Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly from week two loss to Denver

Good(ish): Penalties

A week after the Raiders surrendered a staggering 155 yards on 11 penalties to the Rams, Oakland managed to tighten up the discipline a little bit, and were flagged just four times for 30 yards against Denver.

It’s a solid improvement over the team who averaged more than 10 penalties, and 100 penalty yards through all four preseason games, and the opening week of the season.

However, that doesn’t mean that all is right in the world. The Raiders still managed to shoot themselves in the foot with some very ill-timed penalties.

Let’s use a second quarter drive as an example. After an opening drive field goal, followed by two consecutive three-and-outs, the Raiders finally managed to get something going, and were moving down the field, blending some crisp passing from Carr, with some solid running.

On a first at ten inside Denver territory, Marshawn Lynch broke off a 31-yard run that took Oakland down to the Broncos 14-yard line, putting them in prime scoring position. However, an offensive holding call on Seth Roberts moved the ball back to the Denver 44.

Rather than looking at a first and goal, the Raiders were moved back, and eventually had to settle for a field goal, able to get no closer than the 21-yard line.

Roberts’ ill-timed penalty took a potential touchdown off the board – and in a time when the Raiders aren’t scoring many touchdowns as it is, wiping a potential one out with a bad flag is not a good look at all.

But hey, at least they cleaned up the overall flag issue. For a week, at any rate.