By just about every standard, it was a disappointing second preseason game for the Raiders.
It was a messy 27-12 loss to the Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium, and there wasn’t much for head coach Antonio Pierce to be excited about after the game.
Here are five outside observations on the game…
The defensive starters didn’t dominate.
Maxx Crosby made a couple plays against the run and Jack Jones had three pass breakups in the first quarter. The Raiders’ run defense wasn’t good again, which is a concern, and Trey Lance looked like a starting quarterback at times.
Does this tweet say more about the Raider defense or their quarterbacks competing for the job?
Speaking of the quarterbacks…
Aidan O’Connell is going to get the job, but he won’t go into the regular season opener with any real momentum.
He played well against the Cowboys, but it was his pick-six that everyone is going to remember. It was a disappointing end to a game that O’Connell should otherwise feel good about.
There were a few bright spots on offense.
Zamir White had 23 yards on five carries and he looks like a running back that is going to be able to wear down defenses.
Tre Tucker is a player the Raiders will want on the field as much as possible. He has made difficult catches look easy in both preseason games and the LASIK eye surgery he had in the offseason has already proved to be a good investment.
D.J. Turner staked his claim as the team’s no. 4 receiver with five receptions. He had a 20-yard touchdown grab in the first preseason game, and it’s been a very good month of August for Turner, who is a lock to make the final roster.
Teams will try to take advantage of Jack Jones’ aggression.
He’s going to break up passes and make interceptions, but occasionally there will be a price to pay for Jones’ aggressive style.
Kind of like a better tackling version of Marcus Peters, Jones is going to look like an All Pro on some snaps and a rookie on others. That was the case on Saturday as Jones was the star of the first quarter, but gave up an easy score in the second half.
