The Raiders went through the 2015 offseason receiving praise for transactions well made. Then they went out in that season opener against Cincinnati and got demolished.
The hype was amplified this spring and summer, with many considering the Raiders a playoff team. This time, in New Orleans, the Raiders put up a fight.
They erased a two-touchdown deficit in the second half, and countered every punch thrown by Saints quarterback Drew Brees to beat New Orleans 35-34 in a game that was simply bonkers.
The Raiders were down seven points with 5 minutes left but drove 75 yards on 11 plays and tied it with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Seth Roberts.
Then coach Jack Del Rio pushed his chips into the middle of the table and went for the two-point conversion. The Raiders converted with a catch by Michael Crabtree with 47 seconds left.
The Saints weren’t done yet. They pushed the ball downfield and gave kicker Will Lutz a shot from 61 yards, but his attempt fell short and wide left.
Good football is rarely easy. It’s a lot harder in a place like the Superdome, where the crowd can be energetic and at times intimidating in support of their Saints and quarterback Drew Brees.
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The laser sharp signal caller carved the Raiders secondary, totaling 437 yards and four touchdowns in this one. That put and anvil on Derek Carr’s chest, creating the need to score in bunches.
The Raiders did that to some extent, but had a tough time keeping pace. A 98-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks in the third quarter – Sean Smith got flat smoked – was a tide turner. It put the Saints up two scores.
The Raiders countered with a field goal, an unacceptable result in a high-scoring battle with Brees at the helm.
Brees applied pressure all day with steady, productive offense. He had 200 yards and two touchdowns by halftime, an alarming clip highlighted by scoring passes to Willie Snead and Brandin Cooks.
The Raiders had no answers on the outside, especially in dealing with Cooks. Smith got beat on the long touchdown catch and wasn’t back on the field after. DJ Hayden didn’t fare better as the defense failed to make stops when needed.
The Raiders tied it on a 75-yard touchdown by Jalen Richard and a subsequent two-point conversion. Brees responded with his fourth touchdown pass to take the lead with 6 minutes remaining.
McGill’s surprise start: The Raiders mixed up their depth chart this week, putting Nate Allen in the first slot at strong safety over Karl Joseph. Neither guy started on Sunday.
Keith McGill did, however, after switching from cornerback this offseason. The Utah alum spent most of the preseason working with the second and third team, though he was given the nod. McGill was rarely used on defense in two previous seasons.
Thin up front: Right tackle Menelik Watson suffered a groin injury in the first half and did not return. That was the first issue with the offensive line, not the last. He was replaced by Matt McCants, who also suffered an injury that pulled him from the game. That forced the Raiders to adjust, with guard Kelechi Osemele moving to left tackle and Donald Penn shifting to right tackle.
This 'n' that: The Raiders stuck with old returners after experimenting with several others this preseason. Taiwan Jones was back returning kickoffs and TJ Carrie handled punts. ... The Raiders were heavily penalized in this game, as they were all preseason. They were flagged 14 times for 141 yards. ... Cornerback Sean Smith got beat on the long touchdown pass, and didn’t come back on the next defensive series. DJ Hayden took his place at outside cornerback, with TJ Carrie entering in the slot.
Sitting it out: Tight end Mychal Rivera was a healthy scratch, a surprise to many who expected the Raiders to activate three at that position. Rivera has been behind Lee Smith and Clive Walford on the depth chart all summer. He was joined on the inactive list by Vadal Alexander, Connor Cook, Dexter McDonald, Antonio Hamilton and Austin Howard.
C.J. Spiller was a surprise scratch for the Saints.
What's next: The Raiders come back home to open their Oakland Coliseum slate against the Atlanta Falcons.
