Raiders Embarrassed After 30-14 Loss To Texans
Two long drives right down the field to open the game.
Four turnovers, including a bizarre, two-fumble play destined to end up on a bloopers reel.
The home opener for the Oakland Raiders had an all-too-familiar feel to the frustrated fans who have waited 11 seasons for a winning team.
Derek Carr threw a pair of interceptions, James Jones and Mychal Rivera lost fumbles and the Raiders allowed Arian Foster to run free all afternoon for 138 yards in a 30-14 loss Sunday.
"Collectively we look bad," safety Charles Woodson said. "It's frustrating because everything that other people say about you, we're making them right. It's almost like you allow other people to write your story and we're not going out there and doing anything about it. That's hard man. I'm really embarrassed."
Houston star defensive end J.J. Watt caught a 1-yard touchdown pass to cap the opening drive and Foster scored on a 5-yard run on the next possession for the Texans, who are off to a 2-0 start under new coach Bill O'Brien after losing their final 14 games a year ago.
The Raiders (0-2) have lost eight straight games dating to last season and have shown no signs that an offseason overhaul has fixed the myriad of problems in Oakland.
"This is not the same old thing," Carr said. "Those guys in that locker room are so determined to get this thing right. I don't believe it's the same old thing. We're going to get it right. I promise you that."
The day was summed up by James Jones' double fumble late in the first half. Jones caught a 20-yard pass from Carr late in the first half before getting stripped by Joseph at the Houston 35. Jones picked the ball up and ran toward the end zone, but Joseph knocked the ball out again from behind and D.J. Swearinger recovered at the Texans 3.
That was one of three turnovers in scoring territory by the Raiders. Carr moved Oakland down the field with a 41-yard run early in the second quarter only to negate that good play by throwing a pass that was intercepted by Kareem Jackson that set up Randy Bullock's first of three field goals.
Mychal Rivera then fumbled a catch early in the third quarter and Joseph returned it 49 yards to set up Ryan Fitzpatrick's second TD pass of the game, a 12-yarder to DeAndre Hopkins that made it 24-0 and got the boo birds out in earnest.
"They're excited to see their Raiders and what was that that we put out there on the field today?" Woodson said. "That's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed for this team, I'm embarrassed for the fans."
Fitzpatrick finished 14 for 19 for 139 yards to beat the Raiders for the third time in as many starts with as many teams. He led last-minute comebacks for Buffalo in 2011 and Tennessee last season before enjoying an easier win this time.
The Texans easily moved the ball downfield on the opening drive with help of Foster's 40-yard run.
On second-and-goal at the 1, Watt lined up at tight end and was wide open in the end zone when two Oakland defenders covered Foster. Watt caught his first pass since his days as a tight end at Central Michigan in 2007 to give the Texans the lead.
"We've been working on that for a while," O'Brien said. "Look, you've got a guy there who is such a great athlete at 6-foot-7, 290 pounds. He's got really good hands. You should probably try to get him in there once in a while on offense."
Watt didn't do much defensively until his hit on Carr led to an interception by Brooks Reed late in the fourth quarter.
Playing against the team that drafted his big brother David first overall in 2002, Derek Carr went 27 for 42 for 263 yards with a late TD pass to Jones and two interceptions.
Foster, who has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games in his return from back surgery last season, scored on a 5-yard run on Houston's second drive to make it 14-0.
The Texans outgained the Raiders 150-3 in the first quarter and things didn't get much better after that for Oakland.
"That's a recipe for getting your butt kicked," coach Dennis Allen said. "I told the players in there just now, the only people that can change it are the people that are in that locker room, coaches and players. We've got to make a conscious decision to get this thing changed."
NOTES: Justin Tuck blocked a late field goal attempt by Bullock, ending his streak of 16 consecutive made kicks. ... Raiders LB Sio Moore (ankle) and WR Rod Streater (hip) left with injuries.