Raiders notebook: Assessing young QBs

OAKLAND — You can forgive the Raiders for wanting to evaluate both Matt McGloin and Terrelle Pryor in the end stages of this season. Both have shown moments of promise at quarterback, both have shown their imperfections, and the team needs to know if either is a viable candidate to make the team next year.

But Oakland's quarterback rotation was a little hard to predict Sunday. McGloin started and got the bulk of the snaps. Pryor subbed here and there, and took over for entire series in the second half. On one drive, they took turns — and the Raiders wound up scoring a touchdown.

"We wanted to use Terrelle as a change of pace," head coach Dennis Allen said. "I thought it was effective there in the third quarter when we were able to get Terrelle in there. .

.

. Then obviously, we put Terrelle in there at the end of the game to be able to get some more evaluation on him." Asked whether it was difficult to switch back and forth, McGloin said: "We're getting used to it. We do it throughout practice and throughout the course of the week. The coaches are doing what they feel puts us in the best position to win, and I'm on board for that."McGloin threw four interceptions. Pryor threw just one, but had a passer rating of 0.0.With Denarius Moore battling a shoulder injury, and Jacoby Ford and Brice Butler struggling to get playing time, Andre Holmes is getting his chance at wide receiver. The third-year journeyman from tiny Hillsdale College is making the most of it.Starting for the third time Sunday, he caught four passes for 58 yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown on a 6-yard pass from McGloin in the third quarter and helped his team get to the end zone with a one-handed, 28-yard grab on the Raiders' next possession."Most of the time, it's just the read of the play, how the quarterback's reading the play," Holmes said. " .

Asked whether it was difficult to switch back and forth, McGloin said: "We're getting used to it. We do it throughout practice and throughout the course of the week. The coaches are doing what they feel puts us in the best position to win, and I'm on board for that."

McGloin threw four interceptions. Pryor threw just one, but had a passer rating of 0.0.

Our afternoon with Andre

With Denarius Moore battling a shoulder injury, and Jacoby Ford and Brice Butler struggling to get playing time, Andre Holmes is getting his chance at wide receiver. The third-year journeyman from tiny Hillsdale College is making the most of it.

Starting for the third time Sunday, he caught four passes for 58 yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown on a 6-yard pass from McGloin in the third quarter and helped his team get to the end zone with a one-handed, 28-yard grab on the Raiders' next possession.

"Most of the time, it's just the read of the play, how the quarterback's reading the play," Holmes said. " .

.

. I don't think it's where McGloin is just targeting me." McGloin was more effusive about his teammate."He works his tail off, shows up each and every day at practice, he's eager to learn," the quarterback said. "He's not a guy who's gonna say a lot. He's gonna go about his business day in and day out and do what he's told, and I see that throughout the course of the week so I want to give him opportunities to get the ball."The Raiders were down 28-10 in the second quarter when they got the look they had hoped for from the Kansas City punt-return team. Marcel Reece, the upback in punt formation, called for a fake and took a direct snap. He had the option to run, but threw to left gunner Chimdi Chekwa, who caught the ball and gained 22 yards for a first down."It's up to Marcel whether he wants to throw it or not," Chekwa said. "He's the guy willing to take the risk. I didn't hear the call, but I kind of expected it."Chekwa noted that the Raiders hadn't practiced the play much. "Not at all," he said. "I mean, early in the season we worked on it, and then kind of got away from it. And really, to be honest, I don't think anybody would've expected it to be run in a game."-- Sunday's game, with the teams combining for 87 points, was the second highest-scoring in Raiders history. Still on top is Oakland's 52-49 win over the Houston Oilers in 1963.-- For the first time in franchise history, the Raiders have lost three consecutive games while scoring 24-plus points in each.-- Kansas City's Jamaal Charles fell just short of the NFL record of six touchdowns in a game. The last player to score five was Denver's Clinton Portis in 2003. Charles is the first player to have at least 187 receiving yards and four touchdown catches in a game since 49ers legend Jerry Rice in 1990.-- RB Darren McFadden (ankle) and DT Vance Walker (concussion) both missed the game with injuries. LB Miles Burris left with an ankle injury sustained in punt coverage.

McGloin was more effusive about his teammate.

"He works his tail off, shows up each and every day at practice, he's eager to learn," the quarterback said. "He's not a guy who's gonna say a lot. He's gonna go about his business day in and day out and do what he's told, and I see that throughout the course of the week so I want to give him opportunities to get the ball."

Elements of surprise

The Raiders were down 28-10 in the second quarter when they got the look they had hoped for from the Kansas City punt-return team. Marcel Reece, the upback in punt formation, called for a fake and took a direct snap. He had the option to run, but threw to left gunner Chimdi Chekwa, who caught the ball and gained 22 yards for a first down.

"It's up to Marcel whether he wants to throw it or not," Chekwa said. "He's the guy willing to take the risk. I didn't hear the call, but I kind of expected it."

Chekwa noted that the Raiders hadn't practiced the play much. "Not at all," he said. "I mean, early in the season we worked on it, and then kind of got away from it. And really, to be honest, I don't think anybody would've expected it to be run in a game."

Extra points

-- Sunday's game, with the teams combining for 87 points, was the second highest-scoring in Raiders history. Still on top is Oakland's 52-49 win over the Houston Oilers in 1963.

-- For the first time in franchise history, the Raiders have lost three consecutive games while scoring 24-plus points in each.

-- Kansas City's Jamaal Charles fell just short of the NFL record of six touchdowns in a game. The last player to score five was Denver's Clinton Portis in 2003. Charles is the first player to have at least 187 receiving yards and four touchdown catches in a game since 49ers legend Jerry Rice in 1990.

-- RB Darren McFadden (ankle) and DT Vance Walker (concussion) both missed the game with injuries. LB Miles Burris left with an ankle injury sustained in punt coverage.