
OAKLAND -– Veteran receiver James Jones is from San Jose, went to San Jose State and played for the Raiders last season. He was cut by the Silver and Black after just one season of a three-year contract.
Sunday was his first time back since getting axed. Jones bounced around some after that disappointment, and ended up back with a Green Bay Packers team where he spent his first seven seasons in the NFL.
He downplayed the homecoming during the week, but he wanted to show well against the team that cut him. He certainly did that, with a six catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in a 30-20 victory over the Raiders at O.co Coliseum.
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Jones almost had a second touchdown, but it was called off due to offensive pass interference. That stuck in his craw more than payback.
“Like I said earlier in the week, I come out every game trying to play and trying to play well,” Jones said. “I’m more thinking about my second [touchdown] that they took away from me than the one that counted. I felt like they got me a little bit, but it’s all good. I come out every game trying to play well and it was good to come out here and get a win.”
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Jones was wide open on his first touchdown, which Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio called a blown coverage. It was more a case of a safety not playing back, with TJ Carrie –- he was alternating between safety and nickel back -– and corner David Amerson didn’t have help he expected over the top.
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“It really wasn’t a miscommunication. It was about personnel,” Amerson said. “The guys got confused –- we had guys moving from nickel to safety to corner and everything. It was a guy in the wrong spot. He forgot he was supposed to be at safety and we didn’t have a half-field play. It didn’t help that they were going hurry-up, so guys really weren’t on the same page. That’s all it takes for one play.”
That was the only touchdown allowed by the Raiders defense.