Oakland Raiders vs. Tennessee Titans: Full Report Card Grades for Oakland
The Oakland Raiders leave Nashville with a 17-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans and some respect for their defense.
It started off as the same old story for defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.’s unit. The Titans drove downfield into Raiders territory and capped the possession with a 34-yard field goal. Then, a light switch went off.
The Raiders scored 17 unanswered points, and the defense held its ground through the first half. Unfortunately, Oakland’s offense left its execution in the locker room after halftime.
The Raiders allowed the Titans' sluggish offense to close the gap in the second half.
Head coach Jack Del Rio burned two timeouts to gather his offensive personnel after a few miscommunications. The receivers allowed pass after pass to bounce off their hands. One throw literally bounced off wideout Michael Crabtree’s fingertips into Titans linebacker Avery Williamson's possession.
Titans running back DeMarco Murray gashed the Raiders defensive line and linebackers for 155 total yards from scrimmage, which included a 114-yard performance on the ground.
On the final drive, the Raiders secondary allowed far too many chunk plays, which could’ve pushed this contest into overtime. Nonetheless, penalties and cornerback T.J. Carrie’s tight coverage sealed the victory. Ironically, Oakland’s defense punctuated its second road win.
Quarterback
1 of 9
Derek Carr threw his first interception, but it came off a tipped ball. The turnover itself doesn’t fall solely on the quarterback’s poor ball placement, but it stays on his record. Furthermore, his receivers dropped several passes in the third quarter.
The aforementioned faults don’t serve as excuses for Carr, but his most dynamic wide receiver must catch a critical third-down pass. It’s inexcusable to see mental errors on accurate throws.
Overall, Carr showed mobility in the pocket and still completed 60 percent of his passes. His performance didn't produce similar numbers to the first two weeks, but he remains on target and a serious threat with time in the pocket.
Grade: A-
Running Back
2 of 9
Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave went pass-heavy in the second half against the Titans defense, though the running backs moved the ball well in certain spots. Latavius Murray ran as Angry Tay in the first quarter. He scored on a 22-yard dash toward the end zone. Aside from that, he tallied nine runs for 15 yards.
Jalen Richard opened the game with vigor. DeAndre Washington carried the juke moves into the second quarter with two big gains on the ground.
The Raiders running backs averaged 5.3 yards per carry in a sufficient performance. However, Murray faded after a long run in the first quarter. He averaged 3.7 yards per carry.
Grade: B-
Wide Receivers and Tight End
3 of 9
Carr’s receivers let him down in the second half. Amari Cooper dropped a must-have third-down conversion. Tight end Clive Walford failed to reel in an accurate pass. Seth Roberts dropped an early pass in the first quarter and a more difficult sideline reception in the second half.
Despite Crabtree’s tipped pass, which resulted in an interception, he accumulated eight receptions for 102 receiving yards in another inspiring performance as a big-play receiver. He's the most reliable target within the passing offense.
Grade: B
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Offensive Line
4 of 9
The Raiders offensive line continues to build a strong fort around Carr. The front five only allowed one sack, the first this season. The running backs benefited most with open space to attack the defense. Kelechi Osemele frequently led the way on huge gains up the middle.
Menelik Watson suffered a lower leg injury, per team's official Twitter account. He tweeted out some choice words for his doubters via his Twitter account. Frustration with minor bumps and bruises could take its toll on the right tackle in a contract year. However, Vadal Alexander filled in adequately in his absence.
Grade: A
Defensive Line
5 of 9
The defensive line allowed DeMarco Murray to rumble through for sizable runs. Without Denico Autry’s sack, the Raiders defensive front didn’t have a standout moment. Titans running back Derrick Henry swatted rookie Jihad Ward on one particular run up the middle.
We’re still looking for Khalil Mack to notch his first sack. He bit on a read-option play early in the game and jumped offsides on another occasion. The Raiders' best pass-rusher applied pressure on a few snaps, but he’s not the same dominant player from last year.
Grade: C
Linebackers
6 of 9
On occasion, Bruce Irvin flashed on run defense and forced a fumble, but the back end of the front seven couldn’t track Murray as a receiver. Furthermore, tight end Delanie Walker’s replacement, Jace Amaro, caught three passes for 59 yards. He didn’t have a single reception before Sunday’s game.
On a brighter note, sixth-round pick Cory James logged six solo tackles as an active defender on running and passing downs. He certainly passed his first road test as a starter in the middle of the defense.
Grade: C+
Secondary
7 of 9
The Raiders secondary showed excellence and put the Titans offense in despair throughout the contest. The pass defense played well against an offense void of deep weapons and without its best receiver at tight end. At the end, it didn’t matter, as the Titans easily cut through the defensive backfield with chunk plays.
If not for Carrie’s skintight coverage on the Titans’ final offensive drive, we could be talking about a massive fourth-quarter collapse in the secondary.
Nonetheless, it’s a good sign to see Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson record their first interceptions. D.J. Hayden allowed a big play or two, but he stepped up in the slot with solid tackling and coverage in critical spots.
Rookie Karl Joseph led the team in tackles (10) and chased Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota toward the wolves on the fumble. Bay Area News Group reporter Jimmy Durkin realized the Titans scored a touchdown on a drive with Joseph off the field. With his ability to cover ground, it’s probably not a coincidence.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
8 of 9
Kicker Sebastian Janikowski made it into the record books with his 53rd field-goal conversion from 50-plus yards out. He passed Jason Hanson and became the all-time leader in scores from the distance.
Marquette King continued to boom punts downfield. He launched a career-long 72-yard punt into Titans territory. Disadvantageous field positioning shouldn’t emerge as a problem for the Raiders this year.
Due to King's thunderous kicks, the Titans only returned one punt for 10 yards. Who needs coverage with an iron-legged punter?
Grade: A
Coaching Staff
9 of 9
Overall, the coaching staff put together a solid game plan. Musgrave could’ve milked the clock with a few more runs in the fourth quarter, but Carr’s decision-making deserves credit. He’s careful with the football and doesn’t take unnecessary risks in critical moments.
Whether you believe Norton Jr. called plays or not, the Raiders defense displayed a pulse. The Titans’ last drive put a damper on a solid effort, but giving up 10 points deserves applause.
The decision to put Joseph on the field looks like the right move, though it’s still unclear if his presence completely solves the tight end issue. Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta will certainly put the secondary to the test next week.
Grade: A-
All postgame comments provided by the Oakland Raiders' official website.
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