But this latest gamble proved costly as Atlanta added an insurance touchdown on a 13-yard touchdown run by Tevin Coleman to deny the Raiders their first 2-0 start since their 2002 AFC championship season.
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Unfortunately, the Raiders could not then be crowned the sentimental champions of the NFL. This, in turn, kept some heat off Matt Ryan, and it kept Oakland’s defense – which registered just one sack – at bay. The next three, on the other hand, were considerably more effective: The Falcons scored a touchdown on each of their next three trips inside the 20 – two through the air, one on the ground.
Del Rio believes mental errors are the reason for most of the Raiders faults on defense, which ultimately comes down to him as the head coach. The Raiders went for broke at the end of their game, going for a two point conversion and the win. The Raider defense was devoid of a meaningful pass rush. Inside the numbers, Ryan completed 7 of 9 passes against the blitz Sunday for 129 yards, two touchdowns, and six first downs, according to ESPN Statistics and Information.
And it’s not thanks to a fearless Falcons fan starting sh*t in the middle of a Raider Nation crowd, but rather two (then a third) card-carrying (or at least jersey-owning) members of the team’s support getting into one of the most slow-developing fights you’ll ever see, resulting in the loser-actually, let’s call him the “defeated” due to the high probability that the victors are, in their own ways, losers themselves-getting repeteadly knocked to the ground before being led away by a friend.
“I was getting killed, I’m not going to lie”, Smith said.
They’re comfortable now, especially after Del Rio said starting safety Keith McGill struggled against Atlanta. “I’m going to get to work to get it right, we have to do what we have to do”.
A lot went right with the offense on America’s Team-for-a-week. He piled up 319 yards in Week 1 and almost hit 300 on Sunday with three TDs. Both of these players are capable of making game changing plays at any moment, so both secondaries better be ready for anything. Only problem, Cooper stepped out of bounds and came back in before the catch. But that wasn’t the case, and quarterback Derek Carr settled in and had an easy time getting the ball to his receivers who were able to create long, explosive plays.
But as they say in “Star Trek”, those two things were anomalies.
The scheme that the Raiders are running on defense is flat out not working.
Apprised of the coach’s assumption of responsibility for the team’s defensive deficiencies, Mack jumped in to take some himself.
Marshall said after the game: “I thought I was done”. “It’s a shame. It’s a hurtful feeling”.
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“But at the same time you’ve got to rally and you’ve got to use this as motivation”. He was tackled and the Falcons had to settle for a 21-yard field goal.
