Rams' Austin credits seizing 'opportunities' for two-TD performance

Lost amid rookie Todd Gurley's breakout game on Sunday was a stellar performance by another first-round pick of the St. Louis Rams who arrived in the NFL with lofty expectations.

Tavon Austin had his best game since his rookie campaign in 2013, hauling in a career high-tying six catches for 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Rams handed the Arizona Cardinals their first defeat 24-22 on Sunday.

It ended a 21-game drought without a receiving score for Austin, who has struggled to find his niche in St. Louis' offense since the club selected the dual-threat speedster with the No. 8 overall pick out of West Virginia in the 2013 draft.

"This isn't the first game I had a big game. I have had a couple big games, and it is all about the opportunities," said Austin, who also rushed two times for 20 yards. "Sometimes you have a great defensive coordinator taking you out of the game, like last week. It is all about the opportunities and taking advantage of it when the ball comes your way."

The 5-foot-8, 176-pound Austin reeled in a pair of 12-yard TD catches from quarterback Nick Foles, with the former staking the Rams to an early lead they would not relinquish and the latter providing a 24-15 cushion with just over eight minutes to play. He also had a 47-yard reception that was the team's longest of the season.

“Tavon’s a playmaker,” Foles said per the team's official website. “He’s just got to keep going. He’s one of those guys, the sky is the limit. He’s got a great work ethic and I was proud of him today.”