Matt Flynn survived Friday night. The quarterback escaped injury free and at this point, that is all Oakland Raiders fans have to be thankful for. The starting quarterback was sacked five times for 28 yards. While that is of no fault to his, it means Dennis Allen has questions to answer about the offensive line.
Stats wise, Flynn did well returning to New Orleans where he played his college football. He went 12 for 16 for 124 yards and one touchdown. He did not turn the ball over. But, he spent most of the night attempting to escape pressure as the offensive line continued to get beat by the Saints' linebackers.
"I think he was under duress most of the evening," Allen said. "[The Saints] brought a lot of pressure, and they did some different stuff than they did in the first preseason game."
If Friday night taught Oakland fans anything, it is that Veldheer was a team MVP. The tackle went down with a triceps injury and opted to have surgery to fix it. The Raiders are unsure of exactly when Veldheer will return. If all goes according to plan, the tackle could be back in the mix at some point this season, but until then the team must use the next man up.
Alex Barron is that guy-in-waiting and he had his chance to prove worthy of the starting spot on Friday. He failed at the task. Barron struggled on every play as the Saints' defensive coordinator Rob Ryan continued to change looks and bring pressure. Barron might not be up for this spot.
Ideally, Menelik Watson would possibly replace Veldheer, but he is a rookie and might not be ready. Watson is also battling a calf injury keeping him out of practice. Allen has remained complimentary of Barron after having a strong offseason. The head coach is counting on offensive line coach Tony Sparano to shape Barron into a valuable replacement for the time being.
The success of starter Matt Flynn is really dependent on the chemistry between the offensive line. Barron must prove he can handle protecting the blind side and opening up holes for running back Darren McFadden. If the Raiders can feel comfortable putting Barron at left tackle to lineup next to Khalif Barnes, which would prevent them from rushing Watson into a starting role so quickly.
The best option for Oakland may be to begin looking at free agent options. They are slim but the team might be able to find a diamond in the rough. Flynn's performance on Friday was simply heroic for how much pressure he faced.
