
PITTSBURGH –- Raiders quarterback Derek Carr new early in the practice week that Sunday’s game at the Pittsburgh Steelers would be a street brawl.
Things get physical when you play the Steelers, who have a long-standing tradition of laying big hits.
“I knew we were getting in to when I turned on the Steelers film last week,” Carr said after a 38-35 slugfest that went Pittsburgh’s way. “When you play the Pittsburgh Steelers, you’re in for a physical football game.”
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Both sides lost key pieces to big hits. Some guys gutted it out with bangs and bruises. That forced more Raiders into the fray.
[BAIR: Notes: Raiders' Murray concussed on helmet-to-helmet hit]
They were already compensating for injured safety TJ Carrie, giving more snaps to Taylor Mays on passing downs and to Neiko Thorpe in the slot. Veteran safety Charles Woodson played 79 snaps in extreme pain, limited with a weak right shoulder.
The loss of Rodney Hudson gave Tony Bergstrom offensive snaps for the first time since 2012.
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The loss of Latavius Murray put fullbacks Marcel Reece and Jamize Olawale into the rushing rotations, especially with Roy Helu inactive as a healthy scratch.
The Raiders went with three receivers quite often, as evidenced by 45 snaps for Seth Roberts.
Here’s a look at the entire Raiders snap count from Sunday’s game:
OFFENSE
70 – OG J’Marcus Webb, OT Austin Howard, OG Gabe Jackson, QB Derek Carr
69 – OT Donald Penn
63 – WR Amari Cooper, WR Michael Crabtree
54 – C Rodney Hudson
45 – WR Seth Roberts
38 – TE Lee Smith
33 – RB Latavius Murray
28 – FB Marcel Reece
21 – WR Andre Holmes, TE Clive Walford
16 – C Tony Bergstrom, TE Mychal Rivera
10 – RB Taiwan Jones
8 – Jamize Olawale
5 – OT Khalif Barnes
DEFENSE
84 – CB DJ Hayden, LB Malcolm Smith
82 – CB David Amerson
79 – S Charles Woodson
77 – S Larry Asante
71 – LB Aldon Smith
69 – LB Khalil Mack
62 – DE Mario Edwards
49 – LB Curtis Lofton
47 – DT Dan Williams
44 – DL Denico Autry
39 – S Taylor Mays
38 – DT Justin Ellis
37 – CB Neiko Thorpe
33 – DT Stacy McGee
17 – DE Benson Mayowa
12 – LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
8 – S Tevin McDonald
1 – CB Keith McGill, LB Lorenzo Alexander, Korey Toomer
SPECIAL TEAMS
33 –Lorenzo Alexander, Keith McGill
25 – Ben Heeney, Taiwan Jones
24 – Jamize Olawale
21 – Korey Toomer, Andre Holmes
18 – Taylor Mays, Neiko Thorpe
14 – Ray-Ray Armstrong
13 – Jon Condo
12 – Marquette King, Stacy McGee, Benson Mayowa, Larry Asante, Tony Bergstrom, Marcel Reece
11 – Sebastian Janikowski, DJ Hayden
8 –Justin Ellis, Denico Autry, Dan Williams, Curtis Lofton, Khalil Mack
7 – Aldon Smith
6 – Marcus Thigpen
5 – Khalif Barnes, Mychal Rivera, Lee Smith, Donald Penn, Gabe Jackson, Austin Howard, J’Marcus Webb
3 – Tevin McDonald