First and foremost, the Raiders defense allowed a franchise record in total yards, per Associated Press writer Josh Dubow, which deserves an independent discussion. Secondly, this young team blooming with potential turned the ball over at crucial moments to keep the Steelers on top in the second half.
The Raiders concluded this contest with five fumbles and lost three. Quarterback Derek Carr put together a gutsy performance but threw an ill-advised pass intended for rookie tight end Clive Walford in the end zone after a Steelers turnover.
Together, turnovers and poor defense put the Raiders in a bind during a high-scoring contest that ended without Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Backup quarterback Landry Jones entered the game late in the fourth quarter and went 4-of-6, for 79 yards with a late drive into field-goal range.
Despite the four turnovers, the Raiders offense continued to pump life into their winning chances, but the defense failed to prevent the Steelers from driving down the field with a backup quarterback on the final drive.
For Raider Nation, there’s much to be excited about pertaining to the resiliency on offense, but also much to agonize over when focusing on ball security and a thin secondary.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
