Oakland Raiders Film Room: DEN at OAK
By Evan Ball
Oct 11, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson (24) intercepts a pass in the end zone in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos for his 63rd career interception at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders defense held Peyton Manning’s undefeated Broncos offense to three field goals. Three field goals. And Oakland still lost the game. Needless to say, Oakland’s offense needs to find a way to function more effectively and consistently in order to help the defense stack the numbers in the win column.
On the positive side, the defense played very well. Superstar Khalil Mack was once again dominant against run and controlling the edge with pass rush and contain. Rookie DE Mario Edwards had a very solid showing, particularly against the run, in his first 50 snap game of his career. Then of course The Godfather himself, Charles Woodson, made his veteran presence know with the two huge interceptions.
The story doesn’t end there however. Struggles on the offensive side of the ball were the story of the day. Latavius Murray was held to 39 yards on 13 rushes before once again being largely absent from the late-game play calling. Derek Carr and the receiving corps struggled against a tough Denver defense, which did not allow for many open passing opportunities. Then there was the offensive line… We’ll get to that.
Most of this film room article will focus on the offense. Specifically, we’ll discuss the interdependent play between the right side of the offensive line and the quarterback – which has conspired to hinder the passing game and become an obstacle for Derek Carr’s growth.
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