Five takeaway points of a season opening mess

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OAKLAND – Two consecutive games in the middle of the fourth quarter gave Derek Carr an idea in two words.

The first, a 32-yard missile over the middle at Jared Cook for a first run. The second, a dreaded interception, hit the left side that landed in the hands of linebacker Cory Littleton without Raiders in the vicinity.

Carr started her 2018 almost perfectly, completing 12 of her first 13 passes for 145 yards. Then there was an interception in the final zone, and much further away. Like 2017, Carr shone brilliantly but more incompetently. This trend echoed Monday night and the end result was the same as 10 years ago.

Carr finished 26-in-37 with 260 yards and three interceptions, including a six-point selection inside the game two minutes from the end of the game, putting the Rams three times. He did not throw three choices in a single game last season.

The Carr stalled Monday night, well, and that led to the Raiders' (0-1) loss in a 33-13 loss to the Rams (1-0) at the Coliseum.

Here are four other things to remember quickly.

So, about this trade …

Well, let us address the elephant in the room.

Without Khalil Mack, the Raiders passage was almost non-existent. Aside from a Bruce Irvin first-half strip-sack, the Raiders only recorded another QB hit.

Tank Carradine went from the first season to the first season and the Raiders ended up with rookie Arden Key and veteran Frostee Rucker. Key struggled with right tackle Rob Havenstein, and other rookies Mo Hurst and P. J. Hall barely produced a boost in the center.

We knew that the Raiders would miss Mack on the defensive line and that it might take time to overcome this loss with the inexperience of the unit. Countering an up-and-coming quarterback, a strong offensive line, and a MVP caliber carrier also do not help.

Despite everything, the Raiders left a lot to be desired from the point of view of the pressure at the front.

A burst of penalties in the first period slows the Raiders

At half-time, the Raiders were about to break the NFL draw record for most penalty yards. They had committed 10 offenses for a total of 145 yards, including four calls to offensive linemen (two on Kelechi Osemele, one on Kolton Miller and Gabe Jackson). Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Rashaan Melvin were both scarred for interfering with the deep-ball defenses on the Brandin Cooks because they did not turn their heads in time.

The Raiders miraculously made a single penalty in the second half, which cost them 10 yards, but they played much better when the yellow flags flew everywhere.

This makes you think how much the Raiders could have played on both sides in the first period without all these penalties? Would that have been important in the end?

Jared Cook a rare spot

Cook almost beat his best performance in a single game of the previous season on Monday night. With Peters keeping Amari Cooper quiet and Aqib Talib holding Jordy Nelson in check, Cook saw more opportunities with his speed similar to that of a receiver.

From the start, he grabbed a short pass over the center and took 45 yards to set up the Marshawn Lynch touchdown. The tight end finished the first half with six catches for 113 yards, a bit on the back of his eight catches and 126 yards against the Dolphins last week.

A 32-yard strike in the fourth quarter pushed him above that 126-yard mark, and the Raiders' best pass passer in 2017 finished with a total of nine catches for 180 yards.

The long-lived snapper suffices

Andrew DePaola, the long live Raiders and the highest paid player in his league position, suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and missed the rest of the game. Lee Smith and goalkeeper / reserve Jon Feliciano practiced a long squeeze on the sideline and Smith got the call.

He slammed cleanly on a 24-yard Mike Nugent chip throw and later, a 48-yard Nugent made the inside dirt disappear. Smith's first strike was slightly longer than Johnny Townsend's, but the rookie caught him before a 45-yard kick had blocked the Rams in their own 20-yard line.