DT Richard Seymour (92) returns a fumble after LB Kamerion Wimbley sacked and stripped the ball from Titans QB Vince Young. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
The Tennessee Titans defeated the Oakland Raiders 38-13 at LP Field in Nashville in 2010 regular season opener. Raiders RB Darren McFadden accounted for 150 yards of total offense and LB Kamerion Wimbley chalked up a sack and forced fumble but it wasn't enough.
The Titans won the opening coin toss and deferred their choice to the second half, the Raiders then elected to receive. WR Yamon Figurs fielded and returned K Rob Bironas' kickoff, was hit and fumbled. The Raiders recovered at their own 22. The Raiders went three and out and Tennessee took the field at their own 24 after Marc Mariani returned the punt.
The Titans drove into Raiders territory before LB Kamerion Wimbley sacked QB Vince Young and stripped the ball. The Raiders Richard Seymour recovered and returned the fumble to the Tennessee 34. The Raiders moved inside the Tennessee 20 before having to settle for a field goal attempt. K Sebastian Janikowski gave the Raiders a 3-0 lead with a 34-yard field goal with 6:19 left in the first quarter.
Mariani returned the ensuing kickoff to the Titans 26. The Titans answered with a 56-yard TD pass from Young to WR Nate Washington. The extra point was good and the Titans took a 7-3 lead with 4:39 left in the 1st quarter.
Figures fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone for a touchback and the Raiders took over at their own 20. After the Raiders picked up a first down, DE Jacob Ford sacked Raiders QB Jason Campbell causing a fumble which was scooped up by S Michael Griffin and returned 33 yards for a touchdown. Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable challenged the ruling of a fumble. Griffin was ruled down by contact, the touchdown was wiped out and the Titans took over at the Raiders 23. The Raiders held the Titans to a three and out. Bironas' 43-yard field goal attempt was good and gave the Titans a 10-3 lead with 1:39 left in the first quarter.
Figurs returned the ensuing kickoff to the Oakland 17. The Raiders moved out to their own 44 before facing 4th and 1. Mariani returned the punt to the Titans 14. The Titans drove to the Raiders 46 before the Raiders forced a P Brett Kern punt. Tennessee downed the punt at the Raiders 9. The Titans forced the Raiders into a three and out and took over at their own 39 after Lechler's 48-yard punt bounced out of bounds.
RB Javon Ringer capped an 8-play, 61-yard drive with a 15-yard TD run. The extra point gave the Titans a 17-3 lead with 3:45 left in the second quarter.
Figurs returned the ensuing kickoff to the Oakland 20. The Raiders went three-and-out and Lechler came on to punt. Mariani returned the 68-yard punt to the Titans 24.
Janikowski's 31-yard field goal capped an 8-play, 63-yard drive and cut the Titans lead to 24-6 with 16 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. After the kickoff return, Young took a knee to run out the clock and end the first half.
After the kickoff return and a penalty on the Raiders, the Titans started the second half with the ball at their own 34. Figurs returned Kern's 60-yard punt 10 yards to the Raiders 19. The Raiders mounted a drive but Janikowski missed a 53-yard field goal attempt wide right and the Titans took over at their own 43.
Tennessee added to their lead when Johnson scored on a 4-yard run. The extra point was good and the Titans led 31-6 with 1:47 left in the third quarter.
The ensuing kickoff flew out of the back of the end zone for a touchback and the Raiders took over at their own 20. The Raiders next drive ended when Chris Hope intercepted a Campbell pass and returned it to the Raiders 3. Young found TE Bo Scaife on 3rd and goal for a 1-yard TD pass, the PAT was good and Tennessee took a 38-6 lead with 14:55 left in the first quarter.
Campbell capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass to RB Darren McFadden. The extra point was good and the Tits lead was cut to 38-13 with 9:58 left in the 4th quarter.
Janikowski's ensuing kickoff flew out of the back of the end zone for a touchback. After the Titans went three and out, the Raiders took over at their won 35 after a punt and a short Johnnie Lee Higgins punt return. The Raiders drove deep into Titans territory but failed to convert on 4th and 10 and Tennessee took over at their own 8-yard line with just over six minutes left.
The Titans went three-and-out and Higgins returned the punt to the Raiders 35. The Raiders were unable to pick up a first down and turned the ball over on downs with 3:32 left in the game. The Titans were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
The Raiders fall to 0-1 to open the campaign and head home to face the St. Louis Rams at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum next Sunday in 2010 regular season Week 2 action.
Game Notes: S Hiram Eugene, WR Yamon Figurs and G Robert Gallery left the game due to injury and did not finish. During the weekend in Nashville, Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask met Raiders fans from North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, New York, California, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Louisiana, and Indiana.
