Derek Carr sharp in dress rehearsal as Raiders fall to Titans 27-14

OAKLAND - NFL analysts tend to overdo it when gushing over the importance of the third preseason game. These are practice games, after all. But with starters playing into the third quarter and first-team units finally getting time to find some rhythm, we look to the third game in August for answers.

For the Raiders on Saturday, the answer was No. Yes. No. Yes. Etc.

It depended which side of the ball you were looking at. Derek Carr and the Oakland offense were aggressive, multi-dimensional and very sharp at the Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders defense was a mess, giving up 20 first-half points in a game the Tennessee Titans eventually won 27-14.

“You’d like to see things finish up a little better, and me with a big smile on my face right now,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. “But it was a good day’s work and we’ll get ready for the next one.”

Carr looked every bit like a franchise quarterback during his five possessions. The third-year QB connected on his first four passes of the game. The second of those was a spot-on lob down the right sideline to Michael Crabtree, who nestled the ball for a 41-yard gain. Four plays later, Carr zipped a throw to running back DeAndre Washington on a slant route for a 6-yard touchdown.

It was the first touchdown of the preseason for the Raiders’ first-team offense, on its eighth possession.

Early in the second quarter, Carr laid up a throw into the end zone for Amari Cooper, who kept his focus as the ball cleared cornerback Jason McCourty’s hands and reeled in a 29-yard touchdown (after replays confirmed that Cooper held onto the ball long enough).

Carr even led an effective, if abortive, 2-minute drill. The Raiders got the ball 1:52 before halftime, and the quarterback completed 4 of 5 passes (to four different receivers) and added a 17-yard scramble to give Oakland second-and-2 at the Tennessee 8. Finally, Carr lost his touch. He missed wide-open tight end Clive Walford on third down and overshot Crabtree badly on fourth to turn over the ball.

Carr and the starting offensive line played part of the second half, too, before backup quarterback Matt McGloin unceremoniously entered the action mid-drive, with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

After the game, Del Rio said he and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave planned all along to insert McGloin in an uncomfortable spot in the game.

“We had two examples of Derek having to go out last year,” Del Rio explained. “Those things happen in games. You just want to see how your guys are gonna respond. … Most other positions are really tuned in; the quarterback’s kind of comfortable watching his buddy do it. A defensive tackle, he’s used to rotating. Linebackers will rotate. Quarterbacks don’t typically rotate in. I thought it was a good exercise for us.”

One of McGloin’s passes led to a touchdown, but it was in the wrong direction. He throw a short pass to Washington in the right flat, exposing the rookie to a big hit. It was delivered by linebacker Sean Spence. The ball came loose and was recovered by Tennessee’s David Bass, who returned it 47 yards for a touchdown.

Third-string quarterback Connor Cook, another rookie, entered the game with 4:29 left and led the Raiders to a couple first downs before throwing an interception that was deflected to the Titans’ Cody Riggs.

It was an encouraging night for Carr, who completed 12 of 18 passes (he was 10 of 12 at one point) for 169 yards, and did not throw an interception.

The Raiders running game showed signs of life, too, though in an unexpected way. Latavius Murray, the starting halfback, ran just twice and failed to gain a yard. His backup, the 5-foot-8 Washington, stole the show. In addition to his scoring catch, Washington finished the game with 55 yards on eight attempts, bolting through the line like lightning on several occasions.

Another rookie, undrafted Jalen Richard, picked up 35 yards on seven carries, contributing to the feeling that Murray is being pushed by the young(er) guys.

“I thought they both ran hard, ran with vision,” Del Rio said. “They make people miss, so I was pleased. … I think going into the offseason we were hoping we could develop a running back that could be a really good backup for us and it looks like we have a shot at having one of those guys help us, potentially both.”

Now, about that defense.

This was only a preseason game, it’s true. And sure, the Titans might be better than we thought they were. But second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota and his teammates made the Oakland defenders look silly. Mariota finished the first half 9 of 16 for 170 yards, and he engineered three scoring marches, including drives of 81 and 85 yards. Tennessee had 276 total yards at halftime, including 106 on the ground.

There were more missed tackles, the problem that had plagued the Raiders in the first two exhibition games. But Del Rio thought this time around, it was more about mental errors, and edge rusher Bruce Irvin agreed.

“Guys out of their gaps, and Tennessee made us pay for it,” Irvin said. “You’re playing a good running team like that, you have to play gap-sound defense, you have to set the edges. If you don’t, they’ll make you pay.”

Safety Nate Allen committed the biggest faux pas about a minute into the game. On the Titans’ fourth play from scrimmage, Mariota threw to wide receiver Tajae Sharpe over the middle. Cornerback Sean Smith jumped the route, and was inches from a Pick Six. Allen, starting at free safety in place of Reggie Nelson, who has an undisclosed injury, saw the play unfold and leaped into the air to celebrate - just as Sharpe caught the ball and ran past him. It wound up a 60-yard gain for the Titans.

The Raiders don’t have much time to prepare for their next game. They host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. Of course, the starters aren’t likely to play a whole lot in that one. Whatever questions remained for the Raiders after the third preseason game will probably be there after the fourth.

You can reach staff writer Phil Barber at 521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Skinny_Post.