The Raiders took a 20-12 loss to the Vikings Saturday night in their second exhibition game of the summer.
The game will be remembered not for the loss, however, but for two things: the lightning strikes that forced the game’s suspension before halftime and the 40-yard strike from quarterback Derek Carr to rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper.
For Raiders fans eager for more offense in 2015, the Carr-to-Cooper connection was a thing of beauty and a possible preview of coming attractions.
On the Raiders’ second possession late in the first quarter, they had the ball on the Vikings’ 48 with a first-and-10. Carr took the snap out of the shotgun, looked to the right and threw long to Cooper, loping down the sideline with separation from veteran cornerback Terrance Newman. Cooper caught the ball in stride and was forced out at the 8-yard line.
Two plays later, Latavius Murray scored on a 2-yard run to give the Raiders and early 6-0 lead.
Carr finished the night 4-of-8 for 78 yards, averaging 9.75 yards per attempt – a big jump from last year’s season average of 5.5, the lowest in the NFL among starters.
By adding Cooper, the All-American from Alabama, and ex-49er Michael Crabtree, the Raiders are hoping Carr will have the resources to throw deep more effectively in 2015 than they did last season.
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Last week, Carr completed three passes to Cooper in his exhibition debut, and said it was “awesome” to have a receiver of his caliber in silver and black.
“I knew I wanted to get him some touches,” Carr said then. “I want to get him as many as we can in the preseason.”
Then, against the Vikings Saturday night, Carr and Cooper connected in a big way, for 40 yards.
Wrote Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith Saturday night after watching the big gain: “It’s been a long time since the Raiders have given their fans anything to be optimistic about, but in Carr and Cooper, they have the cornerstone of what could be a great offense for many years to come.”
