Cornerback David Amerson
Before the Oakland Raiders flew to Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, we highlighted three matchups that would be crucial in determining the final outcome of the Week 7 clash at EverBank Field.
As has become the norm, the Silver and Black handled their business on the road, convincingly beating Blake Bortles and the Jaguars, 33-16. With the win, the Raiders now own an impressive 4-0 record on the road, and a 5-2 record overall. With the Week 7 win now in the rearview mirror, let's take a look at our matchups, and see how they played out.
Quarterback Derek Carr vs. Quarterback Blake Bortles
If you look at the numbers, there's an argument to be made that Bortles enjoyed a better day than the Raiders signal-caller, but in reality that wasn't the case.
Yes, Bortles finished the day with 246 passing yards and one touchdown, but a majority of those yards came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. When the teams returned to the locker room at the end of the first half, not only did the Raiders lead 20-6, but Bortles had also been rendered a non-factor, completing just five passes for an uninspiring 57 yards.
To be fair, Carr didn't have his most explosive day on the gridiron either, throwing for just 200 yards, but he was careful with the ball, and continually put the Raiders offense in positions to put points on the scoreboard.
What's most important is that the Raiders flew out of Jacksonville with a win, and Carr's performance is a big reason for that.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper vs. Cornerback Davon House
For whatever reason, the explosive wideout didn't get rolling Sunday at EverBank Field, finishing the day with four catches for a season-low 29 yards.
Whether it was sticky coverage by the Jaguars secondary – rookie Jalen Ramsey in particular – or just the ebbs and flows of the game, Cooper never really found an offensive rhythm, but even with his quiet day at the office, No. 89 still managed to make a highlight reel play, impressively securing a one-handed catch over the outstretched arms of House in the final minutes of the game.
While Cooper may not have looked like his usual, explosive self, Michael Crabtree and the Raiders ground attack more than made up for his quiet day out wide.
Going forward though, there's no reason to think that Cooper won't return to form – even with his 29-yard output Sunday, he still ranks No. 6 in the NFL with 614 receiving yards.
Cornerback David Amerson vs. Wide Receiver Allen Robinson
Advantage, Amerson.
Not only did the rangy cornerback secure his second interception of the season, but with two more passes defensed, he now owns the outright lead in the NFL with 11 total breakups this season.
On the other side of the football, Robinson was almost completely taken out of the Week 7 clash in Jacksonville, hauling in just two of the eight passes he was targeted on, producing just nine total yards.
"I think we did good," said Amerson when discussing the team's defensive effort. "We knew they [Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson] were good players, and you know, me and Sean [Smith] knew we had a tough job outside, and we wanted to do the best job we could to kind of keep them bottled up, and not let them get going. I think for most of the game we did a great job of that."
Both he and Smith certainly did just that, and Sunday afternoon, Amerson showed why the Silver and Black elected to sign him to a multi-year extension in the offseason.
