday, and did so close to home.
Peters grew up in Oakland, approximately 10 miles from the Raiders’ stadium, while Cooks grew up in Stockton, one hour northeast of Oakland.
“There were a lot of Raiders fans growing up in Stockton,” Cooks said. “It’s a great atmosphere to play in. Their fans, they love their team and they’re loyal. The ‘Black Hole’ is a great place to play, and being the away team, it’s fun to go out there.”
Peters initially downplayed the significance of playing near home, perhaps because he did it so often during his first three NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, who played in Oakland every year. Under further prodding, Peters softened when he talked about the game.
“It’s always a special moment for me, to be able to go home and play in that atmosphere and play in East Oakland,” Peters said, “where I grew up playing and all those things. I’ll get to see some family members and friends and stuff. It’s pretty cool.”
Peters gave those friends and relatives a thrill when he intercepted a David Carr pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown with 1:59 to play.
Cooks led the Rams with 87 yards receiving on five catches.
NO CHANGE
As Coach Sean McVay expected, the Rams lined up and stood for the pregame playing of the national anthem, and no players used that time for any type of protest.
Last season, linebacker Robert Quinn raised a fist during the anthem, and Hekker put his arm around Quinn’s waist in a show of support. Quinn was traded to Miami during the offseason.
Peters, during part of his time with Kansas City, sat during the anthem, but during training camp, Peters said he was fine with the Rams’ default de facto policy of standing along the sideline for the anthem. McVay requested that if players that if they felt otherwise, they should tell him.
“That’s something that all of our players seem to feel good about,” McVay said before the game, “and we haven’t heard anything otherwise.”
BACK TO BACK
Goff became the first Rams quarterback to start a season opener in consecutive years since Sam Bradford in 2012 and 2013. After that, the Rams cycled through Shaun Hill (2014), Nick Foles (2015) and Case Keenum (2016) before Goff took over midway through the 2016 season.