Rookie Gets Raiders Going

Phillip Buchanon insists he could have been better in his debut on defense.

It took less than four minutes for the rookie to show he’s ready to be an NFL starter, perhaps even at three positions. But he felt robbed in the Oakland Raiders’ 52-25 rout of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Buchanon had an interception on the first play of the game that was overturned by an instant replay challenge. But he scored on a punt return and handed off on another punt returned for a touchdown.

Then Buchanon, a cornerback by trade, got an interception that counted in the fourth quarter, leading to the Raiders’ final score.

He also finished with seven solo tackles.

He’s convinced he picked off Steve McNair on the first play.

“I said ‘That’s messed up!’ ” he said.

“I should have had it, but I can’t change it.”

Oakland (3-0) has won in different fashion in each of its games. Its first victory came behind the running game, the second on a superb passing performance by Rich Gannon, and this one was highlighted by stellar special teams.

Rod Woodson had three interceptions, one he returned 82 yards for a touchdown, making him the NFL’s career leader in interception return yardage with 1,339.

“When you’re in the right place at the right time, good things happen to you,” Woodson said.

Gannon completed 29 of 39 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and Jerry Rice had seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. Rice became the NFL’s career leader in yards from scrimmage, passing the late Walter Payton.

Rice, who turns 40 on Oct. 13, finished with 151 yards to give him 21,281 for his career, 17 more than Payton. Rice has 20,649 receiving and 632 rushing in his 18-season career.

“It’s an honor to break a record like Walter’s,” Rice said. “I had a chance to meet him over the years, and he was a terrific individual.”

The Raiders, coming off their open date, beat the Tennessee franchise for the first time since the Raiders were in Los Angeles and the Titans (1-3) were the Houston Oilers, in 1994.

“Obviously, I don’t need to recap the entire ballgame,” Titan Coach Jeff Fisher said. “We fell behind because of two plays on special teams and our inability to make a tackle on their first offensive play.”

McNair was 32 for 46 for a career-high 398 yards and two touchdowns, but threw four interceptions.

Buchanon, the Raiders’ top draft pick out of national champion Miami, was promoted to starter at left cornerback Wednesday to replace Charles Woodson, who has a broken right shoulder.

“If there were any questions on Phillip Buchanon’s abilities today, he made a lot of great plays,” Raider Coach Bill Callahan said. “We have a lot of confidence in Phillip.”