Team Grades: Raiders Escape Nashville With 24-21 Win Over Titans
By Abraham Gutierrez
It was a seesaw battle of two sub-500 teams that refused to quit, but in the end, Derek Carr and the Raiders did just enough to escape Nashville with a nail-biting, 24-21 victory. The win snaps Oakland's three-game skid, and at 5-6, puts them right back into contention in the AFC West race and the NFL playoff picture.
"For us to stay in the fight, continue to battle and show that resolve to come in here and find a way to – we wanted to finish the week 1-0, somehow, someway, and I'm really proud of the way the guys stayed in it," said Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio during his post-game presser. "It was tough there, there was a reason to be discouraged. You're in control of the game and you fumble it and all of the sudden they go down and get a score. Oh my gosh, what are you going to do? Well, we're just gonna go down and find a way to get it in there and get a score. So, I'm really proud of our guys for the way they hung in there and fought."
Offense: B+
Offensively, the Raiders tallied 22 first downs and 407 total yards, of which, 84 were gained on the ground and 323 through the air. One of the biggest keys in the Raiders' win was their ability to dominate the time of possession battle, 34:55 to 25:05. This is in part thanks to the efforts of running back Latavius Murray (22 carries for 59 yards), who never quit despite having a tough afternoon against the Tennessee defense.
Second-year quarterback Derek Carr was sensational once again, connecting on 65 percent of his passes. With the poise of a 10-year veteran, the Fresno State product went 24-for-34 for 330 yards, three touchdowns and no picks to earn a quarterback rating of 120.3.
As Raiders fans have come to expect, Carr was able to get everyone involved, completing passes to nine different receivers. Rookie Of The Year candidate Amari Cooper was unstoppable, snatching 7 receptions for 115 yards, including a long catch that went for 41 yards.
Rookie wideout Seth Roberts chose the right time to have his best game as an NFL pro, recording 6 receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. In spite of his struggles, veteran wide receiver Michael Crabtree also contributed on the win, tallying 4 receptions for 19 yards and a score.
Defense: C+
On the defensive side of the pigskin, the Raiders allowed 19 first downs and 249 yards of offense (44 yards rushing, 205 passing yards). On third down, the Oakland defense was lights out, limiting Marcus Mariota and the Titans offense to 3-for-12 on third downs.
And even though the Raiders struggled defensively at times during this game, the defense sealed the victory with a late interception. This was certainly a group effort, and there are a number of players worth noting as standouts in this one.
For starters, cornerback David Amerson (2 tackles, 6 passes defended and an interception) had a game to remember, as the North Carolina State product was everywhere. Linebacker Malcolm Smith (10 tackles, 2 PD) and Khalil Mack (6 tackles, 2.0 sacks) also played well, and Nate Allen also got in on the action with a pick.
Special Teams: C
Any time there's a fumble by the special teams unit, it usually leads to disaster. Nevertheless, the Raiders were able to overcome the hiccup thanks to the play of punter Marquette King (4 punts, 42.3 average, long of 59 and three inside the Titans' 20-yard line) and kicker Sebastian Janikowski (6 points on three PATs and a field goal).
Coaching: A
Even when things have gone badly this season, Jack Del Rio has been able to keep this team motivated and ready to play, week in and week out. This win is a perfect example of that, as the Raiders continued to play through adversity and never got down on themselves.
Certainly, Del Rio and his staff deserve credit for game planning and execution, but most of all, they should be commended for playing smart football. In spite of the fact that the running game wasn't clicking, the Raiders stuck with it, especially after the break when weather conditions began deteriorating.
The fact that the Raiders were able to win the time of possession battle is in direct correlation to their unwillingness to abandon the run game. That not only kept the Titans offense off the field, but in the process helped wear down a respectable Tennessee defense.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.