Storyline: Where’s the D? Mariota made plays all over the field and the Titans ran effectively.
Preseason NFL games are the equivalent of dry humping during your teenage years. The act is definitely exciting–at least at first. You know something greater and more exciting will follow.
Courtesy: thesundaydish.com
After three weeks of exhibition Raider games, I am oh so ready for the real thing. The Raiders’ backups looked strong over the Cards in the first week, but there was nothing positive to report in the Week Two loss at Green Bay.
Week Three against the Titans was a mixed bag. The offense looked crisp for the first time and the running game made some noise.
Derek Carr looked to be on point with his best performance of the exhibition season. He hit a beautiful 41-yard post pass to Michael Crabtree on the first drive of the game. That led to a 6 yard bullet to rookie DeAndre Washington for Carr’s first TD.
Amari Cooper caught Carr’s second TD of the game with a spectacular 29-yard catch in the end zone. Cooper caught three passes in the first half as the new training camp roomies continue to build their chemistry. It would have been a perfect day for the QB, but he missed an open Clive Walford in the end zone at the end of the half.
Courtesy: bleacherreport.com
But the first string defense was limp and pliable, continuing its less than stellar preseason performance. The D gave up four straight scoring drives in the first half for 20 total points, the Titan’s QB Marcus Mariota made plays all over the field and the Raiders were trampled by an opposing team’s ground game.
It looked a lot like the beginning of 2015 … and the entire decade before that. Hopefully the light will flash on when the games matter, but it’s a little concerning how easily the defense has been pushed around.
I’m still optimistic about the upcoming season, but the Swiss cheese defense is making me worry about the opener at New Orleans. The Raiders haven’t beaten Drew Brees since he was a young gun with the Chargers. Any defensive growing pains are going to be highlighted big-time in the Superdome. Plus it’s hard to forget about that Week 1 debacle against the Bengals last year.
Game Day Observations
Jalen Richard: The Raider Nation finally witnessed the unveiling of camp star, Jalen Richard. I have to say he did not disappoint, starting with a 38-yard kickoff return on his first touch. Richard looked elusive with a nice burst and eye for the hole. Richard looks like he should make the roster especially with Marcel Reece out for the first three games. Along with fellow rookie RB, DeAndre Washington, Richard should make for a more dynamic Raiders backfield in 2016.
Courtesy: 12up.com
Holding calls: I wonder when Khalil Mack is going to get a little respect from the officials? The man just made All-Pro at two positions but can’t get a holding call to save his life. His face mask was grabbed right near the QB, yet that offense went uncalled. He gets held so much without yellow cloth in sight. Meanwhile the Raiders have had 32 penalties in three pre-season games. My rants on the refs are never going to cease.
McGloin: I thought Matt McGloin was awful … again. He did have a beauty of a 20-yard pass to undrafted WR, K.J. Brent, but never moved the offense with consistency. Then he almost got Washington killed when he tossed an ill-advised pass to the flat just as a Titans’ defender was ready to unload on the rookie RB … catch, smash, and fumble, TD for the Titans. Conner Cook needs to keep getting better because I don’t have faith in McGloin to keep the ship afloat if Carr goes down.
No defense for the bad defense: The defense was horrid but, without scheming, in today’s NFL any decent QB can chop up a defense. Plus the Raiders have a lot of vets on D who may be looking to get out of the game unscathed injury-wise. Defense takes maximum effort and extra grit. It has to be hard for vets to ‘bring it’ when games are meaningless. At least that’s my hope, Raider Nation. That’s my hope.
