Three takeaways from ugly preseason Raiders game
OAKLAND (TNS) – Only 17 more days until the Raiders’ season opener, folks. You can do it.
Another ugly affair Friday night had to have left everyone in the Coliseum yearning for regular season football, for this dreadful preseason to come to an end.
The Raiders beat the Packers, 13-6, but you already know the result means nothing. Let’s just fast-forward to Raidersrams on Monday Night Football.
But since a game technically took place on Friday, even though it looked nothing like a NFL contest, here are three quick takeaways. Derek Carr likely done for preseason after seven pass attempts
Jon Gruden said earlier this week his offensive starters would play into the second quarter against the Packers, but Carr’s night ended after one series. He completed 2-of-3 passes for 68 yards, a bomb to Amari Cooper for 49 on the first play from scrimmage and a 19-yard dump to Jared Cook that set up Mike Nugent’s 32-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead after the first drive.
Assuming Carr doesn’t play against the Seahawks next weekend, he finishes the preseason 4-for-7 with 79 yards passing. Gruden’s offense will remain a complete mystery until it actually counts, which is exactly how the head coach wants it. Connor Cook…yikes
The Raiders need a backup quarterback, and his name doesn’t seem to be Connor Cook.
After a strong preseason opener against the Lions and a sub-par encore against the Rams, the Raiders’ No. 2 laid an absolute egg on Friday night.
He completed only 6-of15 passes for 72 yards and an interception in almost an entire half of play. He had Dwayne Harris open over the top for a would-be touchdown but short-armed it for an interception. Cook would’ve thrown two interceptions, the second a picksix, if not for a defensive holding call bailing him out.
Cook did everything he could against the Packers to hand the backup job to EJ Manuel, who went 8-of-12 with 87 passing yards and a lost fumble, but the Raiders might need to look outside those two regardless. Arden Key flashes promise at defensive end
On Friday night we saw why Key thinks he would’ve been a top-five pick if not for off-the-field issues at LSU, and why the Raiders feel they plucked a steal in the third round with the defensive end.
Key, who didn’t record a quarterback pressure in eight snaps against the Rams last Saturday, drew a holding penalty and a false start penalty early against the Packers. He seemed to nab his first career (unofficial) sack, too, though Mo Hurst and Fadol Brown were officially credited with the co-takedown of Brett Hundley.
SAN FRANCISCO (TNS) – Whatever plagued the Giants during their 10game road trip must be capable of travel because it followed them through three time zones back to San Francisco.
After a 4-6 road trip all but vanquished the Giants narrow-playoff aspirations, the team returned to AT&T Park Friday and put up one of their most-heartbreaking performances of the season in a 7-6 10-inning loss to the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers came all the way back from a six-run deficit, tying the game with a dramatic home run with two outs in the ninth. They won the game on Sam Dyson’s four-pitch walk to Robinson Chirinos with the bases full in the 10th.
Joe Panik opened the door for Rougned Odor’s game-tying home run into Mccovey Cove by booting a routine ground ball with two outs and none on in the ninth. Odor sent the next pitch, a slider down the middle of the plate from closer Will Smith, into San Francisco Bay.
The ninth-inning comeback came after the Giants failed to bring in a run with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth. Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria both struck out swinging to end the rally.
The late-inning collapse spoiled another quality start from Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez, who returned from the 10-day disabled list by picking where he left off before a right-hamstring strain suffered in Los Angeles last week put his National League rookie of the year bid on temporary hold.
Rodriguez missed just one start before returning to the hill Friday, where he surrendered two earned runs off three hits and three walks over six innings with his father, Hall of Famer Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, watching from the stands. It was the ninth straight start in which Rodriguez has pitched at least six innings while giving up two earned runs or fewer.