Line holds up for Carr
Starting offense mostly clicks for Oakland in loss
It was Derek Carr’s first game since he broke his leg here, at the Oakland Coliseum, last December. But more important, Saturday night was the Raiders quarterback’s first NFL game without his personal bodyguard, 6-foot-4, 315-pound left tackle Donald Penn.
Penn is holding out for more money — Saturday marked Day 23 — and Raiders fans held their breath every time Carr went back to pass. But the offensive line held up fine and Carr threw two touchdown passes in the 24-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Oakland’s second preseason game.
The 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Lee Smith was rifled in between two defenders, and the 13-yard touchdown to Michael Crabtree was all Crabtree. The receiver took a short pass and then juked cornerback Troy Hill to the floor before trotting into the end zone. That tied the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter and erased an ugly start by the Raiders’ defense.
On the offense’s prettiest pass of the game, Carr let Amari Cooper — bigger and poised for a breakout season — walk the high-wire. Carr lofted up a 31-yard pass that
Cooper high-pointed in the middle of three defenders, Rams cornerbacks Cody Davis and Kevin Peterson and linebacker Alec Ogletree.
On that play, Marshall Newhouse bought Carr some time with some nice blocking at right tackle. Newhouse, an eight-year veteran who played for the New York Giants last season, started the game at left tackle in place of Penn. Vadal Alexander started at right tackle, and rookie David Sharpe came on in the second quarter, playing the left side when Newhouse moved to right tackle.
Right tackle is the position Newhouse was signed to start at, and the one he will be at when Penn returns. Penn, 34, definitely deserves a raise coming off a Pro Bowl season, but his only real leverage was if Newhouse or Alexander played poorly. That hasn’t happened and it wouldn’t be surprising if Penn returned to practice this week.
The Raiders definitely need Penn, but their offense showed Saturday night why it’s regarded as one of the best in the league. Right off the bat, newcomers Marshawn Lynch and Jared Cook ripped off a 6-yard run and 18-yard catch across the middle.
Cooper finished with three catches for 46 yards in the first half.
Carr did throw an ugly interception, right to cornerback Trumaine Johnson, in between the two touchdowns. He had a lot of time on the play, and then all of a sudden he didn’t, and forced a throw while it seemed Crabtree cut off his route.
They will laugh that off to the preseason, and Carr will take his final line of 7-of-9 for 100 yards. Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: VTafur@sfchronicle.com