Photo credit: @Raiders
By Jeremy Kahn
OAKLAND — With their playoff hopes riding on this game, the Oakland Raiders looked really good in the beginning of the game; however, the second half was a totally different story.
Ryan Tannehill went 21-for-27 for 391 yards, three touchdowns and an interception and the Tennessee Titans defeated the Raiders 42-21 before a crowd of 52,760 at the Coliseum.
Things started off well, as Tannehill threw a pass that Dion Jordan tipped and Maurice Hurst caught and returned 55 yards to the Titans 24-yard line.
That was my first interception since I was in high school, (Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, MA, said Hurst.
The former Michigan Wolverines All-American did have a fumble recovery versus the University of Central Florida in the Wolverines season-opening win in Ann Arbor on September 10, 2016.
Derek Carr got the Raiders on the board two plays later, as he found Darren Waller for a seven-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead.
Tannehill then began to drive the Titans down the field, as he came up with a big pass play when he connected with Khari Blasingame for a 24-yard completion and then two plays later, Derrick Henry scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 12-yard scamper that tied up the game.
After the ensuing Raiders series was stopped, Tannehill gave the Titans the lead just one play after the AJ Cole.
Tannehill found A.J. Brown for a 91-yard touchdown pass that split the Raiders secondary down the middle.
Carr and the Raiders did not sulk, as they immediately tied up the game, when Carr found Rico Gallford for his first NFL touchdown reception.
The back and forth scoring continued on the Titans next series, as Tannehill found Brown for a 16-yard touchdown.
Carr and the Raiders tied up the game on their next series, as he drove the team down the field with the key play being a 26-yard pass from Carr to Waller that ended at the Titans one-yard line.
Foster Moreau caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Carr for the Raiders third touchdown of the afternoon, and unfortunately their final points of the game.
Tannehill and the Titans began to drive down the field again; however, they were kept off the scoreboard, when Ryan Succops 42-yard field goal attempt hit the goalpost and the two teams went into the locker room all tied up at 21 apiece.
The two teams played punt the ball away on the first drives of the second half, including the first two three-and-outs of the game.
Following the second Cole punt of the third quarter, the Titans scored on a 10-yard touchdown run from Henry and never looked back.
Once again, the Raiders were forced to punt and the Titans capitalized on it, as Tannehill made it 35-21 early in the fourth quarter, when he found Jonnu Smith for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Just two plays after the Tannehill touchdown pass to Smith, the Titans salted the game away, as Carrs pass to Waller was fumbled and returned 46 yards for a touchdown by Jayon Brown to close out the scoring.
After another Cole punt, the Titans could not add any more points, as they were forced to punt after a three-and-out.
The Raiders began to drive down the field, as Carr got them down to the two-yard line, when he found DeAndre Washington pass for 24 yards down to the Titans two-yard line.
Washington was forced into starting at tailback after rookie sensation Josh Jacobs was declared inactive.
I give him a lot of credit. He was really in tears wanting to play, said Jon Gruden.
In his place, Washington gained 53 yards on 14 carries and caught six passes for 43 yards on the afternoon.
We actually found out before the game. Going into the week we knew that he was banged up, said Washington.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, they were unable to cash in and were forced to turn the ball over on downs.
The Titans took over and after two first downs that clinched the game, the Raiders saw them on the short end of their third straight loss.
During the recent three-game slide, the Raiders have been outscored 116-33 in losses to the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and now the Titans.
NOTES: With Carrs two touchdown passes, he has now thrown touchdown in all 41 games in his NFL career. The 41 game are the ninth-most in NFL history through a players six seasons.
It was the fifth touchdown of the season for Moreau, as he leads all rookie tight ends in the league.
UP NEXT: In what will be the last home game in Oakland before the move to Las Vegas, the Jacksonville Jaguars will come to the Coliseum. The Jaguars are coming off a 45-10 shellacking at home versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
