NFL 2016 Preseason Week 4 Raiders Recap
The Oakland Raiders hosted the Seattle Seahawks in the final preseason game for both teams. The third preseason game is the closest to a regular season game, with each team playing their starters into the third quarter. The fourth game is like the first one. The starters barely play, if at all.
Tony Romo is out injured 6 to 10 weeks with the Cowboys. The Minnesota Vikings saw Teddy Bridgewater lost for the season due to a freak non-contact injury in practice. Winning the last preseason game is immaterial. There are only two goals. Keep everybody healthy and give your guys on the bubble as much playing time as possible to see if they can survive the final cut downs and make the team.
Jack Del Rio was taking no chances. Derek Carr spent the night learning how to hold a clipboard and wear a headset. He did not play in this game. Matt McGloin got the start. Russell Wilson played only one series for Seattle. He did combine for a 23-yard completion, but after the drive ended in a punt, Pete Carroll pulled him for Trevor Boykin.
Even for a game of backups, this one was ugly. After a scoreless first quarter, Del Rio pulled McGloin. His preseason overall has been less successful than past preseasons. Connor Cook started the second quarter and also had little success. With less than 5 minutes left in the half of a scoreless game, the Seahawks faced 3rd and 10 from their own 8 yard line. Boykin was called for intentional grounding in the end zone. The resulting safety gave the Raiders a 2-0 halftime lead.
An ugly first half was followed by an ugly second half. Starting with a short field was the closest thing either team had to resembling offense. A 25 yard punt return had the Raiders starting at the Seattle 42. From inside the 20, Cook lobbed a gift to a wide open George Atkinson. Atkinson will never field an easier pass. He dropped it. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Cook threw incomplete. Sebastian Janikowski hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 5-0 Raiders. A 60 yard kickoff return had the Seahawks starting at the Oakland 44. With third string quarterback Heaps in for the Seahawks, he led them to a 3rd and 1 at the 20. A run lost a yard. Steve Hauschka hit the 39 yard field goal to get the Seahawks on the board down 5-3. A field position game had the Raiders taking over at the Seattle 41. Cook did next to nothing but Seabass hit from 45 on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 8-3 Raiders.
In a very surprise move, after having Heaps play the third quarter, Pete Carroll brought Boykin back in for the fourth quarter. One bright spot in the preseason has been George Atkinson III. Despite dropping the earlier pass, he has run wild in each game, and has a serious chance of making the team. From the Oakland 28, he ripped off gains of 16 and 12 yards. Yet on the next play, he caught a 3 yard pass from Cook and fumbled. Seattle recovered at their own 41. The game just kept getting uglier. On the next play a deep ball that was thrown only to the defender fell incomplete rather than intercepted when the defender fell down. Two plays later from the Oakland 46, Boykin fumbled the center snap exchange and the ball went back to the Raiders. On the next play from scrimmage, Cook was intercepted. The ball was returned for a defensive touchdown. In one of the worst preseason games in history, the Seahawks led 9-8 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Cook was terrible, and an incompletion on 3rd and 3 was followed by another punt. The Silver and Black defense had played well all game, but with zero offense to help them, they finally broke down. Helped along by a roughing the passer penalty, The Seahawks ran the ball down Oakland’s throat, without Boykin even needing to throw another pass. When Pope got in from 5 yards out with 5 minutes left, Seattle had the 16-8 lead.
Holton returned the kickoff 31 yards to the Oakland 35, and Atkinson ran 15 yards to midfield. After being terrible all game, Cook went deep to Mickens for a 33 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the 10, Atkinson gained 5. Defensive pass interference moved the ball to the one. Atkinson ran up the middle for the touchdown. With 2:17 to play, it was time for the critical 2 point conversion try to tie the game. Cook tried to take it himself around the end but failed to get in as the Raiders trailed 16-14.
The onside kick also failed. With 2:08 to play and the Raiders down to one timeout, the Seahawks faced 2nd and 7 from the Oakland 40. Pope raced for a 33 yard gain, with a horse collar tackle penalty added on. Collins got in from the one to make it 23-14 with 1:19 left. The Seahawks would have been better off not scoring. They could have taken the clock down to practically zeroes. In the preseason coaches spend less time analyzing this stuff.
A game that was beyond boring for 3 1/2 quarters featured some real excitement at the end. Atkinson returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for an touchdown. The Raiders had to burn their last timeout due to not having enough men on the field for the extra point try. This cannot happen in the final preseason game. The Raiders were back within 2 point with another onside kick attempt with one minute left. Again it failed, and this time Boykin took a knee to end the game.
2 points in the first half and 6 points in the third quarter were followed by 36 points in the fourth quarter. The Raiders finished 1-3 in the preseason. They are not nearly as good as the Summer buzz. They have little to no depth. Conor Cook is raw and unpolished while McGloin seems to have regressed from last year.
Everything with this team will come down to the star players. Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack are ready. If any of them get hurt, it could be a long season. This is the year the Raiders are supposed to break the streak of 13 straight non-winning seasons. While preseason can often fool the eyes, it seems the Raiders are still a year away from playoff contention. 23-21 Seahawks
eric