QB Derek Carr launches a pass in his first career NFL game. Photo by Tony Gonzales
The Raiders opened the 2014 season with a 19-14 loss to the New York Jets, dropping the team's all-time regular-season record to 434-376-11. The Raiders continue to lead the all-time series against the Jets 21-17 (8-11-1 on the road).
Head Coach Dennis Allen's record at the helm of the Raiders falls to 8-25 and 0-3 in season openers. Allen will seek his first win against AFC East competition in Week 3 when the Raiders visit New England.
The Raiders have reached the postseason four times in franchise history (1970, '72, '74 and '91) after dropping the season's first contest.
Each of the Raiders' first three picks of the 2014 NFL Draft earned their first NFL starts in the game: LB Khalil Mack, QB Derek Carr and G Gabe Jackson (first, second and third rounds, respectively).
The Raiders played extremely disciplined football in the first half, surrendering no penalties, turnovers or sacks in the half. The last time the Raiders had zero penalties, zero turnovers and zero sacks in the first half of a game came on Sept. 10, 1995 vs. Washington.
WR Rod Streater's 12-yard TD in the first quarter marked the first Raiders TD in the opening period of the season since Michael Bush had a 4-yard TD run against San Diego on Sept. 14, 2009.
The offense was perfect inside the red zone in the game, going 1-for-1 (100 percent).
The defense forced two turnovers in the first half, an interception by S Charles Woodson and a fumble by Jets QB Geno Smith inside the 5-yard line forced by LB Sio Moore and recovered by rookie CB TJ Carrie. The Raiders had two first-half turnovers three times last season (at San Diego, 12/22/13; at Houston, 11/17/13; at NYG, 11/10/13), and have now done so six times under Dennis Allen (most: three, at Atl., 10/14/12).
The Raiders' defense held strong inside the red zone, allowing only one Jets TD in four red zone drives.
The Raiders also stopped the Jets on a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter. The defense has allowed only one successful two-point attempt under Head Coach Dennis Allen, against Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2013.
The Raiders held the Jets to three three-and-out drives, including two in the fourth quarter.
Individual Notes: Offense
QB Derek Carr became the 39th starting QB in Raiders history and the first rookie in franchise history to start in Week 1. Eleven rookies QBs had previously played for the Raiders, though Carr is now just the fifth QB to start a game in his rookie season (Matt McGloin, Todd Marinovich, JaMarcus Russell and Larry Lawrence).
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Carr brothers became part of the 365th set of brothers (David Carr, 2002-13) ever to play professional football. Of those sets, 47 included at least one Raider, including that of General Manager Reggie McKenzie (Raider from 1985-88) and his twin brother, Raleigh (NFL player from 1985-99).
Carr finished the game 20-for-32 passing for 151 yards, two TDs and a passer rating of 94.7. Carr became the ninth Raiders QB and second rookie to throw at least two TD passes in his debut. His 94.7 passer rating is the third highest for a Raider rookie in his first start and 12th among all Raiders starting QBs in their Silver and Black debut.
Carr began his career nearly perfect, going 7-for-7 for 53 yards and one TD before throwing his first incompletion in the second quarter. He finished the first half 9-of-12 (75.0 percent), tying him for the 24th highest first-half completion percentage in franchise history (Aaron Brooks, Kerry Collins).
With his first career TD pass on a third-down strike to WR Rod Streater for a 12-yard score, Carr became the 48th Raider to throw a TD pass and just the seventh rookie QB to do so. Carr also became the 20th Raider and fourth Raider rookie (T. Marinovich, Billy Joe Hobert, David Humm) to throw a TD pass in his debut. The last time a rookie threw a TD pass in his debut was when Billy Joe Hobert did it against Kansas City on Dec. 3, 1995.
Third-round pick G Gabe Jackson earned his first career start at LG and recorded a 1-yard reception on a tipped pass from Carr.
WR James Jones made a spectacular one-handed grab in the end zone for a 30-yard TD to pull the Raiders within one score late in the fourth quarter. The TD was Jones' 38th career score and his first as a Raider. As of the end of the game, Jones was tied with Vernon Davis for seventh in receiving TDs since 2012 (18). Jones finished the game with three receptions for 34 yards (11.3 avg.).
RB Maurice Jones-Drew finished the game with nine carries for 11 yards (1.2 avg.), giving him 8,082 career rushing yards and moving him past Freeman McNeil (8,074) and Larry Csonka (8.081) into 43rd on the all-time rushing list.
TE Brian Leonhardt earned the Raiders a first down on his first career reception, a 12-yard gain.
WR Rod Streater recorded his eighth career TD reception in the first quarter on a 12-yard strike from Carr and finished the game with five receptions for 46 yards (9.2 avg.). With the reception, Streater passed Fred Biletnikoff (1,479) and moved into eighth place in franchise history for receiving yards in his first three seasons. Streater also became just the eighth Raider to record at least 1,500 receiving yards in his first three seasons.
Streater caught five passes in the contest for 46 yards (9.2 avg.), giving him 104 receptions in his career, tying Raymond Chester for fifth in franchise history and second among Raiders WRs for receptions in his first three seasons.
Individual Notes: Defense
S Tyvon Branch recorded the Raiders' first sack of the season in the fourth quarter, chasing Geno Smith for a 19-yard loss. The sack is the eighth of Branch's career, putting him ahead of Woodson (7.5) and tying him for seventh for most sacks as a Raider among active players (Chris Clemons).
Branch's sack also moves him past Woodson and ties him for third place (Albert Lewis, 8.0) on the Raiders' all-time sack list by defensive backs.
LB Sio Moore, who led the team with 13 tackles (11 solo), forced the second and third fumbles of his career in the game, the first coming when he dispossessed Geno Smith inside the red zone in the second quarter. Rookie CB TJ Carrie recovered the fumble. Moore's last forced fumble also came at the Meadowlands on Nov. 10, 2013 against the New York Giants.
Moore's second forced fumble came on a 12-yard sack of Geno Smith in the third quarter, giving him 5.5 sacks in his career.
S Charles Woodson recorded his 57th career INT (19 with Raiders) by picking off Geno Smith in the first quarter, extending his lead in interceptions among active players. Woodson is now only the second player in NFL history (Darrell Green – 19) to intercept a pass in at least 17 consecutive seasons.
Woodson is now tied for 12th all-time with 57 INTs. His 19 picks as a Raider also tie him for 11th in franchise history.
Individual Notes: Special Teams
K Sebastian Janikowski converted on both of his extra-point attempts, improving his streak of consecutive PATs converted to 167.
P Marquette King, who led the league in gross punting last season (48.9 avg.), punted nine times in the game for 401 yards. (44.6 avg.). That marks the third time King has punted for at least 400 yards in a game, tying him for second all-time in a player's first two seasons of action.
King's nine punts are the second most in a single game in his career, while his 401 yards are his third highest total.
RB Latavius Murray saw his first regular-season action at kick returner, returning the opening kick of the second half 38 yards to the Raiders' 41-yard line. Murray finished with three returns for 67 yards (22.3 avg.).
Rookie CB TJ Carrie saw action as the team's primary punt returner, bringing back one punt for seven yards.
