WR Johnnie Lee Higgins (15) hauls in a 9-yard TD pass to give the Raiders a 17-3 lead. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
The Oakland Raiders defeated the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in the 2010 preseason finale for both teams. RB Michael Bennett rushed 25 times for 92 yards and FB Manase Tonga, and WRs Johnnie Lee Higgins and Nick Miller hauled in touchdown passes.
The Seahawks won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Cord Parks returned Swayze Waters opening kickoff to the Seattle 16. Charlie Whitehurst got the start at quarterback. The Raiders held the Seahawks to a three-and-out. WR Yamon Figurs returned a Seattle punt to the Raiders 31. Bruce Gradkowski got the start at quarterback for the Raiders. Four plays later, Gradkowski culminated the 69-yard drive with a 32-yard screen pass to rookie FB Manase Tonga. Waters' extra point was good and the Raiders took at 7-0 lead with 11:26 left in the first quarter.
Waters capped a 5-play, 41-yard drive with a 41-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 10-0 lead with 8:29 left in the first quarter. The score was set up by a 34-yard pass to WR Darrius Heyward-Bey who out-jumped a defender and kept both feet in bounds in front of the Seattle bench.
After a 54-yard Cord Parks kickoff return, K Olindo Mare put the Seahawks on the board with a 43-yard field goal and cut the Raiders lead to 10-3 with 7:00 left in the first quarter.
Figurs returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to the Raiders 41. The Raiders went three and out and then rookie safety Stevie Brown recovered a muffed punt at the Seattle 16. A pass to TE Brandon Myers put the Raiders in a goal-to-go situation. An illegal formation penalty wiped out a touchdown pass to Heyward-Bey. On the next play, Gradkowski scrambled around and found Higgins for a 9-yard TD strike. Waters extra point was good and the Raiders took a 17-3 lead with 3:50 left in the 1st quarter.
Mare capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 36-yard field goal to cut the Raiders lead to 17-6 with 14:12 left in the 2nd quarter.
Figurs returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to the Raiders 30. The Raiders next drive fizzled at midfield and the Seahawks took over at their own 10 after RB Justin Forsett made a fair catch of a Lechler punt. Whitehurst capped a 9-play, 90-yard drive with a 26-yard TD pass to WR Deon Butler. The extra point was good and the Raiders lead was cut to 17-13 with 7:43 left in the second quarter.
Mare's ensuing line drive kickoff flew out of the back of the end zone for a touchback and the Raiders took over at their own 20. Mare capped a 9-play, 62-yard drive with 46-yard field goal to cut the Raiders lead to 17-16 with 1:06 left in the second quarter.
Rookie WR Jacoby Ford returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the Raiders 25. The Seahawks completed a Hail Mary pass for an apparent touchdown, but the play was wiped out by a holding penalty and the Raiders took a 17-16 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After the teams traded punts to start the 3rd quarter, QB Kyle Boller led the Raiders on a 5-play, 97-yard march and connected with WR Nick Miller for a 16-yard touchdown. Waters' PAT was good and the Raiders led 24-16 with 9:07 left in the 3rd quarter.
The Raiders increased their lead to 27-16 when Waters capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive with a 29-yard field goal with 12:23 left in the 4th quarter.
RB Louis Rankin returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good and Seattle cut the Raiders lead to 27-24.
The Raiders drove deep into Seattle territory but were unable to score when RB Michael Bennett was stopped on 4th and goal at the Seahawks 2-yard line. Seattle drove out to their own 43 before the Raiders came up with a stop of their own on 4th down. The Silver and Black were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
The Raiders conclude the 2010 preseason with a 3-1 record and open the 2010 regular season in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, September 12.
