Raiders’ defense falters in 42-28 loss to Colts

OAKLAND, Calif. — Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson stomped and stomped his right foot into the grass, hoping to hammer his heel back into his shoe. He couldn’t. He kneeled and forcefully yanked his shoe from behind to bend it past his heel. He couldn’t.

He hurried to the huddle where a teammate assisted him, looking to reinsert foot into shoe. He couldn’t.

And so, in the third quarter, Nelson was a bit vulnerable in protection against the Raiders, presuming they could capitalize on a one-shoed rookie offensive lineman.

They couldn’t.

Minimal resistance was felt Sunday from the Raiders’ defense, which allowed five consecutive scoring drives beginning in the second quarter. That included four touchdown drives in the second half. Quarterback Andrew Luck seemed comfortable on the first such touchdown, standing behind Nelson and firing a 20-yard pass to tight end Eric Ebron in the Raiders’ 42-28 loss.

Oakland became the first team since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to allow three different tight ends to score in the same game, according to the league’s media research department. Mo Alie-Cox and Jack Doyle were the others.

Amid defensive struggles on third down, quarterback Derek Carr and the offense ran only 18 plays in the first half and 47 for the game. The Raiders (1-6) ceded 222 yards rushing and 239 yards passing while recording no sacks and forcing no takeaways. Luck was hit once all afternoon, courtesy of blitzing safety Erik Harris.

A couple short fields didn’t help late.

Carr and Co. effectively matched the Colts for much of the afternoon, the score tied at 28 midway into the fourth quarter. But the offense could not maintain the pace its defense required. Following a three-and-out, rookie Johnny Townsend misfired on a 25-yard punt to set up Indianapolis at its own 43-yard line. Doyle’s touchdown capped that series.

At his own 27-yard line, Raiders running back Doug Martin lost a fumble on the first play of the ensuing drive. Colts running back Marlon Mack ultimately followed with a 1-yard touchdown.

“They made plays,” linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. “We have to do a better job as a defense of stopping runs, stopping the pass — whatever it is, having all 11 guys play together. They just made more plays than we did today. … We just didn’t stop the bleeding.”

Playing together can be difficult when those 11 men on defense are in weekly flux.

Cornerback Gareon Conley started Sunday and played every defensive snap. In the team’s previous game before a Week 7 bye, he played zero defensive snaps. Safety Reggie Nelson, a defensive co-captain, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin had significant roles early this season. They were healthy scratches Sunday. Nelson was inactive because the offense needed an eighth lineman, coach Jon Gruden said.

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie went from Week 6 starter to Week 8 special teams player. Linebacker Emmanuel Lamur went from Week 6 starter to a healthy scratch. Linebacker Jason Cabinda went from practice squad to starter in his NFL debut as an undrafted rookie. Linebacker Kyle Wilber, a captain on special teams, played his first defensive snaps of the season.

Stuffing a heel into a scrunched shoe.

The image seems to capture the Raiders’ defense at the moment.

So far, they haven’t found a fit.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.