Palmer throws three picks as Raiders endure beatdown
OAKLAND, Calif. — Carson Palmer made his Oakland Raiders debut early in the third quarter in relief of Kyle Boller, who had three passes intercepted in the first half. But not much went right for Palmer, either, as the Raiders were dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs 28-0.
Coach Hue Jackson had hoped to give Palmer two more weeks to learn the offense and round into football shape, given the Raiders don’t play again until Nov. 6. However, Boller performed so poorly in relief of injured starter Jason Campbell that Jackson was left with no other option but to call on Palmer.
Things got off to a promising start for Palmer with an 18-yard completion on his first attempt. Before long, things went awry. Palmer’s timing appeared off, and he wasn’t in sync with his receivers. One of his passes was read well by cornerback Brandon Flowers, who jumped the route by Denarius Moore, caught the ball in stride and returned it for a touchdown.
Several other times, Palmer’s throws were well off the mark or thrown up for grabs. In all, Palmer saw three passes intercepted, the same number as Boller, and was 8-of-21 for 116 yards. It was one of those days for the Raiders, and a day that Palmer would just as soon forget.
Even so, Jackson is committed to Palmer the rest of the way, even if Campbell returns from his broken collarbone.
Fortunately for Jackson and Palmer, there are two weeks before the Raiders next game, Nov. 6 against the Denver Broncos.
That should give Palmer ample time to learn more of the offense, work on his timing with his receivers and get back into shape.
Palmer played in a game for the first time in almost 10 months, so it’s not surprising that his performance was hit-and-miss. There were concerns about Palmer’s arm strength before the game, given his history of elbow problems.
Palmer answered that with several strong throws that had the desired zip. Jackson is confident that Palmer can lead the Raiders’ offense effectively and lead them to the playoffs.
If so, Palmer is going to have to play much better than he did Sunday, and soon. Otherwise, Jackson might be faced with deciding whether to return to Campbell, assuming he comes back for the final month of the season.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-10-23/palmer-throws-three-picks-as-raiders-endure-beatdown#ixzz1bexJt3u4
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