Rookie QB Derek Carr throws three TDs in Raiders' preseason finale (w/video)

OAKLAND - The hashtag ‘StartTheCarr’ was trending like mad on Twitter last night, and it’s probably going strong today along the web of Raiders fandom.

For the second year in a row, the Raiders have a full-blown quarterback controversy on their hands as they head into the regular season. Last year, Terrelle Pryor was the people’s choice rather than anointed starter Matt Flynn. This year it’s Matt Schaub, acquired from the Houston Texans in an offseason trade and drawing $8 million in guaranteed money this year, who has fallen out of favor.

The new object of desire is Derek Carr, Oakland’s second-round draft choice out of Fresno State. In an otherwise meaningless preseason game Thursday night at O.co Coliseum, Carr started in place of the injured Schaub and connected on 11 of 13 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Most important, he led the Raiders to 28 points on four crisp drives before giving way to third-stringer Matt McGloin, and the home team was on its way to a 41-31 victory over the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. The Raiders finished the preseason 2-2.

Oakland head coach Dennis Allen may be the only person in the Bay Area unwilling to budge from the position that Schaub will get the start against the New York Jets on opening weekend.

“That’s been the plan all along,” Allen said. “But obviously, Derek continues to get better, continues to improve and like I said before, I think we’ve got a good situation there.”

Asked whether Carr could reach a level of play that would allow him to supersede Schaub, Allen replied: “Listen, I mean, there’s always a level. I mean, let’s don’t bury your head in the sand. But I haven’t changed anything.”

Carr opened the game against a defense made up mostly of Seattle starters, but was facing second-teamers on his final couple drives. It didn’t seem to matter. He lit up both units just as he lit up this long-restless crowd and found different ways to crack the end zone. His first possession was a 12-play, 68-yard drive sustained by two third-and-10 conversions and finally capped by Latavius Murray’s 5-yard touchdown run. His final possession covered 61 yards in eight plays and finished on an 11-yard scoring pass to Denarius Moore.

Sandwiched between those marches, though, were a couple of lightning strikes. Carr twice threw touchdown passes to open drives - a 36-yarder to Moore that followed Jack Crawford’s fumble recovery on a kickoff, and a 20-yarder to tight end Mychal Rivera set up by rookie T.J. Carrie’s 45-yard punt return.

Carr’s poised quarterbacking seemed to elevate his offensive teammates. Rivera, who had struggled through a disappointing preseason, made a tumbling touchdown catch off a tipped pass. And Moore, an enigma for at least a year, rediscovered his flashy moves. He twisted to snare a pass Carr threw behind him - with Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman in coverage, no less - and made a clever back-shoulder catch in the end zone for his second touchdown.

Schaub, a former Pro Bowl pick who had a disastrous season in Houston last year, had yet to endear himself to the Black Hole. He came away from last week’s loss at Green Bay with a sore throwing elbow, opening the door for Carr - and perhaps giving Raiders head coach Dennis Allen an elegant way of making a quarterback switch.

Carr’s heroics made a lively show out of what shaped up to be an exercise in drudgery. Wide receiver Percy Harvin, linebacker Bruce Irvin and defensive end Michael Bennett sat out the game for Seattle, and the Raiders scratched 19 players – including seven starters on defense and five on offense, plus kicker Sebastian Janikowski and offensive weapons Darren McFadden and James Jones.

The game started as everyone might have imagined, with the Seahawks needing just four crisp plays to move 80 yards and score. Russell Wilson was 3 of 3 for 77 yards on the drive. He hit tight end Luke Willson with a 25-yard touchdown pass between trailing linebacker Kaluka Maiava and strong safety Tyvon Branch to give Seattle a 7-0 lead, then retired to the bench for the rest of the preseason.

That’s when Carr went to work.

McGloin replaced Carr early in the second quarter and played the rest of the game. He wasn’t as magical. He led the Raiders to 13 points, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brice Butler, but also threw an interception that Seattle’s DeShawn Shead returned for a touchdown.

The Seahawks cut the deficit to seven points with about four minutes left, but Seth Roberts recovered an onside kick for Oakland and the Raiders tacked on a field goal to put the game out of reach.

Getting the bulk of the snaps at quarterback for Seattle was Pryor, last year’s fan favorite in Oakland. He made some nice deep throws and finished 11 of 17 for 134 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t get a lot of cheers from the home crowd, though.

This time, they were reserved for Derek Carr.