Offensive line stellar despite a few flags
BALTIMORE — Derek Carr actually apologized after the Raiders’ third straight road win Sunday.
“We’ve got to win at home,” he said. “Sorry about that, Raider Nation. We’ll try to do better. But our motto is ‘Anybody, Anywhere, Anytime.’ ”
That’s especially true of the offensive linemen, who helped keep Carr clean and allowed him the time to throw four touchdown passes. And they did it with their fifth player at right tackle, as rookie Vadal Alexander got his first start.
Alexander was called for four penalties, three of them holds, but that wasn’t the bottom line, head coach Jack Del Rio said.
“We didn’t allow any sacks,” Del Rio said. “He had (three) holding calls ... which is OK, because he was protecting our guy.”
For the first time this season, the Raiders didn’t get the running game going. Latavius Murray was held to 19 yards on eight carries, and they had 62 rushing yards in all. But guard Kelechi Osemele, playing against his former teammates, and his new friends helped give Carr plenty of time to operate.
“We kept our composure, and we’re 3-0 on the road,” Osemele said. “That’s a sign of our maturity and focus.” Richard’s many returns: Rookie running back Jalen Richard set up the Raiders’ first score, a first-quarter touchdown catch by Seth Roberts, with a 47-yard punt return. Richard then had a 26-yard kickoff return to set up the game-winning drive.
“I look to those opportunities to get the team fired up,” Richard said. “so that when they take the field, on offense, they feel the vibe.” Hayden thrives: If DJ Hayden wasn’t a first-round pick, he would have avoided a lot of the criticism he received for his first three years of uneven play. Now, in Year 4, he has found a home at the slot-cornerback spot and turned in his second straight good game, with four solo tackles and a pass broken up.
“Getting comfortable and more comfortable,” Hayden said. “I am going to help this team get to the playoffs.” Injuries: Tight end Lee Smith left the game with a bad-looking leg injury ... Linebacker Malcolm Smith sustained a groin injury and was replaced in the third quarter by Ben Heeney ... Del Rio said tight end Clive Walford, who hurt his leg on the last drive, “would have been able to return” to the game. Briefly: The Raiders played zone coverage most of the day, and the rare time they played man-to-man, Steve Smith ripped off a 52-yard reception TD. … Punter Marquette King pinned the Ravens deep in the first half, with four of his five punts finishing inside the 20yard line. He leads the league with seven punts downed inside the 10. … For the second game in a row, linebackers Smith and Bruce Irvin raised their fists at the end of the national anthem to protest social injustice . ... Irvin is the first Raider to force three fumbles in the first four weeks of a season since Charles Woodson in 2002.