Raiders force turnovers to shut down Titans
The Sports Xchange
Sep 25, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Oakland Raiders came to town Sunday with the NFL's lowest-ranked defense.
But like every visitor that arrives at Nissan Stadium, they got well.
Forcing three turnovers from Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, Oakland shrugged off a moribund performance from its high-powered offense and notched a 17-10 win.
The Raiders (2-1) allowed 1,035 yards in their first two games -- a win at New Orleans and a loss to Atlanta -- but displayed improvement in this game. Tennessee (1-2) managed 395 total yards as Mariota, who led a game-winning touchdown drive last week in Detroit, struggled.
Mariota completed just 17 of 33 passes for 214 yards and two interceptions while also losing a fumble for a quarterback rating of only 46.8. Cornerback Sean Smith came up with a key pick early in the fourth quarter at the Oakland 48 to snuff out a promising drive.
Quarterback David Carr hit on 21 of 35 passes for 249 yards for the Raiders, including a 19-yard touchdown strike to Seth Roberts with 33 seconds left in the first half for a 17-3 halftime lead. Roberts caught a short out and evaded cornerback Brice McCain's tackle attempt.
The Titans started the scoring with Ryan Succop's 34-yard field goal at the 9:50 mark of the first quarter, but Oakland took the lead for good with a 22-yard run by Latavius Murray with 8:19 remaining.
Sebastian Janikowski made it 10-3 with 8:13 left in the first half, booming a 52-yard field goal that set an NFL record. It was Janikowski's 53rd career field goal of 50 yards or longer, breaking a tie with former Detroit kicker Jason Hanson.
Tennessee scored its only touchdown with 5:51 left in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by DeMarco Murray, who finished with 114 yards on 16 carries. It was the first 100-yard game for a Titans' back since Chris Johnson did it in the 2013 season finale.
Tennessee reached the Raiders' 3 on its last drive, but Taylor Lewan was flagged for unnecessary roughness after Tajae Sharpe's 19-yard catch, backing it up to the 18. Mariota's fourth-and-4 throw for Harry Douglas from the Oakland 12 fell incomplete with less than 10 seconds left.
The Titans fell to 2-16 in their last 18 home games, dating back to the 2014 season.
NOTES: Tennessee started New England castoff Josh Kline at right guard in place of Chance Warmack (finger), who hit IR this week after undergoing surgery. ... Oakland inactives were QB Connor Cook, CB Dexter McDonald, CB Antonio Hamilton, T Matt McCants, T Austin Howard and TE Mychal Rivera. ... Titans inactives were headlined by TE Delanie Walker (hamstring) and WR Kendall Wright (hamstring). They also deactivated DB Curtis Riley, CB LeShaun Sims, OLB Aaron Wallace, G Sebastian Tretola and DL Austin Johnson.
Sep 25, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Oakland Raiders came to town Sunday with the NFL's lowest-ranked defense.
But like every visitor that arrives at Nissan Stadium, they got well.
Forcing three turnovers from Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, Oakland shrugged off a moribund performance from its high-powered offense and notched a 17-10 win.
The Raiders (2-1) allowed 1,035 yards in their first two games -- a win at New Orleans and a loss to Atlanta -- but displayed improvement in this game. Tennessee (1-2) managed 395 total yards as Mariota, who led a game-winning touchdown drive last week in Detroit, struggled.
Mariota completed just 17 of 33 passes for 214 yards and two interceptions while also losing a fumble for a quarterback rating of only 46.8. Cornerback Sean Smith came up with a key pick early in the fourth quarter at the Oakland 48 to snuff out a promising drive.
Quarterback David Carr hit on 21 of 35 passes for 249 yards for the Raiders, including a 19-yard touchdown strike to Seth Roberts with 33 seconds left in the first half for a 17-3 halftime lead. Roberts caught a short out and evaded cornerback Brice McCain's tackle attempt.
The Titans started the scoring with Ryan Succop's 34-yard field goal at the 9:50 mark of the first quarter, but Oakland took the lead for good with a 22-yard run by Latavius Murray with 8:19 remaining.
Sebastian Janikowski made it 10-3 with 8:13 left in the first half, booming a 52-yard field goal that set an NFL record. It was Janikowski's 53rd career field goal of 50 yards or longer, breaking a tie with former Detroit kicker Jason Hanson.
Tennessee scored its only touchdown with 5:51 left in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by DeMarco Murray, who finished with 114 yards on 16 carries. It was the first 100-yard game for a Titans' back since Chris Johnson did it in the 2013 season finale.
Tennessee reached the Raiders' 3 on its last drive, but Taylor Lewan was flagged for unnecessary roughness after Tajae Sharpe's 19-yard catch, backing it up to the 18. Mariota's fourth-and-4 throw for Harry Douglas from the Oakland 12 fell incomplete with less than 10 seconds left.
The Titans fell to 2-16 in their last 18 home games, dating back to the 2014 season.
NOTES: Tennessee started New England castoff Josh Kline at right guard in place of Chance Warmack (finger), who hit IR this week after undergoing surgery. ... Oakland inactives were QB Connor Cook, CB Dexter McDonald, CB Antonio Hamilton, T Matt McCants, T Austin Howard and TE Mychal Rivera. ... Titans inactives were headlined by TE Delanie Walker (hamstring) and WR Kendall Wright (hamstring). They also deactivated DB Curtis Riley, CB LeShaun Sims, OLB Aaron Wallace, G Sebastian Tretola and DL Austin Johnson.
