Raiders week 1 Ballers & Busters vs Titans: Part two

Busters

Tyrell Adams

With the uncertainty at linebacker for the Raiders, they rotated Adams with rookie Marquel Lee. Adams was in for passing situations and Lee for running situation. While in the end, it worked out, there were some major bumps along the way.

Adams had a rough day to say the least. In coverage he gave up a 10-yard catch on third and 6, was blocked on a 10-yard touch pass on third and 2, give up a 23-yard catch, a 17-yard catch, and a 13-yard catch, and a 12-yard catch. He also was blocked on runs of 21 and 7 yards to give up over 116 yards of offense by my count. Yikes.

Vadal Alexander

For some strange reason Jack Del Rio thought he might rotate Alexander in at right tackle for Marshall Newhouse. One would assume that was something he had planned to continue, but after one drive with Alexander in the game, Del Rio realized that wasn’t such a good idea.

The drive was the first of the second quarter with the Raiders holding a 10-7 lead. On the first play, Alexander missed his block to give up a run stuff. A few big completions later and the Raiders had put together a nice drive, knocking on the door at the Tennessee 41-yard line. The Alexander slammed that door shut.

He gave up a pressure on the right side, while a blitzing linebacker got by little Jalen Richard and Derek Carr was sandwiched for the sack. The next play, on third and 13, Alexander was beaten soundly by Derrick Morgan to give up the second sack on consecutive plays. Highly unusual for the Raiders who gave up just 18 sacks all of last season, only eight of which came from the offensive line. Newhouse returned on the next drive and remained at RT for the rest of the game.

Bruce Irvin

Irvin’s best play was a tip at the line on the first drive. It went downhill for him from there. Late in the second quarter, Marcus Mariota escaped the pocket and Irvin gave chase, but diving at Mariota’s ankles as he ran for the end zone. It took TJ Carrie coming up from his corner spot to finally stop Mariota to keep from scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Irvin began the third quarter by giving up a 5-yard run around the left side. Later, on the Titans’ final scoring drive, Khalil Mack sacked Mariota, forcing the fumble. But it was negated by Irvin being called offsides. The next play Irvin gave up a 6-yard catch making his only tackle of the game. But he couldn’t just make the tackle, he had to suplex the guy and was called for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. For what it’s worth, I hate that call, but that’s just the NFL now.

Gabe Jackson, Donald Penn

The Titans have a couple of Pro Bowlers on their defensive line and a defensive coordinator who can dial up some creative blitzes and stunts. Jackson and Penn had some issues with those aspects.

On the Raiders’ second drive, Gabe Jackson gave up a hit on Derek Carr. The next play Penn missed a block to give up a run stuff. The next drive Jackson was beaten on the block to give up a run stuff. Later in the drive, on third and 13, Alexander gave up a sack, but it was Penn on the other side was later to pick up his block on the stunt to ensure Carr had nowhere to go but down.

A promising drive in the third quarter ended on third and 18 with Donald Penn getting blocked onto his back, forcing Carr to flee the pocket and scramble for 3 yards. Looking at a 57-yard field goal, the Raiders brought out Marquette King to punt. It was a running the kicker penalty on former Raiders safety Brynden Trawick that brought Giorgio Tavecchio who nailed his second 52-yard field goal of the game.

The Raiders’ final drive of the game ended when on third and two Jackson gave up the stuff on Marshawn Lynch. A first down would have ended the game with the Raiders kneeling out the clock. Instead they brought out Tavecchio again to save the day with a 43-yard field goal and a two-score lead.

See the Ballers