After slow start, Murray is off to the races
CLEVELAND — Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave likes to set up the run game with the passing game. Jab, jab … Latavius Murray.
On Sunday, the Raiders’ running back pounded the Browns with body shots. He finished with 139 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Murray didn’t get frustrated as Cleveland’s defense throttled him for all of 1 yard on his first seven carries.
“If we keep pounding it, we know the big runs will come,” he said. “You have to be patient and hit the hole when it opens.”
The offensive line was able to help Murray get in space against the league’s worst run defense. He had a 20-yarder in the second quarter to get him going, and then broke a 54-yarder in the third quarter, bouncing off players through the inside before showing off his speed down the sideline.
Murray had 138 yards on 19 carries over the last three quarters.
“He’s a terrific runner,” head coach Jack Del Rio said. “So if we give him enough room, he’s going to rip off a few of those long runs.”
Carrie at safety: The Raiders can keep a secret. The coaching staff put cornerback TJ Carrie at safety Sunday, and he’s not saying if it’s a permanent move. He fared well, and broke up a pass on the Browns’ last drive.
“That was just the game plan for this week,” Carrie said. “There were definitely some different angles to get used to. But I have trust in my ability, and the coaches put me in the right place.”
The Raiders lost safety Nate Allen to a knee injury in the opener, and Taylor Mays didn’t fare well in the second game. Charles Woodson was impressed with Carrie’s debut.
“He knew what he was doing,” Woodson said. “He did an excellent job for it being his first time.” Coaching matchup: Fans here would argue that Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine blew it by choosing Josh McCown to start over Johnny Manziel at quarterback. Pettine made some other questionable calls, too.
Down 3-0 in the second quarter with Oakland punting from its 25, Pettine sent four rushers after Marquette King. Barkevious Mingo was called for roughing the kicker, and the Raiders were on their way to their first touchdown.
Then, the Raiders were up 10-0 late in the second quarter when they stopped the Browns three times from the 1. A field goal would have made it a one-score game and Cleveland got the ball first in the second half, but Pettine decided to go for it. McCown lined up in the shotgun, but a false start forced Pettine to take the field goal.
More Woodson: Woodson has 61 career interceptions, the most of any active player, and is 11th on the career list.
Woodson said his two sons predicted an interception Sunday morning. Actually, “it was more like don’t come home if you don’t get one,” he said.
Briefly: Derek Carr has 21 TD passes and one interception in the red zone in his 19-game career. … Amari Cooper is the first NFL rookie since DeSean Jackson in 2008 to have two 100-yard receiving games in his first three games. … Defensive linemen C.J. Wilson left the game with a calf injury.