Marshawn Lynch makes the Raiders a beast that will be tough to stop

NASHVILLE – Marshawn Lynch is as throwback, old-school Raiders as it gets — loudmouthed, foul-mouthed, annoying, irritable, surly. He does not like to speak often in front of a microphone, but you could hear him all over the Raiders’ locker room here at Nissan Stadium Sunday, cussing about this, griping about that.

Most of his teammates and coaches just smile. Or shut it down, tune him out. Overall, it’s harmless. It’s Marshawn. It comes with the package.

This does, too: the rage and violent style of a running back who gives you the edge in a hat-on-hat, workman-like game where bullies attempt to rule. Because no one is going to out-bully Marshawn Lynch. Not the Tennessee Titans. No one.

Lynch showed them, the Raiders showed them in a 26-16 victory that was an exclamation point on who the Titans think they are and who the Raiders — especially with Lynch’s arrival — know they are.

“We talked about it a lot, we heard about it, how they are a physical team that wants to be bullies and how, if they can, will just run the ball down your throats,” Raiders rookie linebacker Nicholas Morrow said. “Marshawn brings that to us on the field but he also brings it in practice. It makes the whole team physical and ready for this kind of moment.”

Morrow, a free-agent from Division III Greenville (Mo.) College, was prepped and produced. He made a huge third-down, late-third quarter run stop, flying through the air for the tackle, that helped keep Oakland’s lead and momentum intact. He was one of several fresh faces among the Raiders who gave them an infusion of speed, power and rigidity.

Kicker Giorgio Tavecchio made NFL history by nailing two 50-plus-yard field goals in his first NFL game. Two newcomers glowed — Jared Cook at tight end (five catches, 56 yards) and Cordarrelle Patterson (used as a runner, a receiver, and on kickoff returns where he produced a timely 41-yarder late in the game). Michael Crabtree caught six balls. Amari Cooper caught five, including an eight-yard touchdown that opened the game’s scoring.

But it was Lynch’s 18 carries for 76 bruising yards that helped set the temperament for everything. He not only pushed the pile, he punished Titans tacklers.

Lynch retired from the Seattle Seahawks, sat out last year, returned this year to the NFL, to the Raiders, and joined quarterback Derek Carr in his reappearance. Carr, you recall, broke his fibula late last season and missed the Raiders’ postseason when they needed him most.

The re-emergence of Lynch and Carr in this season opener and their styles, their contributions, makes it clear why the Raiders should be a factor in the AFC in particular and the NFL in general.

“Two guys who love football,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said before leaving the stadium. “Two guys who have worked their way back.”

Del Rio had said earlier about Lynch’s physicality: “You better be sure you want to tackle him before you go in there.”

The Raiders players kept talking about attitude, mentality, and how Lynch is affecting that among them, shaping that across the offense, the defense, the special teams.

You can see it. The Raiders started fast, thanks to a Titans game-opening onside kick that failed and gave the Raiders the ball at midfield. That led to a short drive and Cooper’s scoring catch.

Del Rio was pleased his team was ready at the start, aware. Thrilled at the way they closed the first half and the game’s final minutes. The Raiders defense allowed five of seven Titans’ third-down conversions in the first half that ended in a 13-10 Raiders’ lead. The Raiders in the second half, however, limited Tennessee to only two out of seven third-down conversions and six points.

“I’m watching how Marshawn is affecting not only the offense, but the defense, too,” said Raiders backup quarterback E.J. Manuel. “We’re developing that extra attitude we need. This is a game of attitude. And we’ve got an offense that has a lot of dimensions.”

Look around — if you win in the trenches in this league, you succeed.

Lynch’s style is the epitome of proficient trench combat.

“The more he does his thing, the more he creates opportunities for all of us,” Amari Cooper said, a mouse-like voice compared with Lynch’s roar. “I know, everybody says I play big but speak so quietly. I’ve heard it all of my life.”

But Cooper is willing to give Lynch the floor, live with Lynch’s bombastic voice among them and its boom. All of the Raiders appear willing.

They are accommodating him as much as embracing him.

Marshawn has his own vibe, his own flow.

Always has.

Knocking people silly and dominating gets you all of the space you need.

“I just feel I’m in a good place,” said Patterson, after four Minnesota Vikings seasons. “It’s perfect for me. Everybody knows Marshawn. A guy like him, you have a distant view, and then you get up close, you understand.”

You understand that this terrific downhill runner can take you to some upscale places.

Some Titans said the difference in this game was their one-out-of-three finish in the red zone and Oakland’s two out of three. That is far too simplistic. It was more a mindset and an ability to win battles. Win matchups. Hat on hat.

The Titans have been good at it. The Raiders with Lynch just might become beasts at it.

This was not lost on Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie as he left Nissan Stadium, gleam in his eyes, a wry smile on his face.

“It’s confidence builder,” said McKenzie, “when you go out and do what you’re supposed to do.”