Oakland Raiders vs. New York Jets: Complete Week 1 Preview for Oakland
The Oakland Raiders haven't finished a season with a winning record since 2002. After yet another losing season, they underwent a major rebuild this past offseason. Now with more talent and experience than they've had in a decade, the team is aiming to begin their journey back to relevance.
The Raiders are coming off consecutive 4-12 seasons, but there were built-in excuses for that. General manager Reggie McKenzie spent the past two years trying to clean up the mess that was Oakland's payroll. The team was able to reap the benefits of that cleanup project this offseason, signing a slew of proven performers all over the roster.
The list of acquisitions is impressive and includes names like Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, James Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew. All have had impressive careers, but there are concerns about their injury history and age. They'll get their first chance to prove the critics wrong on Sunday.
The biggest story heading into the game will be the first career regular-season start for rookie quarterback Derek Carr. Following his incredible performance against the Seattle Seahawks in the final preseason game, head coach Dennis Allen made the decision to hand Carr the keys to the offense.
Despite the fact that he's a rookie, Carr has already impressed some of the veterans.
When asked about Carr getting the start in Week 1, Jones had some lofty praise for the rookie (via the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur): "He’s really calm, really cool in the pocket. He acts like he’s been there before. I’ve been calling him mini A-Rod [Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers] since he got here."
Center Stefen Wisniewski showed the same confidence in Carr (via Tafur):
"He’s not your typical rookie. He’s got an NFL quarterback older brother that’s been teaching him for years. He understands defenses at a very advanced level more than most rookies would. I think Derek gets way more prepared than most rookies would be.
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The rookie will get his first chance to establish himself as the team's franchise quarterback, and the job is slightly less daunting now that the Jets are without their two projected starting cornerbacks. If the offensive line is able to hold up, Carr will have the opportunity to show off the arm strength and touch he exhibited against Seattle.
Oakland will begin the 2014 season at the New York Jets. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
Here's a breakdown of Sunday's game, including injuries, matchups to watch and more.
Oakland Raiders Preseason Week 4 Recap
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Matt Schaub never really looked good in any game during the preseason, and with each pass he threw, the calls for Derek Carr to get a start grew louder and louder. He finally got the opportunity against the Seattle Seahawks, and he certainly made the most of it. He didn't just play well. He was outstanding.
Carr finished the game 11-for-13 for 143 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He can't be expected to reproduce this performance every game, but it also wasn't an accident. He knew the plays and was in control of the huddle. Most importantly, he completed passes that Schaub just can't seem to make anymore.
With Carr under center, every other area of the offense—offensive line, running backs, tight ends and receivers—all played better. There was a noticeable energy and confidence that wasn't there when Schaub was in the game. The offense played well, and it looked like it wasn't surprised by the results.
This will continue in the regular season. Carr's a rookie, and he'll definitely hit some speed bumps. But over the course of 16 games, he'll get more out of this offensive group than Schaub ever could.
As well as the offense played, the defense continued to inspire nothing but doubts. Russell Wilson played only one series, but in the one minute and 45 seconds he was on the field, he led the Seattle offense on a four-play, 80-yard drive in which he went 3-for-3 for 77 yards. He capped the drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass.
A more consistent pass rush will help, but the biggest issue is the secondary. Every starting quarterback the Raiders faced got whatever he wanted through the air. The secondary is going to need to make some major improvements heading into the regular season. Oakland should also look to add a cornerback who can help if one become available.
It was only a preseason game, but for one night the Raiders looked really good. Best of all, it wasn't just a fluke. The performance was a result of the team's game plan finally starting to show up in a game and possibly finding its franchise quarterback.
There were still areas defensively that will require attention throughout the season. But overall, the Raiders look like they might finally be on the road back to excellence.
News and Notes
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#StartTheCarr
The calls for Derek Carr to be given the starting quarterback job began after Oakland's first preseason game. As Matt Schaub continued to underperform, Carr continued to play better and better. The final game of the preseason left no doubt as to who should be leading the Raiders' offense. On Monday, head coach Dennis Allen finally made the decision many thought he should.
Jay Glazer tweeted on Monday that the decision had been made to start Carr, and Allen later confirmed the move. The truth is that the only way this decision didn't make sense was on paper. The veteran with a proven track record should always start over the unproven rookie, right?
But the reality of the situation, based on the actual performance of the quarterbacks, made this is a pretty obvious decision. The Raiders have three quarterbacks, and Carr was the one that played the best. Even Matt McGloin had much better performances than Schaub, albeit against backups and players no longer on NFL rosters.
Going into the season, the logical choice is to start the quarterback who played the best in the preseason. For the Raiders, there's no question that Carr is that quarterback.
Speaking of Schaub...
It seems like Schaub's career as the Raiders' starting quarterback might be over before it ever started.
Since Schaub joined the Raiders, Allen had maintained that he would be the starter. He said this when the team acquired Schaub, he said it in the offseason, during training camp and throughout the preseason. That all changed on Monday.
As for Schaub himself, he was surprised by the move, per Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.com. At this point, he might be the only one. The decision to make the switch was never a a sure thing, but given Schaub's performance and how much better Carr looked, it's not really a surprise.
Schaub isn't a bad quarterback, but at 33 years old there's no question he's lost significant arm strength. With each game he played, the defenses pushed up more and more, knowing that he didn't have the ability to be consistently effective beyond 10 yards. He may have reached the point in his career where he's a backup, not a starter.
That's not a necessarily a bad thing. The problem going forward will be the price tag. No team is going to keep a backup making starter money. The Raiders will keep him around as an insurance policy this season. But unless he agrees to a significant pay cut for next season, 2014 will be his first and last season in Oakland.
New Quarterback, New Offensive Line
Through the first three preseason games, the Oakland offensive line was set. That changed in the final preseason game when Khalif Barnes was moved to right tackle in place of Menelik Watson, and Gabe Jackson stepped in at left guard. This was initially thought of as a precautionary move when it was reported that Watson was dealing with a hip flexor injury.
However, after just one performance, Allen decide to make the move permanent, per CSNCalifornia.com's Bair. The same offensive line that played against the Seattle Seahawks—Donald Penn, Jackson, Stefen Wisniewski, Austin Howard and Barnes—will be the line that starts on Sunday against the New York Jets.
This group played very well against Seattle, although there was another major factor involved: Carr was in the game in place of Schaub. Carr has a quicker release, and he's more mobile. Both of these make the offensive line look better.
The biggest issue is that this group played together for only one game. However, Barnes has played right tackle before, so that shouldn't be an issue. This means that the only unproven player will be Jackson, but he showed during the preseason that he's capable of holding down the position. This group should be able to hold up just fine against the Jets.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Chimdi Chekwa | CB | Out |
| Nick Roach | MLB | Questionable |
| Sebastian Janikowski | K | Probable |
| Taiwan Jones | CB | Probable |
| David Ausberry | TE | Probable |
| Matt Schaub | QB | Probable |
| Menelik Watson | RT | Probable |
Injury report provided by CSNCalifornia.com's Scott Bair.
Janikowski, Jones and Ausberry are all expected to be available on Sunday, and all three should play. Janikowski will handle all kicking duties as usual, and Jones will see playing time on special teams.
It'll be interesting to see just how much Ausberry will be able to contribute. He appears to be ready to go, but he didn't see any live game action this preseason. The Raiders will go with Mychal Rivera and Brian Leonhardt, but the coaches will call Ausberry's number at least a few times. He'll get some opportunities to exhibit the potential he's teased with for years.
Schaub and Watson will also be available, but they're officially backups for the game. Unless the starter at their position is injured or severely underperforms, neither will see any action against the Jets.
Oakland had hoped that Chekwa would be available, primarily because the team is so unsettled at cornerback. The team has seven cornerbacks available for Sunday, but no one has inspired any real confidence. The Raiders are looking for anyone to step up at the position. As far as Chekwa goes, the team will have to wait at least another week.
The real injury concern is Roach, who still hasn't been cleared to play following a concussion. Not only is he the starting middle linebacker and one of the team's leading tacklers, he's also a defensive play-caller. His absence will not only force the defense to make up for his performance, but also to somehow deal with the missing leadership.
Kaluka Maiava will get the start if Roach is unable to play. Maiava had a good preseason, but he isn't as athletic as Roach. He also won't be able to replace the leadership Roach provides.
Although he isn't the biggest name on defense, Roach is an integral factor in the unit's success. The Raiders will need to figure out a way to deal with this major absence.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Wide Receivers vs. New York Cornerbacks
There are some that remain unconvinced that Rex Ryan should still be the Jets' head coach, but most still agree that he's a gifted defensive play-caller. However, his job has been made more difficult by the personnel issues the Jets now face on defense.
The Jets originally expected to go with Dee Milliner and Dimitri Patterson as their starting cornerbacks, but that plan has since completely fallen apart. The Associated Press' Dennis Waszak Jr. tweeted on Friday that Ryan has ruled Milliner out for the season opener.
As for Patterson, he's not even on the team anymore. ESPN.com's Rich Cimini reported that the Jets cut Patterson last week after an unexcused absence. To make matters worse, the team will also be without rookie Dexter McDougle after he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
So what does all this mean for Oakland? The Jets might enter this game with a good reputation defensively, but they're certainly very thin at cornerback. While the Raiders might not have a true No. 1 receiver, they do have a very talented group overall. If the receivers are able to get open and hold onto the ball, two things they did inconsistently during the preseason, they could end up having an unexpectedly big day.
Tarell Brown vs. Eric Decker
Oakland's cornerbacks didn't look good in the preseason, but at least those games didn't matter. The first real test will be against the Jets, and the biggest matchup will be between Brown and Decker. There's some doubt that Decker is a true No. 1 receiver, but whether he is or not, he's still very dangerous.
The responsibility of stopping him will fall on Brown, who had a less-than-stellar preseason. The original plan was to have D.J. Hayden be the team's top cornerback, but his trip to the physically unable to perform list made Brown the Raiders' top cornerback.
How Brown does against Decker will have an impact on the defense's effectiveness overall. He has to show that he can at least slow down the other team's top receiver, something he's yet to prove he can do.
Khalil Mack/Sio Moore
The Raiders' starting linebackers are set (Mack, Moore and Nick Roach). On Sunday, the ones facing the biggest test will be the two youngest members of the group.
Mack and Moore will have to be effective in pass coverage and not give up any easy completions that will allow Geno Smith to develop a rhythm. More importantly, they'll need to make sure they keep Smith contained and stop him from scrambling for any major gains.
Smith played better at the end of last season, but he remains an unproven quarterback at the NFL level. It'll fall on Mack and Moore to make sure he doesn't get anything easy that could give him more confidence as the game plays out.
Raiders' X-Factor of the Week: Derek Carr
I never had a doubt that Carr would be the Raiders' starting quarterback at some point this season, but I didn't expect it to be this soon. Now he is, and the process of proving he's Oakland's quarterback of the future begins Week 1.
Carr played well through the first two preseason games, but he didn't do anything to justify a switch at quarterback. That all changed in the final game, when he performed beyond all expectations. He was calm and in control. Most importantly, he was effective.
The offense looked better with Carr than it did it at any other point in the preseason, and it wasn't even close. On Sunday, he doesn't have to break any records, but he needs to prove that his performance against Seattle wasn't an accident.
Against the Jets, Carr doesn't have to be great. The Raiders don't even have to win the game (although that would be a great start). He just has to prove that he belongs and that his performance against Seattle is a sign of things to come.
Prediction
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If this game took place later in the season after Carr already had a taste of NFL regular-season action, the Raiders could be seen as a favorite in this matchup.
Unfortunately, that won't be the case on Sunday.
Oakland has a few factors going against it. First, it's Carr's first regular-season start, and the lack of experience will lead to some growing pains. This will be especially true against a great defensive mind like that of Rex Ryan, who'll throw plenty of different looks at the rookie to confuse him and force him into mistakes.
This is also an East Coast trip for the Raiders, something they haven't dealt with well in recent history. The team won't be able to overcome the travel and the inexperience at quarterback in the first game of the season.
Oakland will show signs that they'll be a much tougher matchup than expected in 2014, and they'll have a chance to get a win here. It'll be close throughout, and the game will ultimately be decided by a single score.
The Raiders will have a chance to win this game, and it won't be a surprise if they do. However, the combination of the Jets playing at home and Ryan showing Carr looks he's not used to will likely force Oakland into one mistake too many.
Prediction: Jets 20, Raiders 17
Unless otherwise noted, stats provided by from ESPN.com.
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