"All last week, the Raiders' coaching staff harped on two things: running the ball and stopping the run. Their players didn't do either very well on Sunday, allowing the Houston Texans to control the Raiders from the outset during a 31-24 victory at the Oakland Coliseum. Only 32,218 were on hand to see it -- the smallest Raiders home crowd in a nonstrike season in almost 43 years. The game also was blacked out locally. The Texans rushed for 249 yards and two touchdowns, and held the Raiders to 118 yards and one rushing touchdown. Houston chewed up Oakland's ground defense without league-leading rusher Arian Foster for most of the first half and also played without top wide receiver Andre Johnson for the entire game. "The game was won and lost on the line of scrimmage," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "They came in here and did exactly what they've tried to all year, and that's establish their run game. They did a good job of it. We never seemed to get a handle on it or slow it down. "... We got whipped on the line of scrimmage. That's the bottom line." The defeat dropped the Raiders into last place in the AFC West at 1-3, 2?1/2 games behind the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs and one behind the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, both winners on Sunday. "We took one on the chin, and it's very disappointing (in) the fashion that it happened," Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. "I would feel better about it if they threw the ball on us. It's demoralizing when a team can run the ball at will. We didn't stop the run, and there is no excuse for that." It didn't matter whether Foster, Derrick Ward or Steve Slaton ran for the Texans. Each back averaged at least 6.7 yards and recorded a run of 23 yards or longer. Foster finished the game with 131 yards and Ward added 80." Read more: http://www.insidebayarea.com/raiders/ci_16245364
