Font ResizeHOUSTON -- The Raiders still have some holes on defense, as evidenced by their surrendering 473 yards Sunday, but they made good on their quest to stop the Houston running game.
The Texans finished with 70 yards in 25 carries, with Arian Foster, who had 155 yards on 30 carries last week against Pittsburgh, limited to 68 yards on 22 attempts. Foster got 20 of those yards on his first attempt and averaged 2.3 per carry the rest of the way.
"We'd rather give up passing yards than rushing yards, because it's demoralizing as a team when they can rush the ball at will," defensive tackle Richard Seymour said.
Defensive tackle John Henderson said it was a matter of every player doing his job, staying in gaps, the same thing the Raiders have preached for years while not always delivering.
"They decided to step up, just like I told you we would," coach Hue Jackson said. "We played against a good back and a good running team. I think our guys stepped up and made some plays. I am truly impressed with those men."
The cutback lanes that zone-blocking teams so often exploit against the Raiders were nonexistent.
"They were staying in the box," Foster said. "They were doing a good job of staying disciplined in their gaps. You have to give all the credit to them."
Schaub started 9 for 12, but was 15 for his last 39 and finished 24 for 51.
"Instead of going for the shoulder pads, trying to tackle him, I was going where his arm was, and Lamarr was doing the same thing," Henderson said.
Foster, stymied in the running game, caught five passes for 116 yards with a long of 60. Tight end Joel Dreessen had five catches for 112 yards and a 56-yard touchdown pass from Schaub on a blown coverage in the first half.
Cartwright said the play had been called earlier, but the Raiders didn't get the right look from the Texans.
"They gave us the look we wanted the second time, and Mike Mitchell told me to trust him, he'll get the guy on the edge, and he did that, and it was a big play for us," Cartwright said.
"Obviously that's been their (Texans') focus all week, and I'll be the first to tell you that I have to do a better job," Jackson said. "They got us slowed down, probably more so than any other team has in a long time."
"It hurts, but I deserve to feel like this right now," Vickers said. "The game was in my hands, and I didn't do what I was supposed to do."
"Al Davis created something he believed in and stood by it no matter what people said," Jones said. "He's the grandfather of grandfathers and an inspiration."
Fans also built a shrine to Davis just outside the headquarters' front door, with personal thanks and messages written on footballs, newspapers, balloons, stuffed animals and baseball caps.
"Al Davis: rest in power," one inscription read.
Bay Area News Group's Sean Maher contributed to this report.
