Oakland Raiders: Week 2 Grades

September 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts (10) is congratulated by tight end Mychal Rivera (81) and running back Latavius Murray (28) after a 12-yard touchdown catch during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 37-33. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Hjeltness

Quarterback: A-

Derek Carr’s hand gave him no trouble as he carved up the Ravens secondary to the tune of 351 yards, marking a new career high. Carr threw 3 TD’s, including the game-winner to Seth Roberts after marching the offense up the field. He completed 65% of his passes.

This was certainly one of the best performance’s of Carr’s young career. Carr gets a A- rating because he almost lost the game on the final two drives.

A bad decision and a bad throw led to an INT late in the game, but luckily the defense was able to stand pat and the offense was given one more shot. Carr then threw another interception, which was called back for defensive holding.

Running Back: B-

For the second consecutive week, Latavius Murray looked good, but in limited action. He carried the ball 15 times for 65 yards (4.3 ypc) and had one TD. In a game that was close throughout, it is a bit disappointing that Musgrave didn’t try to establish the run.

Murray has proven that he is plenty capable and deserves more carries, so hopefully that happens in the coming games.

Wide Receivers: A

COOOOOOOP!! Amari Cooper had a rough start as he dropped two consecutive passes, but the third time was the charm for Cooper. He beat Jimmy Smith deep for a 68-yard touchdown on the very next play, the first of his career. Cooper finished with 7 catches for 109 yards and the 1 TD.

Michael Crabtree looked like a player who once was a top-1o pick, hauling in 9 catches for 111 yards and 1 TD. His hands are incredibly impressive, and he made a handful of very difficult catches.

Tight Ends: C-

Tight Ends don’t seem they’ll be much apart of the offense through two weeks. Rivera, Walford and Smith combined for just 5 catches for 25 yards.

Offensive Line: B+

The offensive line looked much better this week. Carr was only sacked once, although he did take a handful of big hits. But they held up well in pass protection, and they got decent push when running the ball.

Donald Penn is a stud and looks like he’s in line for another great year. He’s been by far the best offensive lineman through two games.

Defensive Line: F

Similar story as last week. The front-four failed to create any kind of pressure, giving Flacco all day to throw, and he put up 384 yards as a result.

The defense registered zero sacks, and because it seems like Norton Jr. doesn’t believe in blitzing, this responsibility falls on the d-line to produce.

Khalil Mack is a off to a slow start and doesn’t seem fully comfortable in his new role as full-time DE.

Linebackers: C

For the second consecutive week, a Tight End looked playing against the Raiders looked liked Antonio Gates in his prime. Crockett Gilmore caught 5 passes for 88 yards and 2 scores. Yes, Crockett Gilmore torched us.

On the bright side, Curtis Lofton and Malcolm Smith both had quality games, finishing with 13 and 12 tackles, respectively.

Once again, Ray Ray Armstrong proved that he doesn’t belong on a football field. He can’t hold contain, he can’t cover anyone, and he can’t tackle.

Secondary: D+

Immediately following the Cooper touchdown, another talented young player came up with a big play when T.J. Carrie forced a fumble, and the Raiders ended up recovering.

Overall, it was up and down game for the secondary. Flacco put up 384 yards, and Steve Smith caught 10 passes for 150 yards. Kamar Aiken and Gilmore both almost reached 100 yards.

Hayden got burned badly on a couple plays, but he also made a handful of positive plays. He was in on a couple of pass breakups and he held tight coverage on some key downs.

Neiko Thorpe came up with the game-winning interception and had 3 pass breakups on the day. Impressive showing, and it would be huge for the secondary if he can step up as a quality player for this unit.

Coaching: C

Credit to Bill Musgrave for making adjustments on opening up the playbook bit. Plays were drawn up that allowed Carr to showcase his arm and throw the ball downfield. As a result, the chains moved consistently and the Raiders won a shootout.

Ken Norton Jr. on the other hand…not so much. Very few, if any, blitzes were called. Two weeks in and no adjustments on the defensive end. The secondary is in rough shape, so if we’re just gonna rush four and not get any pressure on the quarterback, it’s gonna be a long year for the defense.

There were way too many penalties in this one, which is something that has to be cleaned up. 16 penalties for 106 yards brings is an easy way to lose a game, especially if it’s close. This will definitely be an area of emphasis in practice this week.

Next: JBB Week 2 Grades: Pete Camarillo