Aug 8, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of TCF Bank Stadium during the second quarter between the Minnesota Vikings and the Oakland Raiders. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The preseason opener between the Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings was a very hard game to watch. The Raiders’ starers didn’t even get past the 50-yard line on the same Vikings that had the NFL’s worst defense last year. Then the Vikings’ offensive starters went through the Raiders defensive starters like a hot knife through butter.
But not to worry, the sky is not falling in Raider Nation as the 2014 Raiders looked horrible in losing their preseason debut. No matter what the score is, teams don’t win games in the preseason as coaches don’t really try that hard to. If they were, fullback Marcel Reece and No. 1 receiver Rod Streater would have been involved when the ones were in the game.
First-round pick Khalil Mack would have gotten more opportunities to rush the passer as defensive coordinator Jason Tarver loves to blitz. The Raiders would have run the ball more as they know that the running game is the strength of their team. And Raiders corner Tarrell Brown wouldn’t have been matched up on Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Paterson for very long either.
This game is about individual players as the coaches give them an opportunity to show what they do when the lights come on. And as far as the ones go, there may be some promotions and demotions as that was just Round 1 of four in fights for positions. The real winners in preseason games are those that do well with their opportunities to close the gap or take the lead in their fights.
Turn the page to see who the winners of Round 1 were.