Instant post-game reaction via The Raider Ramble as the Oakland Raiders took on the New York Jets in Week 2.
After so much anticipation, the Oakland Raiders finally opened up their regular season homestand. Amongst all the headlines was the Bay Area homecoming of running back Marshawn Lynch who did not disappoint in his return.
Despite a modest 45 rushing yards and only scoring one touchdown, the impact that Lynch has is undeniable as his score regained the momentum for the team before halftime. Not to be outdone, Jalen Richard also had himself a good game as he too scored on a beautiful 52-yard pitch as his cut had two defenders miss him.
A shining example of how far the Raiders have come going into this game; the team was 9-1 in Derek Carr’s last ten starts. It is safe to say the culture has turned around and Carr’s three touchdown passes are indicative of what might be a special season offensively. Speaking of the offense, one of the bright spots that will change how defenses approach the Raiders is Cordarrelle Patterson. Mostly a special teams player back with the Minnesota Vikings, it is becoming evident that offensive coordinator has plans for Patterson beyond just returning kicks. Lining up in the backfield and taking it in for a score due to a 43-yard draw play it is safe to say Patterson will have to be accounted for at all times this season.
One of the biggest players to stand out defensively was second-year man Karl Joseph who was all over the field on this one. One of his best plays was the safety blitz that ended the third quarter and assisted in Mario Edwards Jr. getting a sack on Jets quarterback Josh McCown. Also, let’s not forget Gareon Conley finally made his debut and made his presence known early on, almost contributing to a Reggie Nelson interception by literally swatting the ball Nelson’s way.
My Player of the Game
Much has been said of Amari Cooper going into this season, but in this game, Michael Crabtree reasserted himself as the number one receiver on this team, for now. An incredible performance from “King Crab” in which he notched three touchdowns on six receptions.
