Running Back Deandré Washington
Oakland Alameda County Coliseum – The Oakland Raiders have been squaring off against the Tennessee Titans in the Raiders' first home appearance of the preseason. At the end of the first half the Raiders trail the Titans 20-14, let's get you caught up.
At the end of the first half, rookie running backs Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington have made their presence felt. Richard, coming off a knee injury suffered back at the training camp, has been mixed in with both the special teams and offensive unit early on. On the opening kickoff the undrafted free agent wasted no time impacting the game, returning the ball 38-yards.
Fellow rookie running back Washington got the Raiders on the board in the first quarter, by making the most of Richard's return. Carr found Washington for a six-yard pass over the middle. Washington has demonstrated his solid hands all through training camp and preseason. At the end of his four years at Texas-Tech, he had totaled 1,091 yards receiving. The Raiders appear to be utilizing Washington's and it's paying off.
The passing game as a whole has been impressive, as quarterback Derek Carr has gotten several players involved. On occasion, Carr has attempted to go deep and establish the long ball. Most notably, wide receiver Amari Cooper hauled in a 29-yard touchdown thrown by Carr. The two have been developing their chemistry ever since Cooper showed up last season.
The first unit has stayed out the majority of the first half, it's unclear whether this will continue in the second half.