FLASH RECAP:
Backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski engineers three scoring drives — including a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Stewart — as Oakland opens its 2009 exhibition season with a blowout victory over Dallas before an announced crowd of 33,145 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Aug. 13, 2009.
Louis Rankin and Gary Russell score short touchdown runs during the third quarter as Oakland pulls away. The Raiders hold the Cowboys to 274 total yards and 1-of-9 on third-down efficiency (11 percent).
JaMarcus Russell, who leads Oakland to a field goal on his two possessions, is 6-of-9 passing for 50 yards. Gradkowski, competing with Charlie Fyre for the No. 3 quarterback position, is 9-of-16 passing for 161 yards and a whopping 111.7 efficiency rating.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
WR Chaz Schillens — Has 5 catches for 52 yards and also draws a 47-yard pass interference penalty that sets up a 23-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski.
QB Bruce Gradkowski — Throws for 161 yards on 9-of-16 passing and a TD.
Passing Game Coordinator Ted Tollner — Fourteen Oakland receivers make catches.
QB Tony Romo — Is 4-of-6 passing for 36 yards and a TD on two drives.
WR Sam Hurd — Has 5 catches for 79 yards.
TE Jason Witten — Catches an 8-yard TD pass from Tony Romo late in the first quarter, giving the Cowboys a 7-3 lead.
KEY STATS:
Fourteen Raiders catch 22 passes for 291 yards.
Oakland has 176 rushing yards on 26 carries. Darren McFadden leads with 63 rushing yards on 4 carries, including a 45-yarder.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell
"I got in the flow of things and made some plays. For the first time out, I think I did pretty good."
"I thought he was very aggressive with the ball, made good decisions. That's what I'm talking about with him. When he plays the game at a fast enough speed, it allows him to be on time, and he showed that tonight."
Raiders coach Tom Cable
on QB JaMarcus Russell
BY THE NUMBERS:
1: Number of catches (for 8 yards) for Darrius Heyward-Bey in his Raiders debut.
14: Raiders points during the third quarter as Oakland builds a 24-10 lead.
25: Combined penalties, including a whopping 14 infractions for 107 yards on the Raiders.
DID YOU KNOW?:
Raiders defensive end Greg Ellis spent 11 seasons with the Cowboys before being released in June 2009. On the game's first offensive play, the 6-foot-6 Ellis knocks down a Tony Romo pass.
Ellis tells reporters after Oakland's victory: "It was a blessing for me to get in there and make a play, the first play of the game. (It was) good for us to win. Like coach said, we have a lot of work to do, but it was good fun."
The Raiders improve to 17-9 against the Cowboys in their exhibition series, which began in 1972. The visiting Cowboys won the previous meeting, 21-20, on Aug. 21, 2004.
