Washington Humiliates Oakland, 27-10
On the first of many national stages, Washington humbled the Oakland Raiders, 27-10. If you sought a showcase game for Oakland, this was not it. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for 118 yards on 19 of 31 completions. The running game added 32 yards on 13 carries. With the loss, Oakland falls to 2-1 while Washington climbs to the same record.
Carr:
Often, the first pass of the game could start a pattern throughout the game. Unfortunately, this held true. Carr thought he’d test Washington deep. The ball floated too long, making the perfect pick for safety Montae Nicholson. Throughout the night, Carr’s passed appeared either a beat later or the ball sailed. Plus, on multiple occasions, the snap surprised him. In those cases, the play lacked flow and often failed before fully developing. For the first time in two years, Carr looked anxious and uncomfortable in the pocket. Strangely, Carr’s passes fluttered to the detriment of his receivers. He threw an injury ball to Michael Crabtree and the Raiders’ best received left the game with a chest injury.
Offensive Line:
Touted as one of the premier units in the league, this unit played their worst game in the Mike Tice era. First, Washington’s defensive line feasted on Penn for lunch. He looked a step slow and unable to set properly. Early on, Penn lost matchup after matchup. Granted, Washington boasts young, hungry pass rushers. Yet, veterans like Penn can adjust, adapt and recover. None of that occurred during this game.
Receivers:
For two years, fans, pundits and staff praised Amari Cooper as a future dominant receiver. He will eventually grow into that. Now, he’s a third-year wideout that has six dropped passes in three games. Cooper’s drops are a combination of overaggression and a lack of concentration. Sooner or later, they will fade as he matures.
Pass Rush
Outside of Mario Edwards and of course, Mack, where’s the rush? To generate pressure, the Raiders needed to throw the kitchen sink at Cousins. Multiple blitzers leave an already shaky secondary more vulnerable. Someone else besides Mack and Edwards needs to step up. Where’s Bruce Irvin? While he does start slowly, game three is usually his launching point. Irvin is playing more chippy, failing to set the edge and Washington tackle Trent Williams rendered him ineffective.
Coverage
Honestly, Sean Smith looked old for a 29-year old corner. Vernon Davis, in his 12th season ran away from him and Smith displayed the lack of agility, he’s known for. Meanwhile, David Amerson’s season continues to spiral downward. After surrendering two touchdowns to Jermaine Kearse last week, the Raiders corner fell victim to a 52 yard Doctson touchdown. Yet, more faith exists in Amerson than Smith.
In reality, this loss means a single defeat. Yet, the same questions that arose in the preseason surfaced last night. With that said, 2-1 after three wekks is not as horrific as others may think. With Denver lurking, the Raiders need to put this game to rest.
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