McGloin Makes Case For Vigorous Look/See At QB

I can only assume after seeing the performance of all three Raiders quarterbacks last night, that Matt McGloin just hasn't shown in summer camp what he always shows in live game action; leardership and the will to just win baby! Plus he puts a good touch on his throws.

Projected starting quarterback Matt Schaub looked good for all of a handful of plays before throwing a bullet pass that looked uncatchable as it deflected off the receivers hands and into the opposition's for an interception.  That was how the night started for him. It would only get a fraction better as the passing game just seemed to struggle under his leadership.

Rookie Derek Carr, currently slotted at backup quarterback, looked okay but the offense stuttered and sputtered as it eked out points thanks in part to Detroit Lions penalties. I believe Carr was slated to play the entire second half if not for suffering a rib injury and concussion.  

In comes Miracle McGloin with the unenviable task of delivering the Raiders their first victory of the year. He came close in game one against the Minnesota vikings, where his lone 10-yd scrambling touchdown wasn't enough.

Last night against Detroit, McGloin came through with a 19-yd touchdown pass to receiver Brice Butler with six ticks left on the clock.  Granted, it was against backup backups, but everyone on that field is playing their hearts out trying to secure a roster spot.  The Detroit defense wanted to stop the Raiders just as much as the Silver & Black offense wanted to punch it in.  On this pre-season night in Oaktown, the home team offense won the battle and the war, capping it off with a Janikowski extra point that gave the Raiders a 27-26 lead.  The lead would stand and the Raider Nation would celebrate like it was Christmas in August.

The Raiders still have much work to to do, especially in the defensive secondary where I saw too many breakdowns in coverage. Better player to player and player to coach communication is needed.  Overall the defense did okay, holding the Detroit running game to 52-yds and shutting down the passing game when it mattered most, down the stretch.

Just Win Baby!


game notes from Raiders.com

Individual Notes: Offense

• QB Matt Schaub began the game efficiently, completing his first three pass attempts to three different receivers for 37 yards and two first downs. Schaub continued to move the ball efficiently and finished eight-of-13 passing (61.5 percent) with 87 yards and one INT. Schaub has a career completion percentage of 64.0 percent.

• WR James Jones earned his first start and hauled in his first reception as a Raider, gaining 13 yards and a first down via a back-shoulder throw from Matt Schaub on the game’s first drive. He finished the game with two catches for 29 yards. James had a career-high 817 yards on 59 receptions (13.8 avg.) and three TDs with the Green Bay Packers in 2013.

• RB Darren McFadden broke into the end zone on a 1-yard TD run to cap off an 11-play, 60-yard drive to record the Raiders’ first points in the opening half this season. McFadden now has two preseason TDs in his career to add to his 23 rushing TDs and five receiving TDs in the regular season.

• FB Marcel Reece got involved in the passing attack early, picking up a first down on a 10-yard reception from Schaub. This season, Reece is looking to join Marcus Allen as only the second running back or fullback in NFL history to record at least 300 yards receiving in at least five consecutive seasons, joining Marcus Allen.

• WR Brice Butler led the Raiders in receiving for the second time this preseason, posting 74 yards on four receptions (18.5 avg.) with the game-winning TD. Butler now leads the Raiders through the first two games with eight catches for 118 yards (14.8).

• Rookie QB Derek Carr led three scoring drives after relieving Schaub in the second quarter, posting his first NFL TD pass on a 3-yard strike to TE Jake Murphy in the third quarter. The 80-yard scoring drive included Carr’s two longest passes to date: A 29-yard strike to WR Brice Butler and a 38-yard completion to WR Greg Little, which brought the team down to the 3-yard line. Carr’s first drive of the game, coming in the second quarter, led to points as KSebastian Janikowski booted a 28-yd FG, his first of the 2014 campaign.

• QB Matt McGloin entered the game in the fourth quarter and orchestrated a 13-play, 68-yard (2:26), game-winning drive that culminated in a 19-yard TD pass to WR Brice Butler with six seconds remaining. His first pass was a 29-yard strike to a leaping WR Andre Holmes, and his last a bullet to Butler in the back of the end zone for the game-clinching TD. He finished seven-of-15 passing (46.7 percent) with 114 yards and one TD. 

Individual Notes: Defense

• Rookie LB Khalil Mack recorded his first NFL sack in the third quarter, dropping Lions QB Kellen Moore for a 1-yard loss on the way to the third three-and-out stand recorded by the Raiders.

• LB Nick Roach recorded his first sack of 2014 when he dropped Lions QB Dan Orlovsky for an 11-yard loss, tying his longest career sack, which was also his first career sack, coming on Dec. 20, 2009. If Roach records 5.5 sacks this season, he’ll be the 10th Raider and the first undrafted Raider to do so in each of his first two seasons with the franchise.

• DE Justin Tuck broke through the line of scrimmage and brought down Lions RB Reggie Bush for a 6-yard loss on the first play of the second quarter. Tuck has been credited with 71 regular-season tackles for loss since 2008.

• Fourth-round draft pick (116th overall) CB Keith McGill made his NFL debut in the third quarter. McGill was the last of the Raiders’ eight draft picks to appear in this preseason.

 Individual Notes: Special Teams

• Following the Raiders’ second-quarter TD, K Sebastian Janikowski converted his first ever extra-point attempt snapped from the 15-yard line, part of a rule-change experiment instituted by the NFL for the first two preseason games of 2014. Janikowski finished 3-of-3 on PATs and 2-of-2 on FGs (28, 36).

• CB TJ Carrie broke off an electrifying 50-yard punt return late in the third quarter to set up a Sebastian Janikowski FG from 38 yards out. Carrie added another return for 13 yards later in the game.