It was Derek Carr’s first game since he broke his leg here, at the Oakland Coliseum, last December. But more important, Saturday night was the Raiders quarterback’s first NFL game without his personal bodyguard, 6-foot-4, 315-pound left tackle Donald Penn.
Penn is holding out for more money — Saturday marked Day 23 — and Raiders fans held their breath every time Carr went back to pass. But the offensive line held up fine and Carr threw two touchdown passes in the 24-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Oakland’s second preseason game.
The 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Lee Smith was rifled in between two defenders, and the 13-yard touchdown to Michael Crabtree was all Crabtree.