Final preseason throw says Carr’s ready to go
Risky toss shows trust between QB, receiver
OAKLAND, Calif. — The final throw Derek Carr attempted this preseason arguably was his riskiest.
“Somebody’s band is gonna play,” he said.
That he connected is a testament to his readiness for the regular season.
The Raiders quarterback is not expected to appear in Thursday’s final exhibition tuneup against the Seattle Seahawks. So, his August action ended with a 48-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Amari Cooper, a pass that was all timing and trust between the Pro Bowlers during a 24-20 loss to the Cowboys on Saturday.
Carr, coming off a December broken fibula, has played two exhibitions.
The injury appeared well behind him while he completed 20 of 26 passes for 244 yards, four touchdowns and an interception, good for a 128.9 quarterback rating
“I am locked in,” Carr said. On Saturday, he hit Cooper on third-and-9 in the second quarter. He pumped right and then turned left, quickly firing a pass as Cooper sprinted between Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown and safety Byron Jones. The latter was late and took a bad angle when failing to provide help over the top.
Still, it was the sort of execution that befits the regular season.
“Coop trusted me,” Carr said.
“He ran full speed. Everyone ran full speed, which makes defenders hold their landmarks. … I have tried to be really efficient and make smart decisions and things like that. I am going to be me at the same time. Sometimes, you have to make tight-window throws. Thank God it was complete. That is the same ball that could easily be over the top of someone’s head or picked off. I am just glad it was neither.”
Like Carr, Cooper played two games this preseason. He led the Raiders in receiving in both. He finished Saturday with four catches for 78 yards in less than one half of work. In Week 2, versus the Los Angeles Rams, he had three catches for 46 yards, which including a 31-yard grab when he high-pointed a Carr pass in traffic.
He seems locked in for the season, too.
Amerson recovering
The Raiders confirmed after Saturday’s game that cornerback David Amerson suffered a concussion.
It is his second such diagnosis in about 11 months. He exited a Sept. 18 game against the Falcons but returned the following weekend to start against the Titans. This time, he’ll have more time before a matchup with the Titans; the Raiders open their season Sept. 10 in Nashville.
Amerson is not expected to practice Monday.
His concussion came in the second quarter when assisting on a tackle of wide receiver Brice Butler. After lying on the field motionlessly for a couple of scary moments, Amerson sat up and eventually walked off the field.
Notable
■ Safety Obi Melifonwu was busy in his preseason debut, playing 22 snaps on defense and another 13 on special teams. The rookie second-round pick finished with two solo tackles. He also was credited with an assist on a second-quarter tackle in kickoff coverage. He missed much of camp with an apparent ankle injury.
■ Last year’s second-round pick was busy in his debut, too. Coming off June foot surgery, defensive end Jihad Ward played 26 defensive snaps and finished with a solo tackle. He was flagged for roughing quarterback Cooper Rush on a third-and-12 incompletion, extending a third-quarter drive that culminated in a Cowboys touchdown.
■ The Raiders held Dallas to 3 for 10 on third down, a marked improvement after the Arizona Cardinals and Rams went a combined 22 for 34.
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Gehlkennfl on Twitter.