Watson Breaks Silver and Black Hearts in Houston

Final: OAK 24 HOU 27 (3-4)

Always some drama down the stretch whenever these two teams play in Houston. While the Raiders got the better of the Texans in the last two meetings, the Texans were able to get this one.

Before I start this game, as you all know this past Tuesday, we all lost another Raider legend. Hall-of-Fame cornerback Willie Brown passed away. I've told this story a couple times, when I was still a young Raider fan, my dad used to tell me stories about the 70's Raiders. Willie Brown was a prominent figure of those teams, leading the "Soul Patrol" that consisted of other great Raider DBs like Jack Tatum, George Atkinson, and Skip Thomas. It's crazy to think we lost two prominent Raider legends in the same year with Cliff Branch unexpectedly passing away in August. At least Old Man Willie got to see himself inducted into Canton. Nowadays, these writers are petty in the selection process. It's a crime that more Raider legends of the past are not even in the Hall of Fame yet and they may not see that light of day.

Onto the game, the Raiders had a bounce back game written all over this matchup. The first possessions from the Raiders was pretty weird to start. They got off the right footing by running Josh Jacobs behind the O-line at full strength finally before Rodney Hudson went down. But, they kept trying to mix it up with run and pass by feeding the ball early to Darren Waller. Waller still had a decent game, but Justin Reid and the Texans secondary had some pretty good coverage around him the whole game. It was nice to see Tyrell Williams back on the field. He made his presence felt with 3 receptions for 91 yards and 1 TD. They get their down field receiver back, which opens up a lot opportunities. Hunter Renfrow had a nice 65 yard catch and run to open things up.

You can't completely blame the offense this game. Derek Carr played a clean game. It's been a while since he had a 3 passing TD game. The game was pretty much lost on penalties today. 11 penalties for 100 yards won't win you a whole lot of games. Not too mention, Houston dominated time of possession. A scrambling QB like Deshaun Watson is hard to decipher. Watson was able to keep some plays alive with his legs. For the most part, rush defense did its job. But, pass defense got gashed today and it caught up in Watson's go-ahead TD. Funny enough, the Raiders sent Gareon Conley to Texans and he got himself early revenge. There was one crucial point in the game where it looked like Conley had a lot of contact on Williams, but Gruden refused to challenge. He lost one earlier on the Renfrow offensive P.I. Though that play was 50/50, it would've worth a shot to challenge P.I. But, I understood the rationale since they wanted to keep two timeouts plus the two minute warning. The Texans mustered enough first downs at the end.

Well, the long road trip is over and the Raiders can return on home turf. For the most part sans Minnesota and Green Bay, the Raiders were able to compete and snatch some shocking wins. This stretch is a lot more favorable: vs. Detroit, vs. LA Chargers, vs. Cincinnati, @ Jets, @ Chiefs, vs. Titans, vs. Jaguars, @ LA Chargers and @ Denver. Chargers might've gotten some momentum after the win in Chicago today. Chiefs are likely getting Mahomes back. Sacksonville lives again in the Jaguars. The way this is trending, we can see an 8-8 finish possibly. But as always, one game at a time. I'll see you guys next week after the game.

Raiders Bounced Out of Wild Card Round vs. Texans

Welcome in to the long-awaited full recap of the Raiders' Wild Card matchup vs. the Houston Texans where the Raiders make their postseason debut for the first time since 2003, but headed for an early exit as they lose to the Texans 14-27.

Raider Nation, this team deserves a standing ovation. I will stand up for a moment and clap for this team on one heck of a magical season that we'll remember. It was a season full of heart attacks, high blood pressures, and being driven to the point of insanity, but it was all worth it for double digit wins and a playoff berth. I could be mad that this team lost its first playoff matchup in a long time, but this team earned their stripes, gritting and grinding throughout the whole season in order to break 14 years of utter mediocrity and dysfunction. Unfortunately it didn't end well the last two weeks. But, this Raiders team will be remembered as the team that broke the playoff curse.

(+)

Defense. The defensive unit as a whole played well. Yes they allowed three touchdowns, but what else can you do when the offense couldn't generate anything and are turning the ball over? I said in my preview that the defense has to blitz Brock Osweiler. Surprisingly, Ken Norton Jr. listened to what needed to be done in order for the defense to step up for Connor Cook. He blitzed! He actually blitzed. And it worked a majority of the time. Brock was rushing on his throws because of the pressure. The defense tried to put their offense in good position, forcing three and outs the majority of the game. When they were on the field for too long, that is when the Texans started to score. Khalil Mack lead the unit with 11 tackles. He was doing what he did best, stopping the run and putting pressure on Osweiler. Some turnovers would've been appreciated. They had a couple of chances, but the ball was going the Texans' way.

Jalen Richard, 5 punts, 68 return yards. Richard didn't do his damage in the run game, but he did so in the return game. His 37 yard punt return was probably the highlight of the game because if it weren't for that, the Raiders would've been shut out through three quarters. Richard did all he can to put the Raiders in good field position, especially on that return where he bounced off a defender and took it to Houston territory. That helped set up the Raiders' first score of the game off a TD run by Murray as the Raiders went no-huddle on offense.

(-)

Wide receivers. This position being non-existent was just what Connor Cook and the offense needed. When Andre Holmes is the leading receiver with 50 yards and the only receiver to have a TD, that's when you know the receiving corps didn't do good. Michael Crabtree had 33 yards and a couple of drops. Amari Cooper only 10 yards and had a drop off a deep ball from Cook. Most of these were mistimed or underthrown passes by Cook. That's what happens when you have a rookie who hasn't seen any first team reps until now. That results in a drop in production by the receivers. Then again, Houston's secondary is underrated.

Running game. The Texans' run defense only allowed one rushing TD by Murray. Murray and Washington each had a nice run of 10 yards or more, but everything else was non-existent. It couldn't get any worse for Cook as the run game was stagnant. Texans just kept stacking the box and they predicted every run play that the Raiders called and executed. Their run defense is one of the best for a reason and there's nothing that the offense can do because they needed it to take pressure off Cook.

O-line. When I looked at the notification that Donald Penn was out, I knew that the offense would be in big trouble. Menelik Watson could not hang with Jadeveon Clowney at the left tackle spot. Austin Howard let Whitney Merciless get by him with ease to get to Connor Cook. To make matters worse, Rodney Hudson went down for a bit. Jon Feliciano had to take over at Center. The Texans were licking their chops that because they could blitz with ease. Luckily, Hudson returned late in the game to avert disaster or we could've seen a lot of pre-snap penalties and Connor Cook on the ground.

MVP

Jalen Richard, 5 kick returns, 38 yards, 5 punt returns, 68 yards

It's hard to decipher who was the MVP of this game, but the way Richard he played today, he deserves MVP. Cook needed good field position to work with and Richard had a couple of good returns to put the offense in position to score.

Conclusion

As I said before, it's a bitter end to the season. We've had a magical run, but unfortunately injuries just had to crush aspirations of going deep in the playoffs. But, Raider Nation this is just the beginning. All winning teams have steps. They win, they get playoff experience, and they are ready to compete for a Super Bowl. Unfortunately not most teams have that formula. Most of them are one and done. But, Reggie McKenzie, Jack Del Rio, and even Mark Davis have rebuilt this roster and re-established this program to compete long-term. They're putting this team to become something that matches the likes of the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, etc. Those teams continue to think long-term and build through the draft. Look what that got us. Khalil Mack and Derek Carr in 2014. Amari Cooper in 2015. Karl Joseph in 2016. They've found some awesome value picks in the middle-later rounds rounds and diamonds in the rough in the undrafted free agent market, such as Marquette King in 2012, Latavius Murray in 2013, Gabe Jackson and T.J. Carrie in 2014, and DeAndre Washington, Vadal Alexander, James Cowser, Jalen Richard, Darius Latham, and Denver Kirkland in 2016. The future is bright Raider Nation and they will get better with this loss. With everyone healthy, especially Derek Carr, they will be in position to make noise and go all the way. Don't take this loss personally. I know I'm not. This is just the first chapter of the Raiders' return to dominance. The later chapters will get better from there. But, this season has been special. It really was. And I am privileged to have covered and witnessed a playoff game for the Silver and Black. I was only 9 when the Raiders made their last playoff appearance until now. This means a lot. With the way this team is trending upwards, I'm excited for next season to arrive. Thank you Raider Nation for following me on this wild ride of a season. I will post up a Season in Review post some time next week and I'll be back for Super Bowl LI, so I'm not quite done with football yet. But I'll see you guys next season.

2017 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Weekend - RAIDERS @ Houston Texans 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the Raiders-Texans matchup on Wild Card weekend of the 2017 NFL Playoffs. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

OAK 14 HOU 27

Sorry guys, I'm gonna have to take myself out early in this 4th quarter. I have somewhere to be in a few minutes, but the open thread will still be available until the end of the game. Regardless what happens in this game, it has been a magical season to remember. This is just the beginning after breaking a 14-year playoff drought. I'm proud of this team for bringing the greatness of the Raiders back. I'll be back for the full recap in a couple of hours. 

Q3

OAK 7 HOU 20 

This was a brutal quarter to watch. None of the teams put up points, but the Raiders couldn't put up anything to swing the momentum in their favor. Connor Cook is getting rattled out there. With the O-line banged up and the receivers getting shut out, this offense is a sitting duck out there. The defense is doing its job, but they're getting winded out there for being on the field too much. If this score holds up, this is going to be a moral victory here. 

2017 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Weekend - RAIDERS @ Houston Texans 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to Wild Card weekend of the 2017 NFL Playoffs. This is the first half of the Raiders' road playoff matchup vs. the Houston Texans in NRG Stadium. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

OAK 7 HOU 20

The first half of this game is what you expect with a rookie quarterback in Connor Cook. The Texans' defense are giving him all kinds of exotic looks and as a result, too many underthrown passes by Cook and he threw a pick on a screen pass to Jadeveon Clowney. But, the playcalling isn't helping either. Musgrave once again is playing it safe establishing the run and calling quick passes that result in nothing. On the score by Tay Train, they started being aggressive with a no huddle, which worked! They can't let the Texans defense substitute because they have too much talent and depth on that side of the ball. Defensively, they are being gassed out, but they had a great start. I think Ken Norton Jr. read my preview that the Raiders needed to blitz and they are bringing the heat on Osweiler. I think Houston's offense is starting to figure the blitzing pattern out, but then again, the Raiders' defense is being gassed out because of quick, conservative possessions. Bill Musgrave has to consider opening up the playbook more and try to look for the Tight Ends more please? Because obviously the Texans' secondary have Coop, Crab, and Roberts covered. The 2nd half will open up shortly. 

Q1

OAK 7 HOU 10

Nice start on defense, but slow start on offense until the last drive. I said this in my preview, Ken Norton Jr. has to open up the playbook and blitz Brock Osweiler. So far, Osweiler can't handle the pressure and the Texans' offense couldn't figure them out. Offensively, conservative as usual to start. They started deep into their own territory and disaster happens. Cook throws an INT, which sets up Lamar Miller's easy TD. But now Musgrave ends his conservative stuff, implements no huddle and it ends up with a Tay Train TD. They need more of that to get back into the game. 

Raiders AFC Wild Card Preview: @ Houston Texans

Raider Nation, we've been waiting for this moment for a long time. Welcome in to the preview post of the Raiders' 2017 Wild Card matchup vs. the Houston Texans at Houston. First time for everything, but I'll be helped big time considering the Raiders did play the Texans this season in a 20-27 victory down in Mexico City. I'll be placing a lot emphasis on the Texans because hey, "know the enemy."

Considering a regular season matchup between these two teams happened, there shouldn't be any surprises. But, the teams will make little changes to their game plan than last time. Definitely there'll be a big time adjustment on the Raiders' sideline since Connor Cook will be starting at quarterback. 

In all honesty, the Texans are better than what most people give them credit for. Yes, they have an anemic offense having a quarterback problem with Tom Savage and Brock Osweiler. But they've had success with their running game. Lamar Miller posted an 1,000 rushing yards campaign in his first year with the team. Their defense is criminally underrated. And the fact that they've done so without J.J. Watt all season is pretty impressive. Luckily, the Raiders don't have to worry about Watt, but Jadeveon Clowney has been coming into his own late this season and he's slowly, but surely living up to the hype as the #1 overall pick in 2014. Whitney Merciless is another pass rusher that the Raiders also need to account for. Romeo Crennel, the Texans' defensive coordinator, is probably salvinating on Connor Cook starting and will obviously put together an exotic defensive game plan to confuse the rookie out of Michigan State.

During the regular season meeting with the Texans, the Raiders looked really flat. But remember, they were coming off a bye and a big Sunday Night victory over the Broncos. Also, Mexico City has a very ridiculous altitude below sea level. They couldn't run the ball early on and full credit to the Texans' run defense for stopping the run game. Vince Wilfork can still eat up space and the Texans held opponents under 100 yards rushing per game during the season. However, the Raiders did beat them in other ways. Carr was able to find Murray and Richard out of the back field and they burned the Texans' defense with the half back screen game. Of course, Olawale had that big TD to tie the game up on the wheel route. Defensively, the Raiders were being gassed and they couldn't off the field on third down. It seemed like every third down play, Osweiler found C.J. Fiedorowicz over the middle for a first down and from there, the Texans continued to gash the run D with Lamar Miller. But, bend but don't break, the defense made critical stops when needed.

Everyone says it, the playoffs are a whole different ball game in the regular season. The Raiders put themselves in this position to on the road and possibly, go all the way. For Connor Cook, a Wild Card game as his first professional start is gonna put some pressure. Ball security and game management is going to be crucial for him. He made a couple of turnovers in the Broncos game, but those will happen when a rookie steps in against one of the best defenses in the league. As I said before, the Texans' defense is underrated, but they are beatable. 

Offensively, the offensive line is going to be a big time key for this matchup. Although, Penn and K.O. went down last Sunday, hopefully the initial prognosis is minor and that they'll be ready to go Saturday. If it stands, Penn, Osemele, Hudson, Jackson, and Watson have to impose their physicality against a stout defensive front and keep Cook clean all game long. Cook is going to need the run game to function so that he won't have too much pressure. That starts with the O-line to push around defensive linemen and create big running lanes. Murray, Richard, and Washington need to have the best games of their careers rushing-wise. They're very capable pass catchers out of the backfield, but if they can run through the Texans' stout D-line, it's going to make them harder to cover. The Raiders have relied on Coop, Crab, and Roberts in the passing game, but the Texans' secondary have been decent in keeping receivers in check. So Bill Musgrave, for Pete's sake, get Walford and Rivera involved as much as possible. They're going to help Cook big time. Then again, Walford and Rivera have to do their part to catch the ball since the Tight End position has been anemic all season long with their drops. 

On the defensive side, it's time for Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin to feast. Mario Edwards, Jr. already has two games in to knock off some rusts after being out for the majority of the season. Hopefully, we see Stacy McGee back in action to help bolster the defensive front. Also, Karl Joseph returns to reinforce the secondary. The pieces are in place for Mack and Irvin to wreak havoc on Osweiler. Osweiler ran over this defense and threw the ball at will. But now, he's facing a much stronger front. The key is that Ken Norton Jr. needs to call his best defensive gameplan as a coordinator. Honestly, he owes us with all the shortcomings all season long despite having better talent to work with than his first year. Place major emphasis on containing Miller, Hopkins, and especially Fiedorowicz and any other Tight End over the middle. Bring the heat on Osweiler and blitz!

This should be exciting. First playoff game in a long time. If the Raiders execute a great gameplan and follow any of the keys I mentioned on both sides of the ball, they have a very good chance of winning. It's time for them to stop moping about Carr's injury. Obviously, their heads weren't in it in the biggest game of their lives last Sunday with the AFC West up for grabs. Believe in Connor Cook and win this game by any means! I'll see you guys on Saturday.

Raiders Outlast Texans in a Monday Night Mexican Standoff

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Monday Night game vs. the Houston Texans in Mexico where the Raiders reclaim sole possession of first place in the AFC West beating the Texans 20-27.

Aside from the OT win against the Bucs Week 8, this is up there as one of the more polarizing victories we can take in. We take the win, but the penalties were excruciating. As I said, the Texans looked like the better team out there. Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller, and the Texans, they were gashing the defense all game long. They were keeping Derek Carr in check defensively. But, the Raiders just made the bigger plays and yes, we got a little help. There'll be two controversies that'll be talked about in this game: DeAndre Hopkins ruled out of bounds when his foot wasn't on the white chalk and of course, the 4th and inches in the 4th quarter that was ruled short. But as Khalil Mack would say: "by any means" and the Raiders found another way to win when the odds were stacked against them.

(+)

*I'm having a hard time to take away any positives here. Bear with me.*

Jamize Olawale, 3 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD. The master of the wheel route! The expectations were high for Olawale when the Raiders cut Reece, but we knew Olawale was a stud. In the 4th quarter, Olawale executed the wheel route to perfection and he was off to the races for a 75 yard touchdown. Aside from Amari Cooper's go-ahead touchdown for the lead, Olwale's play was critical for the Raiders to get back into this game.

Jalen Richard, 3 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD. I'm not going to include the rushing stats because the run game was non-existent all game long. But Richard stepped it up, scoring the first TD of the game. In the 4th quarter, he made a clutch catch from Derek Carr as the clock winded down to the 2 minute warning.

Defense. The defense had to be catching their breath from playing a long time in that Mexico City altitude. They couldn't get off the field on 3rd downs early on. Penalties also couldn't get them off the field. But I commend them for holding their ground all game long. Get all the oxygen you can get guys.

Derek Carr, 21 of 31 passes, 295 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. His 1 INT to start the 3rd quarter was bad, but drops by the receivers really hurt his stats. Also the fact that the running game couldn't get going, Carr had to carry the team. He made big throws at the right time. Most of his throws aside from the INT were money. It's just that the receivers were dropping a lot passes.

(-)

The running game. I gotta tip my hat off to the Texans' defense on this negative. Clowney, Mercilus, Wilfork (still a good run stuffer), they were pushing the O-line back and making the negative plays. The running game did show up at the end of the game, but they couldn't get anything going and the Texans' defense did a good job on that.

Drops. There were a lot of them. Seth Roberts had a couple drops. Michael Crabtree, definitely Michael Crabtree had a couple of uncharacteristic drops. Crabtree has been relatively quiet the last two games. Hopefully, he can shake this off and have a nice bounceback game against the Panthers next week.

Controversy. Yup, DeAndre Hopkins out of bounds and the 4th down play will overshadow this victory. Hopkins, no question was inbounds. But like I said on the 4th down, I think because the runner's knee was down before the ball extend the mark, I think that's the rationale why they ruled the turnover on downs. But, this will be talked about over this win.

MVP

Derek Carr 21 of 31 passes, 295 passing yards, 3 TDs

I don't think anybody deserved MVP after this game. But, I'd say Derek Carr deserved this. The stats could've been more if it weren't for the drops, but Carr did make the clutch throws for the explosive plays down the stretch.




Conclusion

Sloppy game. Controversial game. But at the end of the day, a win is a win. Kansas City lost last night and the Raiders are sole possession in 1st place. The cushion could be even greater when KC plays Denver next week. But overall, this was not a great game for the Raiders performance-wise, but hey, all that matters is that they put another W in the column. Interesting stat, the Raiders are now 4-0 in primetime games with Derek Carr under center. It goes to show the bright lights do not phase our quarterback no matter the scenario. The Panthers are in town next week. This could be another close game like this one, but their secondary does not match up well with the receivers. But, 4-game win streak, 1st place in the AFC West. It feels great Raider Nation. Since this game was in Mexico, I'll say Buenas Noches and Hasta Luego for next week's game vs. the Panthers.

Week 11: ¡Viva México! - RAIDERS vs. Houston Texans 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half of the Raiders' Monday Night game vs. the Texans on Monday Night Football. As usual, leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q4

HOU 20 OAK 27

By any means necessary. This was not a clean game. There'll be a lot of controversy surrounding that 4th down call when the Texans were in the Red Zone. I was mad when I thought they had the 4th down. But, I think the rationale was his knee was down before the runner extended on the first down mark. No question, the Texans outplayed the Raiders, but the Raiders found a way to just win baby. 8-2, alone in first place in the AFC West! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

HOU 17 OAK 13 

The last thing we want to see is an INT thrown. Just on the first drive this quarter, Derek Carr threw to nobody open down the middle, resulting in an INT. The Texans managed to take advantage of that off a couple of bogus P.I. calls. This was a frustrating quarter to watch. The defense has regressed or they are just getting gassed because of the altitude. Just speechless to see this offense not in sync and the Texans are currently driving to look for the kill shot in this game. Everything is clicking for them on offense.

Week 11: ¡Viva México! - RAIDERS vs. Houston Texans 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Bienvenidos! Welcome to the 1st half of the Raiders' Week 11 Monday Night matchup vs. the Houston Texans in Mexico City! Leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q2

HOU 10 OAK 10

Well, there are a couple of reasons to draw on why this was a slow start for the Raiders. You have the one week off, the altitude, the soft turf. The offense, aside from the 2nd possession when Carr threw the TD to Richard, they're not executing well. The drops were epidemic in the half. Michael Crabtree, sure-hands, he's dropping some uncharacteristic balls. Seth Roberts too, dropping some balls. Amari Cooper, just that one catch in the first quarter, but other than that, non-existent. But, credit to the Texans defense. They are pushing the Raiders' O-line around, getting good penetration to stuff the run game. The defense also starting slow. You are beginning to wonder if the altitude is starting to take a toll because they've been on the field too long. They couldn't get off the field early on on 3rd down. Overall, I thought the Raiders looked sluggish this half. Certainly, the bye week might've played a factor, but the execution has to be better. We could've been talking 10-14, but instead we're all tied up. Hopefully, they get as many oxygen as they can in the locker room to play 30 more minutes. We just need to see a better second half. That's all that needs to be said.

Q1

HOU 3 OAK 0

Slow start on both ends of the ball. Bye weeks always leave a team rusty and this is a whole different case going to Mexico. The defense couldn't get Osweiler and the Texans' offense off the field on third down. DeAndre Hopkins could've had a walk in TD. Jadeveon Clowney was a big factor in the first offensive possession and lead to a quick 3 and out. But, the Raiders are doing a better job offensively, getting the tight end involved and implementing the no huddle. 

Raiders Fall Flat in Home Opener vs. Texans

Alright, welcome in to the full recap between the Raiders-Texans game where the Raiders squander an opportunity to tack on a win as they get beat down by the Texans 30-14.

"Wow." That's all I could say when I was witnessing this game. It was pathetic, it was embarrassing; it's hard to express this frustration without any profanity, but I'm sorry this game was just absolute shit. It feels like I'm just saying this now even though I've seen this movie over and over and over again as lifelong fan where game day, you're pumped up, ready to see the Silver & Black kick some ass and then they perform like this, all of a sudden that feeling turns into melancholy. It's frustrating.

The Positives

Darren McFadden, 12 carries, 37 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD. Maurice Jones-Drew out, Latavius Murray didn't see too many snaps, for McFadden I thought he played a decent all-around game. The stats don't say otherwise, but if you watched the game, he converted on 3rd downs when needed, he blocked for Derek Carr. He pretty much kept JJ Watt in check from terrorizing Carr. The outcome would've been much worse if it weren't for McFadden laying down those key blocks when needed.

James Jones, 9 reception, 112 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD, 1 fumble lost. I was really mad about that fumble James Jones made. He was in Houston territory before he muffed it again. He made that mistake and redeemed himself just enough to remove himself off my negative list. He was Carr's go to guy this game. The other receivers were just terrible. D. Mo didn't do anything, Streater, nothing. We signed Jones in the offseason and his acquisition is paying dividends, just at the wrong time when the game is well out of reach. On a little note, if you have Jones on your fantasy team, he's a late round value pick or a good waiver wire pick up as always. I started him today and he gave me solid points when needed as a WR3. Other than that, aside from the wild fumble, Jones had a decent game.

The Negatives

Turnovers. 4 turnovers and all of them turnovers were momentum-killing. Derek Carr, had a good run to put the Raiders in Houston territory, then threw it to Kareem Jackson for an INT, bad throw, the aforementioned James Jones fumbles, definitely that play is going to be on "C'mon man!" tomorrow night, and the Mychal Rivera fumble, it was awful to watch. The turnovers pretty much summed up how bad the game went down.

Defense. Once again, no pressure on Fitzpatrick, the secondary giving up big plays on critical 3rd down plays, it was the same old story as last week, just that the points were piled up more. Nick Roach's absence, the absolutely thin secondary is definitely piling up early on for this defense. The defense wasn't pathetic last week, but man were they absolute trash this game.

Conclusion

Next week, who do we have next? *checks schedule* Crap the Patriots at Foxborough, in Gilette Stadium. Their game today vs. the Vikings showed before this game and whenever you think the Patriots are down, they find ways to bounce back in convincing fashion. It's always tough to go down there to face Brady, Belichick, Wilfork, not to mention, the Raiders are riding a 16 game losing streak in the East Coast. After that, it is the London game against the Dolphins. If the Raiders go 0-4 heading into their week 5 bye week, I can guarantee, Dennis Allen is going to be packing his bags and head out the door, if not maybe earlier considering how this game went down. I'll see you guys next week for the Patriots game.

Oh and by the way, if you guys like the Dennis Allen meme I put up at the end of the fourth quarter section, here's the link: http://memegenerator.net/instance/54337643

Week 2 Home Opener: RAIDERS vs. Houston Texans Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

Score: HOU 30 OAK 14

Stay tuned for the full recap...

Q3:

Score: HOU 27 OAK 0

After three quarters, this is pretty much self-explanatory:

Q2:

Score: HOU 17 OAK 0

Bad back-to-back fumbles by James Jones. I was screaming on him to get down when he was touched after he recovered his first fumble so the Raiders can call a timeout and settle things down for the offense to get set and and then he muffed it again before he got down. That play costed a good drive D.C. was putting together and this is pouring on to how terrible this game is going down. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

Score: HOU 14 OAK 0

Quarter is pretty much over, but what a pathetic start. First opening drive, JJ Watt TD, Arian Foster running all over the place, it's embarrassing. Dennis Allen's seat is not hot, it is on fire the way this game is starting.

RAIDERS vs. Texans Halftime Post

Score: HOU 17 OAK 0

Alright welcome into the halftime post of the Raiders-Texans game where the Texans lead the Raiders 0-17.

The Positives

Positives? What positives?

The Negatives

Defense. Opening Houston drive, giving up a TD to JJ Watt, allowing 105 yards so far for Houston's running game. Last week, I got criticized for giving the defense a rough time, considering they were doing good, but this week, they've definitely put us in a whole, reverting back to the same old shenanigans. They did better in the 2nd quarter, but the 1st quarter is pretty self-explanatory to put the defense on the negative section.

James Jones. He's doing good in the receiving stats, being Carr's favorite target for 5 receptions for 76 yards, but the back to back fumbles. Back to back fumbles, c'mon man. You're a 7-8 year veteran. You can't turn the ball over like that. Before his 2nd fumble, he should've gone down already, they're already in Houston territory looking to score. Just a couple of bad sequences for Jones and he knows he's better that based on his expressions on the sideline after that 2nd fumble.

Bottom Line 

All I can say is, something has to give. This game started off messy, but the old saying goes: "it doesn't matter how you start, but how you finish." The Raiders just need a better 2nd half performance to get back into this game.