Cincinnati Bengals vs. Oakland Raiders: Oakland Grades, Notes and Quotes
The Cincinnati Bengals successfully crushed the spirits of the Oakland Raiders and their fans at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday.
The Bengals offensive line and running back Jeremy Hill set the tone in the first half with long extended drives capped with touchdowns to take an early 24-0 lead before halftime.
Cincinnati set the tempo, and the Raiders failed to establish their own game plan. Quarterback Derek Carr’s injury almost midway through the second quarter made matters worse.
The Raiders offense didn’t find rhythm until late in the fourth quarter, when the game spiraled way out of hand.
Oakland’s sputtering offense kept the defense on the field, which eroded pretty quickly. The Bengals running back tandem accumulated 126 rushing yards. Hill scored two rushing touchdowns in the first half.
The Bengals offensive line silenced edge-rushers Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith for the majority of the game. Quarterback Andy Dalton played four quarters without getting sacked.
The Raiders failed to counter the Bengals on both sides of the ball, the blame for which falls on the coaching staff.
What are the latest updates on player injuries? How do the players feel about this awful loss to the Bengals? What’s the grade for each position?
Position Grades for Raiders
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| Position | Grade |
| Quarterback | D |
| Running back | C |
| Wide Receiver | D |
| Tight End | F |
| Offensive Line | D |
| Defensive Line | C |
| Defensive Backs | D |
| Special Teams | B |
| Coaching | F |
First and foremost, the coaches must shoulder a majority of the blame for this loss.
Head coach Jack Del Rio didn’t prepare his offense for the weapons the Bengals used repeatedly throughout the game. Cincinnati’s approach became predictable, but the Raiders couldn’t stop what they knew would come forth on the next play.
Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. didn’t have an answer for Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert or Hill in the rushing attack. Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson ran his plays featuring the tight end and both running backs with a near-flawless success rate.
Both Raiders quarterbacks played poorly when the team had a chance to turn the tide. Carr started the game off conservative and inaccurate—and a bit jittery. McGloin threw an interception, fumbled and also threw conservative passes at a point when the Raiders needed to shrink a 24-point deficit.
Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave’s play-calling hurt McGloin more so than Carr. Unlike Carr, McGloin leads a history of airing the ball out deep to receivers. He took what the defense allowed, but Musgrave must get the message in McGloin's ear to push the ball when playing from behind.
Uncharacteristically, center Rodney Hudson hurt a solid drive at the end of the first quarter with back-to-back penalties.
The tight ends didn’t impact this game in blocking schemes or as receiving options. Both Mychal Rivera and Clive Walford recorded one catch apiece for a combined five yards.
Derek Carr Leaves with Hand Injury
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As previously mentioned, Carr left the game with an injury after a scamper to the sidelines and a collision with cornerback Adam Jones.
According to Del Rio, via CSN Bay Area’s Scott Bair, X-rays on Carr’s hand didn’t show any broken bones, but further testing will follow.
McGloin could have put himself in serious starting consideration next week but didn’t establish a flow until the Bengals practically gave up yards underneath in prevent mode.
Carr will likely start against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, if he's able to throw the football without much pain in his throwing hand.
Nate Allen Exits with Knee Injury
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Safety Nate Allen left the field in the first quarter due to a knee injury and didn’t return. There’s no word on the severity of his injury.
The Raiders certainly need him on the field with holes in their secondary.
Larry Asante stepped in for Allen for the remainder of the game. He led the defense with eight tackles. Asante brings solid tackling effort to the defense, but Oakland needs someone who excels in coverage to help the secondary.
Without Allen playing center field, the Raiders lose the ball hawk of their defensive backs, which leaves the defense susceptible to being gashed by receiving tight ends.
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Charles Woodson Leaves with Shoulder Injury
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The Raiders lost their other starting safety to a shoulder injury late in the fourth quarter. Woodson suffered an injury with one minute and 16 seconds left in the game.
Why didn’t the coaching staff pull him off the field with almost a minute left in a blowout? A fair question, and a possible gaff on Norton’s part.
Players want to finish the game with their teammates, win or lose, but they should also take the nature of the game into account. Norton should have pulled Woodson in garbage time with Allen already out with an injury.
According to the San Jose Mercury News' Jimmy Durkin, the 38-year-old Woodson didn’t share any words with the media and looked to be in pain.
Tight End Tyler Eifert Dominates
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Eifert returned to action after missing nearly the entire 2014 season. The Raiders clearly left him off their scouting plan.
The Bengals tight end recorded nine catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns—all career highs.
Eifert ran the seam route and made a living making catches in the middle of the field. Oakland didn’t have a linebacker capable of shadowing him in coverage.
Eifert put an exclamation point on his productive night with a touchdown on cornerback D.J. Hayden.
Dalton quickly spotted the mismatch and delivered a pinpoint pass to push the Bengals ahead 30-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Amari Cooper: Adam Jones Shouldn't Be Suspended
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Wide receiver Amari Cooper isn’t in favor of suspending Adam Jones for a horrific act in the heat of competition, according to CSN Bay Area's Fallon Smith.
CSN Bay Area web producer Dylan DeSimone provided the footage via Vine.
As Cooper lay prone on the ground, the Bengals veteran cornerback slammed the rookie’s head onto his helmet. Thankfully, Cooper didn’t suffer a concussion.
It’s expected that Cooper wouldn’t complain about this to the media. However, the NFL must take action. Player’s health concerns mount the peak of the league’s issues.
The officials flagged a number of unsportsmanlike conduct violations during the game. Jones’ foul seemingly went unnoticed, but it’s an unnecessary foul that’s just as hazardous as stomping on a player without a helmet and should draw a review from the commissioner’s office.
Michael Crabtree: We’re Going to Be All Right
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Wide receiver Michael Crabtree took this loss, no matter how bad it looked, as one loss.
“We’re going to be all right. It ain’t the end of the world. It’s one game. Everybody’s sad, but it’s one game. We’re good,” Crabtree said via Durkin.
Crabtree channeled the right mindset after the blowout. The team as a whole didn’t look good, but it’s not the end of the season. It’s one game—the first game—and there’s a lot of football left to play.
McGloin hooked up with Crabtree late in the fourth quarter and nearly connected for a late touchdown. The veteran wide receiver caught one pass from Carr and four from McGloin. He finished with five catches for 37 yards.
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Week 1 statistics and play-by-play provided by NFL.com.
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