Smalltalk » The Raiders got a rare sack in the second quarter

Raiders preseason week 2 Ballers & Busters vs Rams Usually the second preseason has the first team play a bit more than the first preseason game. Something like a quarter or a few drives. But not this year. This year the Raiders were facing the same team they will face in the season opener Womens Bo Jackson Jersey , so neither team brought out the good china for the occasion.Even for the first preseason game we saw the first team offense and defense for a series. This game was a mass sit out with 28 players not dressing. The plus side is we got a longer look at some of the players fighting for a roster spot and for playing time. The result was some ugly, ugly football. The Raiders were scoreless at the half with just one first down with two turnovers. They managed to make a game of it late, but would end up losing 19-15.Despite to overall struggles to get out of their own way, there were actually quite a few solid performances. As usual, we start with those.BallersChris Warren IIITwo preseason games, two Top Baller spots. Warren was the workhorse back in this game, seeing 85% of the snaps and every carry. He was in the game from the first play to the last with only Jalen Richard seeing some time as a target out of the backfield. I guess they wanted to see if he could have a repeat performance of his preseason opener. He did that and kicked it up a notch.Most of Warren’s solid work came in the second half. Which makes sense because 13 of his 18 carries in the game happened in the second half. One drive in particular, the offense, after failing to get much of anything through the air all day, leaned on Warren to move down the field. He delivered with six runs for 41 yards and the touchdown to finish it off – his first as a pro.The following drive, he had a 13-yard run, 23 yards off a pitch play, and a 5-yard run to set the Raiders up for a 31-yard field goal. That’s another 41 yards and another score. The last 5-yard run put him over 100 yards on the day (104). He finished with 110 yards on 18 carries (6.1 ypc) and a touchdown. His only flaw was a couple times not picking up the blitz correctly.Paul ButlerButler quietly led the team in receiving with three catches for 35 yards. That tied with Jalen Richard who picked up most of those yards on a 29-yard catch in which Butler laid the key block. Most of Butler’s yards came on one play as well. It was a catch that went for 24 yards to help set up the Raiders’ first touchdown of the game. He added a block on a 5-yard run and got downfield on the final punt of the game, yielding a block in the back penalty that had the Rams starting their final possession backed up against their own goal line.Marquel LeeThe second-year linebacker is stacking up solid performances. In just 22 snaps, he put up 5 tackles (4 solo) which led the team at the half. He filled his gap on a run stuff and teamed up for another on the next play to send the Rams on a three-and-out on their second series.Lee added two more run stuff on the Rams fourth series, one for a loss. He also did his part on another run to fill his gap and force the runner to find another opening. His tackle for loss was on third and goal at the one-yard-line all the way out left. That was his last series of the game.Oday AboushiWhile Chris Warren III gets all the headlines for his long runs, it was blocking by guys like Aboushi opening up some sizable holes for him all day. Aboushi was a lead blocker on Warren runs of 5, 9, 8, 9, and his 3-yard touchdown run. For those unfamiliar, Aboushi is a 6-5, 315-pound journeyman who started 8 games last season in Seattle for Tom Cable. He was signed on the second day of Raiders training camp.Rashaan MelvinTwo of the first three plays for the Raiders defense were made by Melvin. He had tight coverage to force an incompletion on the first play, then on third and ten, made the tackle on a five-yard catch to force a three-and-out. He ended the next series as well with a pass defended on third and 7 for another three-and-out. He didn’t give up a catch on the long third drive and that was his day.Tank Carradine, Treyvon HesterHard to say how much either provides form a pass rushing standpoint, but as a run stopper, they were superb. The second play of the second series saw Hester hold his spot to allow the linebacker to make the stop for a 2-yard gain. On first and goal from the 5-yard-line on the Rams fourth drive, Hester and Carradine teamed up to make the stop for a two-yard gain. The next play Bo Jackson Jersey , Hester made the stop for a 2-yard gain. Then on third and goal from the one, Carradine chased the QB down the line to cut of the edge so Lee could make the tackle for a loss of one. Hester would add two more run stuffs in the game while Carradine would make a tackle on a QB scramble on third down short of the sticks.Jason CabindaThe undrafted rookie had a rough first preseason game, but he rebounding in this one and finished leading the team with 6 tackles (3 solo). He made the tackle on three of the first six plays in the second quarter with a run stuff for two yards, a tackle in a short catch, and another tackle on a catch to stop it at four yards on third and seven. He had two more run stops in the third quarter, one on third down to force a punt. And in the fourth quarter he teamed up for a run stuff for no gain.Shilique CalhounCalhoun was making his home in the Rams backfield. He would have been higher on this list if it weren’t for a couple costly stupid penalties. The first one was the first time we heard his name. It was on third and two and he hit the quarterback after the throw and was flagged for roughing the passer. That gave the Rams a fresh set of downs.For Calhoun’s part, he atoned for his mistake in those fresh downs, rushing around the edge to force the QB to step into a sack by Maurice Hurst. Then on third and 18, he hit the QB as he dumped the ball off for a short gain. The next series he had a tackle for a loss of three to help hold the Rams at a field goal.Calhoun would end his day as it began – with a big play and a costly penalty. With the Rams backed against their own goal line, he broke through the line to make a tackle for a loss of three. It was looking like they would have to punt it away out of their own end zone and give the Raiders one more shot at pulling out the win. That was snatched from them when Calhoun yanked on the running back’s facemask. The Rams were then able to kneel out the clock.Antonio HamiltonJust like Calhoun, Hamilton had a great day that was marred by a stupid penalty. His first potentially big play was on 4th and goal from the one-yard-line. He came up to put a helmet on the ball and knock it out of John Kelly’s arms for a fumble. Unfortunately, Kelly got a favorable bounce and recovered it in the end zone to score anyway. It could have gone the other way, though, and Hamilton did his part to make that happen.The next time the Rams were down and goal to go, Hamilton was again a thorn in John Kelly’s side. Kelly got the ball and tried the left side only to have Hamilton string him out all the way down the line, not giving an inch all the way out of bounds.Early in the third quarter came Hamilton’s stupid penalty. He made the stop on a short catch and then as the whistle blew to stop the play, he lifted up the receiver belly to back and slammed him to the turf. The penalty gave the Rams a first down well inside Oakland territory. Hamilton did his best to atone for it, having a pass defended followed by tight coverage for an incompletion on third and 13 that forced a field goal.James CowserHe had the one takeaway in the game for the Raiders. The Raiders had just pulled to withing seven points and on the first play of the next drive, Cowser dropped back, read the QB’s eyes, and had perfect position to pick off his pass. He returned it 15 yards and set the Raiders up at the LA 21-yard line. They scored a few plays later and opted to go for the lead, but the 2-point conversion failed and they remained down 16-15.Maurice HurstHurst’s first play was a run stop on third and goal from the 11-yard-line that ended the Rams drive at the end of the first half and forced them to settle for a field goal. His day was done at that point after 19 snaps. On the first drive of the third quarter, Hurst had his first sack as a Raider. Much like his draft classmate PJ Hall did last week, he got pressure up the middle and when pressure came from the outside, he was there to make the sack. That’s what the Raiders want from the two of them. Honorable MentionGareon Conley – played nine snaps and didn’t give up a catch.Nicholas Morrow – Was in on quite a few tackles, finishing 3rd on the team with 4 combined (2 solo).Jylan Ware – Laid key blocks on Warren runs of 13, 23, and 5 yards on the Raiders’ first two scoring drives. Also didn’t give up any pressures.Griff Whalen – Made the Raiders only touchdown reception, reaching back with one hand to make the catch at the goal line to put the Raiders within one in the fourth quarter.Continue to the Busters OAKLAND https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-antonio-brown-jersey , Calif. (AP) — Coach Jon Gruden ran off the field high-fiving Oakland fans on the way to the locker room.In a season with very little to celebrate, the Raiders had plenty to feel good about Sunday.Derek Carr threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Derek Carrier with 21 seconds left before Chris Boswell slipped on a potential game-tying 40-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the Raiders’ 24-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.Article continues below ...Carr threw two touchdown passes to overcome fourth-quarter deficits and the Raiders (3-10) then survived after allowing a 48-yard hook-and-lateral pass play that set up the final field goal try.“The character of this team is impressive,” Gruden said. “No matter what anybody says or saw today, the character in there is special.”Carr threw for 322 yards, including a 3-yard TD to Lee Smith that put Oakland up 17-14 with 5:20 to play. His second TD to Carrier capped his 16th career fourth-quarter game-winning drive.“What we’ve kind of been preaching as a team is just resiliency because we’ve definitely faced adversity this year, and finishing strong, and that’s what we did today,” Carrier said. “We’ve been in position to win games and the ball just hasn’t rolled our way for one reason or another.”Roethlisberger returned from a rib injury to lead a go-ahead touchdown drive that Carr answered. Big Ben then connected on a short pass to James Washington. Washington then flipped the ball to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who raced down the sideline for 43 more yards to set up Boswell’s chance.But his lost his footing on the approach, sending the Steelers (7-5-1) to their third straight loss, all decided in the final minutes.“Sometimes it makes it worse when it’s right there,” Roethlisberger said. “If you get blown out it doesn’t seem to hurt as bad as when you have a chance.”Roethlisberger missed the first four drives of the second half before returning to drive the Steelers to the go-ahead score on a 1-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster before once again ending up on the losing end in a trip to Oakland. He is 0-4 at the Coliseum and the Raiders remain the only AFC opponent he has never beaten on the road.Pittsburgh went scoreless on four drives with backup Joshua Dobbs.“(Roethlisberger) probably could’ve come in a series or so sooner, but we were in a rhythm and flow of the game,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “He was ready to go when he got back out there.Roethlisberger finished 25 for 29 for 282 yards and two TDs, but the Steelers failed to open up ground on Baltimore in the AFC North. Pittsburgh has a half-game lead over the Ravens.He also threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Smith-Schuster with 10 seconds remaining in the first half. Smith-Schuster deflected the high pass to himself and deftly managed to get both feet down with a toe tap in the back of the end zone.The play was ruled incomplete on the field, but was overturned on replay to the delight of the thousands of yellow-towel waving Steelers fans who filled the Coliseum.But it was the Raiders fans who cheered at the end after Boswell’s missed kick that came after the Steelers got in position thanks to the short pass to James Washington, who lateraled to Smith-Schuster, who raced 43 yards to the 22.Boswell has now missed six field goals and five extra points, with his 11 missed kicks ranking worst in the NFL.“It’s terrible, what else do you want me to say,” Boswell said.GROUNDEDPittsburgh got little from its running game with James Conner sidelined by an ankle injury. They gained 40 yards on 19 carries with Stevan Ridley scoring on a 1-yard run in the second quarter.FUMBLE OR NOTThe Raiders found themselves on the wrong end of replay reviews during an odd sequence late in the third quarter. With Oakland at the Pittsburgh 22, Carr lost the ball just before trying to throw it for a fumble that was recovered by Pittsburgh upheld on replay. Just a few plays later, Dobbs was hit by Arden Key as he tried to throw and the ball came loose. Oakland recovered that, but officials ruled it an incomplete pass and the call stood after a challenge by the Raiders. It turned out not to matter much when Tahir Whitehead intercepted Dobbs on the next play.PRESSURE POINTwhen Clinton McDonald brought down Roethlisberger on a third down. That was the league-low 11th sack of the season for Oakland. The play proved pivotal when Boswell missed a 39-yard field goal on the following play for his first miss inside of 40 yards this season.FAST STARTThe Raiders again got off to a fast start on offense with a 1-yard TD run by Doug Martin on the opening drive. That gave Oakland 41 points on the first drive this season, fourth best in the league.HOLDING ONThe Raiders committed three facemask penalties in a span of 13 plays in the second quarter. Before the infractions from Tahir Whitehead, Johnathan Hankins and Erik Harris, Oakland hadn’t been penalized for a facemask all season.UP NEXTSteelers: Host Patriots on Sunday.Raiders: Visit Bengals on Sunday.