Oakland Raiders: Takeaways from disappointing Packers loss
By Justin Smith
DEFENSE
The first team defense honestly looked terrible. Eddie Lacy did what he wanted on the first drive, and Brett Hundley was looking Rodgers-esque before an ankle injury brought in rookie Joe Callahan, who promptly squirmed his way around the pocket and led a touchdown drive in the third quarter.
Run fits were missing. Jelly Ellis was pushed around the middle. Ben Heeney looked lost at times, David Amerson missed in coverage more than once, and it was just all-around a poor showing. Khalil Mack was his usual self, grabbing a sack and pressuring Hundley on the play where he got hurt. But it can’t always be all Mack, all the time.
The Raiders failed to score an offensive touchdown. They only got on the board when Brynden Trawick – one player who did show some fight last night – blocked a punt and Nate Allen recovered in the end zone.
Mack and Carr, the two leaders of this team, played the majority of the first half while the Packers trotted out backups and backups to backups. Yet the Packers still looked superior in every facet. This looked like a typical Raider team of recent vintage, and that’s scary for a lot of people. But while it’s not time to panic yet – it’s only preseason – it’s fair to be concerned.
Next: Preseason Week 2 Takeaways: Concerns