Moore, Palmer out of sync
Report: McClain cleared of2011 incident in Alabama
OAKLAND— The Raiders’ first touchdown Sunday was set up by a 19- yard pass interference penalty on Patrick Robinson against Denarius Moore in the end zone.
It was the fourth time that Moore has drawn a pass interference penalty this season, but it was about the only production the Raiders got out their most explosive wideout in a 3817 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Quarterback Carson Palmer targeted Moore seven times and got only one completion for 9 yards. On at least three attempts, Palmer and Moore had their wires crossed, the ball ending up nowhere near the breaking receiver.
Palmer, who said he plans on sitting with Moore and going over the film, recognizes the need to be in sync with his most gifted receiver. Palmer and coach Dennis Allen said Moore’s hamstring injury that essentially wiped out his training camp remains a factor.
“He’s our go- to guy. He’s our number one receiver, he’s got a lot of plays ( in the playbook) for him, and we haven’t had a ton of time to be on task, and that’s why some of the miscommunication things come up,” Palmer said. “He’s a second- year guy, and I need to do a better job of getting on the same page with him — see things the way he sees them.”
Charges that resulted in a conviction by a municipal court judge against linebacker Rolando McClain have been dropped, ESPN reported Sunday. Originally sentenced to 180 days in jail for charges that included illegal discharge of a firearm and reckless endangerment, McClain won’t have to serve any jail time and is legally cleared in the incident, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The verdict was under appeal, which in Alabama means the process starts from the beginning and includes a jury trial. There was no immediate comment from the Raiders or the NFL.
The incident took place in November 2011 when McClain was home in Decatur, Ala., attending a funeral. He was accused by Rishard Tapscott, a former high school basketball teammate, of firing a gun near his head in a dispute. Tapscott, according to the ESPN report, has opted not to proceed.
Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden, in the Bay Area to call the 49ers- Chicago Bears game on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” lit the ceremonial Al Davis torch before the game. Gruden and Marcus Allen, who lit the torch earlier this season, were selections by Mark Davis, and neither was necessarily on good terms with the late Al Davis. “Maybe some people thought there were unresolved feelings, but they were very close to my mom and myself, and part of the Raider family,” Mark Davis said. “Once a Raider, always a Raider. I’ve had trouble with my dad at times — once or twice.”
Right tackle Khalif Barnes was in the lineup for the first time since Week 2, when he suffered a groin injury that required surgery. “There was a little rust, but I shook it off during practice,” Barnes said. “For the most part, I was pleased. I didn’t have any pain. I was moving pretty good, and … and I didn’t give up any sacks. I’m bummed about the overall situation, but physically I felt pretty good.”
Strong safety Tyvon Branch worked out on the field before the game, but it was mostly for rehab purposes for his sore neck rather than to see if he was ready to play. He had started 57 straight games. “Tyvon practiced some on Friday, but Saturday we kind of realized he wasn’t going to be able to go,” Dennis Allen said.
Palmer has passed for at least 200 yards in 16 straight games, extending his team record.