ALAMEDA — The Raiders asked a lot of David Sharpe in his first career start.
Replace three-time Pro Bowler Donald Penn on Derek Carr’s blind side. On Monday Night Football. Against the team with the NFL’s best record.
Sharpe had two wishes on his Christmas list: play well and win. The rookie fourth-rounder from Florida only accomplished one of those, but there’s solace in his sturdy performance at left tackle despite the Raiders’ loss to Philadelphia. Sharpe didn’t allow a sack and surrendered only one quarterback pressure in 32 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. If anything, Sharpe can use his first substantial game time as a building block moving forward despite the Raiders only having one game left this season.