Starting quarterback Derek Carr left the game and never returned with an injury to his throwing hand Sunday. McGloin took center stage with the team down 10-0 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
An opportunity to show his skills as a starting regular-season quarterback presented itself with Carr immediately going into the locker room, per CSNCalifornia.com writer Scott Bair:
McGloin's preseason performances provided hope that he'd be fit to lead the offense in Carr's absence—and potentially outperform the starter.
Neither scenario happened Sunday.
Matt McGloin Squanders Opportunity
Fresh out of the locker room after halftime, McGloin threw an interception that resembled a punt falling into Bengals safety Reggie Nelson’s cradled arms.
In reference to the interception, Asher Mathews of TFDS Sports made a comparison between Carr and McGloin on Twitter: "McGloin goes vertically much more often than Carr. That results in big plays for #Raiders sometimes. Other times, INTs like that bad pass."
McGloin unnecessarily forced the pass with poor ball placement. He followed with a conservative drive, dinking and dunking down the field to no avail, as SFBay.ca writer Jason Leskiw noted:
The subsequent drive resulted in a fumble, and Cincinnati converted the turnover into a field goal.
At this point, the Bengals led the Raiders 33-0.
When the offense finally started to click with McGloin at the helm, the contest resembled a preseason game. The Bengals set up for a victory in the prevent defense, allowing yards underneath in garbage time.
McGloin once again excelled when the circum...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
