Austin Howard lost his starting job in the offseason, moving from right guard to backup right tackle. Andre Holmes was the Raiders’ leading receiver last season, but watched them add Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper.

But the two players kept grinding, and produced in important roles in Sunday’s 37-33 win over Baltimore.

Howard is starting at right tackle, after Menelik Watson tore his Achilles tendon in the preseason, and didn’t allow any quarterback pressures Sunday.

“We did a good job preparing for that test, and I thought we executed well as a front,” Howard said. “You have to build on what you’ve done and continue to get better. Things went well for us, but it was far from a perfect game. There’s plenty of work left to do, but I think we’re going to get better and better every week.”

On Latavius Murray’s 1-yard touchdown run, right guard Gabe Jackson bowled over two Baltimore linemen to make a path.

“They’re doing a great job communicating, identifying, getting the point right and executing together,” head coach Jack Del Rio said. “It gives us a chance. There are still some things we know we need to clean up, and we will. But it was a good second week. You saw a marked improvement Week 1 to Week 2.”

Murray’s touchdown run was set up by a tough 21-yard catch up the middle by Holmes, who knew he was about to be sandwiched by two defenders. And he was blasted.

“Only thing on my mind is hold on to the ball,” he said. “I don’t think I even closed my eyes bracing for the hit, because I remember seeing the back of the safety hitting me. It happened so fast, it’s hard to remember exactly what happened.”

He remembers getting off the ground to the roars of fans and teammates like Charles Woodson on the sideline.

“Amped up, looking at the crowd, pumping my chest,” Holmes said. “It’s one the highest highs, definitely one of my favorite catches.”

The fifth-year receiver is making catches at a new spot this season, inside at the slot, after the arrivals of Crabtree and Cooper.

“It feels good to be making plays at that position,” Holmes said. “Last year, I ran more single routes; this year, it’s more concept-based, different routes if you’re not pressed, going against a zone, or linebackers. It’s just a different look, so the more I rep it, the more I will get comfortable.”

Who cares? Oakland middle linebacker Curtis Lofton doesn’t care whether the Browns play Johnny Manziel or Josh McCown at quarterback on Sunday.

“I don’t think it makes any difference,” Lofton said. “They both like to run, and we just have to be fundamentally sound. The defensive line has to rush, can’t give them any holes to run out, and on the back end, we just have to be prepared, for if he does get out, to make tackles.”

The Raiders don’t have a sack this season, and the blame shouldn’t fall solely on pass rushers Khalil Mack, Aldon Smith and Justin Tuck. Mack and Smith often were double-teamed by the Ravens on Sunday.

“It’s not just them getting their rush,” Lofton said. “The secondary has to cover and those guys have to rush. It works hand in hand. When it works, good things happen.”

New man: The Raiders claimed cornerback David Amerson off waivers from Washington. Washington’s second-round pick in the 2013 draft, Amerson returned an interception for a touchdown against the Raiders in Oakland last season.

According to Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks completed 73.6 percent of their passes against Amerson for 877 yards and a league-high 10 touchdowns in 16 starts.

Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: vtafur@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VicTafur