NFL teams
Bill Williamson, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Dennis Allen evasive on starting QB

NFL, Oakland Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. -- On Tuesday, Oakland Raiders coach Dennis Allen was clear: Matt Schaub would be healthy and ready to start Week 1 at the New York Jets.

On Thursday night, though, Allen was less certain when asked who his starting quarterback will be.

The play of rookie Derek Carr might have changed things. Carr completed 11 of 13 passes for 143 yards in a 41-31 Oakland win over the Seattle Seahawks. Two of the three touchdowns he threw were on one-play series.

Several members of the Seattle first-team defense, the NFL gold standard, were on the field for the first score.

Carr, a second-round pick from Fresno State, led Oakland to a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter.

After the game, Allen was evasive and said he thinks all three of his quarterbacks, Schaub, Carr and Matt McGloin, are capable of starting.

Allen said the team will have to see where Schaub is health-wise. He hasn't practice this week with elbow soreness. Both Allen and Schaub had said it was not serious.

"Let's not bury our head in the sand," Allen said. "But I haven't changed anything. I think we're in good shape where we're at with all of our quarterbacks and I feel good about being in the position we're in."

Said Carr: "My job, like [Allen] said from day one, is to come in and compete my tail off and help this team win. That's all I'm doing."

Meanwhile, Allen said right tackle Menelik Watson was playing with the second team because he still is working through an injury. Allen said he expects kicker Sebastian Janikowski to be ready to play the Jets. He has been dealing with a quad injury.

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