Photo by Tony Gonzales
The Raiders fell to the Green Bay Packers 31-13 in the 21st all-time meeting (11-10, Packers lead) between the two teams. The loss brings the Raiders to 1-2 this preseason and drops the franchise's all-time preseason mark to 127-123-1. The Raiders are now 3-8 in the preseason under Head Coach Dennis Allen.
The loss snaps the Raiders' three-game winning streak in preseason contests against the Packers. The last loss came when Green Bay won 37-24 in Oakland on Aug. 8, 1997. While the regular season series still favors the Packers (6-5), the Raiders hold the edge in preseason games with a 5-4 record (2-2 at Lambeau).
The Raiders first-team defense forced three straight punts in the first quarter, rebounding from the Packers' opening scoring drive. Two of those three drives resulted in three-and-outs.
S Charles Woodson was the only returning starter from the teams' last preseason meeting (8/31/2001), a 24-13 Raiders' victory at home. Woodson recorded one tackle in that win and finished tonight's contest with three stops (two solo). The game marked Woodson's first trip back to Green Bay after spending seven seasons with the team from 2006-12.
The Raiders first-team offense put the ball in the end zone on the team's first possession via a 40-yard TD run by RB Maurice Jones-Drew, which capped off a 5-play, 60-yard drive (2:30). The Raiders scored on the team's opening possession seven times in 2013 with five TDs and two FGs.
The Raiders scored two fourth-quarter TDs on the team's final two drives, both orchestrated by QB Matt McGloin. The first went 57 yards on four plays (1:48) and the second was a 6-play, 66-yard drive that took only 49 seconds. The Raiders also closed the 2013 regular season by scoring TDs on each of their final two possessions against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 19.
On average, the Raiders' starting field position was their own 36-yard line. In 2013, the Raiders best starting field position average came against Jacksonville on Sept. 15 when the Raiders averaged only their own 31-yard line.
The Raiders are averaging 5.0 yards per play through three games of the 2014 preseason. The Raiders last finished a preseason with an average of five yards per play or higher in 2010 (5.5 avg.).
Individual Notes: Offense
QB Matt Schaub played into the third quarter and spread the ball around well, completing 13 passes to seven different receivers. His 40-yard connection with WR Denarius Moore is the Raiders' longest gain through the air and tied with Jones-Drew's run for the longest offensive play this preseason. Schaub finished 13-of-27 passing for 110 yards.
RB Maurice Jones-Drew provided an early spark for the Raiders' offense, rushing up the middle for a 40-yard TD run on the Raiders' first offensive possession. The TD rush is the Raiders' longest gain on the ground this preseason and tied with Moore's 40-yard catch for the longest overall gain. Jones-Drew has 15 career rushes of 40-or-more yards, including nine for TDs, and 68 career rushing TDs, tied for 30th all-time. He finished the game with three carries for 45 yards (15.0 avg.) and one TD.
WR James Jones returned to Lambeau Field as a visitor for the first time. Jones hauled in a 9-yard reception on the Raiders' first play and finished with four catches for 36 yards (9.0 avg.). James now has six receptions for 65 yards (10.8 avg.) this preseason. Jones has caught 163 passes for 2,142 yards and 15 TDs in his regular season career at Lambeau.
WR Denarius Moore posted a reception of 40 yards, the longest aerial strike recorded by the Raiders this preseason.
QB Matt McGloin relieved Schaub in the third quarter and led the Raiders on two TD drives to close the game. McGloin finished 10-of-17 passing with 162 yards and two TDs for a passer rating of 130.0. McGloin now has a 99.3 rating through three games; a Raider quarterback hasn't finished the preseason with a rating above 100.0 since Kyle Boller (102.8) and Bruce Gradkowski (125.9) each did so in 2010.
WR Brice Butler re-established himself as the Raiders' top target this preseason, leading the team in receiving for the third time this preseason. Butler caught three passes in the fourth quarter for 60 yards (20.0 avg.) and two TDs in his second straight game reaching the end zone. The 28-yard TD, his second in the game, was Butler's third score of the preseason. He now has 11 catches for 178 yards (16.2 avg.) and three TDs, the most on the team in each category.
RB George Atkinson III scored on a two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter, registering his first points in an NFL game.
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Individual Notes: Defense
The Raiders' first takeaway this preseason came when rookie LB Khalil Mack recorded his first INT on the NFL stage with a second-quarter pick of Packers QB Matt Flynn, returning it 13 yards. Mack, who has started all three preseason games, also recorded two tackles of Packers RB James Starks in the red zone for a 1- and 3-yard loss.
LB Nick Roach led the defensive unit with eight tackles (six solo) in tonight's game before leaving with a head injury. Roached started all 16 games for the Raiders last season, recording 112 tackles (83 solo), 5.5 sacks and one INT.
DE LaMarr Woodley recorded his first sack as a Raider by taking down Packers QB Aaron Rodgers for a 6-yard loss. Woodley, who has 57 career sacks, currently sits in 19th place on the active players list. He is also tied for 12th in sacks since 2007, 2.5 back of fellow DE Justin Tuck.
LB Kaelin Burnett sacked Packers QB Scott Tolzien for no gain late in the fourth quarter for his second sack of the preseason. Burnett, who has played in 22 NFL games, will be hunting for his first regular season sack this year.
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Individual Notes: Special Teams
P Marquette King punted seven times for 319 yards (45.6 avg.) in the game, matching his punt total from the first preseason game and all of the 2013 preseason. King booted a 62-yarder in the second quarter – he had only five punts longer than 62 yards in all of 2013. King punted for more than 319 yards only three times in 2013. Rookie K Kevin Goessling recorded his first NFL point via an extra point conversion in the first quarter.
