MANUEL SHINES IN EXHIBITION FINALE
Solid performance in loss may have secured No. 2 QB spot
OAKLAND » There wasn’t a starter in sight for the Raiders, and for much of the night it looked that way Thursday night in 17-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at the Coliseum, but the backup who came away the big winner was quarterback EJ Manuel.
Coach Jack Del Rio all but proclaimed Manuel the No. 2 quarterback to starting quarterback Derek Carr after the former first-round draft pick outplayed Connor Cook, leading the Raiders to their lone touchdown drive.
The Raiders led 13-10 but finished 0- 4 in the exhibition season after Austin Davis hit Kenny Lawler with a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:10 to play as Seattle finished 4- 0.
Manuel completed 9 of 14 passes for 85 yards and an 18yard touchdown pass to Keon Hatcher on a third-and-9 play. Cook was 8 of 19 for 88 yards, had accuracy issues on some throws, and had a pass intercepted by Otha Peters on the Raiders’ final offensive snap.
Georgio Tavecchio’s 28-yard field goal gave the Raiders the lead with 3:46 to play in game they trailed early on 10- 0.
“I think EJ’s been ahead most of the summer and I thought he played better to-
night,” Del Rio said. “I think both of thee young men have worked hard for us. It’s been a good group, a very positive room. I think there’ good chemistry in how they challenge each other and work well. But I’d say EJ’s ahead.”
Manuel, who received most of the backup reps in Napa based on performance and had a strong first preseason game, had seen Cook rally of late in Weeks 2 and 3.
“I think the biggest thing for me is to just continue to grind,” Manuel said. “The second and the third preseason games I personally wasn’t ecstatic with how it went, but that’s football sometimes and there are scenarios where you don’t get a full game, or a full half. You can’t really look at it as an excuse. I was just happy to get some chances tonight.”
The plan was for Manuel, the former first-round pick from Buffalo, and Cook, last year’s fourth- round pick from Michigan State, to alternate possessions by two. Two for Manuel, two for Cook, and so on. Neither man was sharp at the outset. Both missed open throws and rhythm was non- existent.
Momentum changed for Manuel after Breon Borders intercepted a Trevone Boykin pass at the 6-yard line, the Raiders’ second pick of the half.
Manuel then drove the Raiders 94 yards in 14 plays, culminating in a 14yard touchdown pass Keon Hatcher to bring the Raiders within 10-7.
The drive consumed 7:57 off the clock, during which time Manuel completed 5 of 7 passes for 67 yards and had a six-yard scramble for a first down.
“That got our juices flowing for all of us, and some of those young guys, they hadn’t played the whole game like that all preseason,” Manuel said. “I was proud of those guys to keep that drive going, and the receivers did a good of getting open.”
Manuel had passes of 8 and 19 yards to K. J. Brant, 14 yards to Johnnie Holton and 8 yards to tight end Pharaoh Brown.
The Raiders took a shot at the end zone from the 19-yard line, but Manuel’s pass sailed over the head of Holton and well out of bounds. After John Crockett gained a yard, Manuel’s third-and-9 pass was good for a touchdown Hatcher.
Up until the Borders interception, the Raiders didn’t have much going for them other than a Shalom Luani interception brought about when Jihad Ward pressured Boykin up the middle.
Cook drove the Raiders 45 yards on seven plays to tie the score 10-10 on a 34yard field goal by Tavecchio, a drive that was helped by a pair of 15-yard roughness penalties in the secondary on Seattle.
The Raiders will cut their roster from 90 to 53 players on Saturday and can begin forming a practice squad the following day once players clear waivers.
Throughout the NFL more than 1,100 players will be cast free and the Raiders could be looking for help at cornerback and linebacker on the waiver wire.
•Marshawn Lynch was in his customary spot on the Raiders bench, either kneeling or sitting, during the playing of the national anthem. Once the anthem concluded, Lynch rose as his mother Delisa lit the torch in honor of Al Davis.
• The Raiders played without their first (Gareon Conley), second (Obi Meli- fonwu, third ( Eddie Vanderdoes) and fifth (Marquel Lee) round draft picks.
• Raiders cornerback Dexter McDonald, victimized for a touchdown to Rodney Smith early, broke up another throw to Smith in the end zone in the third quarter.
• Seattle fullback and former Raiders Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece did not record a catch or carry for Seattle. Reece, 32, is a vested veteran, which may led to him being released at the cutdown to 53.
Vested veterans on the original 53-man roster are guaranteed their salaries for the season. A common tactic is for teams to cut such veterans, then bring them back after the first week of the season on a non-guaranteed deal.