Two weeks in a row, the Raiders have played a competitive, hard-fought game that went down to the wire. Only this time, instead of giving the game away late, the Raiders took the lead late and held on to come out on top.
It was a back and forth affair. The Raiders had the lead four times and lost it each time. It was the fifth lead the stuck, but just barely, with the Lions driving to the one-yard-line where they went for it on fourth and goal and Matt Stafford’s last gasp pass fell incomplete.
With the way the Raiders defense has been purging points this season, it became clear early on that to win, they would need to be involved in a lot of shootouts. This was undoubtedly one of those.
In the end, it took some heroics from some unexpected places to get it done. Let’s get to the Ballers and the Busters:
Ballers QB Derek Carr
Without parsing all of Carr’s performances this season, I think I can safely say this was his best game of the season. He was on fire almost the entire way, throwing lasers and dropping dimes all while dealing with two backup linemen, including his center.
The first drive went for a touchdown, and while most of it was not carried on Carr’s arm, it took a great play by Carr to keep the drive from stalling. In third and six from the 24, Carr lined up in the shotgun, and his center Andre James snapped the ball at his feet. Carr quickly scooped up the pass and threw a dart to Hunter Renfrow for an 8-yard completion and a first down at the 14-yard-line. They scored three plays later.
Carr retook the field late in the first quarter with the Lions having answered with a touchdown of their own to bring it to 7-7. On the first play, Carr found Darren Waller for 31 yards. The Raiders would drive into field goal range, and then once again on third down, James’s snap was low. This time it skipped behind Carr, who made a fantastic play to chase down the ball, scoop it up, escape the oncoming rushers, and throw the ball away to save the field goal.
Once again, the Lions would answer with a touchdown drive of their own to take the lead. Carr came back out late in the second quarter, needing to score to keep the shootout going. He began with a nifty throw to Tyrell Williams along the left sideline for 12 yards. Two plays later, in this and three, he again found his tight end, Waller, this time for a 21-yard gain. A few plays later, he threw an absolute laser to Williams on a crossing route with several defenders surrounding him for a 14-yard pickup on third and 12.
The Raiders would move inside the 20 with under two minutes left, and Carr would connect with Hunter Renfrow for 17 yards. Jacobs would punch it in on the next play, and the Raiders took a 17-14 lead into the half.
The Lions would tie it back up at 17-17 in the third, but this time it was the Raiders’ turn to answer with a touchdown. Two big-time passes from Carr, one to Williams on third and six for 22 yards and the next for 34 yards to Marcell Ateman set the Raiders up in first and goal at the six. Then on third and goal, Carr dropped back, scanned the field and found Foster Moreau for the touchdown over the middle.
Two three-and-out possessions to begin the fourth quarter let the Lions tie it back up again at 24-24. And with 5:16 remaining, the Raiders got the ball for what would be probably their last chance to win it in regulation.
On the first play, Carr threw an incredible pass deep to Jalen Richard between two defenders for 31 yards. Another connection with Richard for 23 yards and the Raiders were in first and goal at the nine. Carr took the snap, saw no one open, got some pressure, escaped out left, and eventually found Hunter Renfrow for the touchdown along the left sideline. That turned out to be the game-winning drive.
Carr finished 20 of 31 for 289 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Though with as many great throws and clutch plays as he made, it seemed like he threw for over 500 yards. Numbers lie. In this case, the numbers didn’t do his day justice.
Baller: SS Karl Joseph
While Carr had his heroics on offense, this game came down to the defense. After that drive to put the Raiders up 31-24, the defense had to keep the Lions from tying it back up or winning it. They had just under two minutes to go 77 yards. Bit by bit, they moved down the field until they were in first and goal.
The defense nearly gave it up on third and goal from the 14, but the Lions were stopped at the one. In fourth and goal from the one, with 15 seconds left and the clock running. The Lions needed to rush to get the play off, and the Raiders needed to rush to get set to stop them. Joseph didn’t like what he saw and called the timeout.
At that moment, it was thought to be a huge mistake. The Lions were not in a great situation and were given plenty of time to game plan for their final chance. But it was done, and the result would decide how the timeout would be judged.
Come the snap, Stafford dropped back and looked left for his tight end Logan Thomas in the back of the end zone, and there was Joseph, the man who called the timeout, leaping over Thomas’s back to bat the ball down and win the game for the Raiders.
Joseph played every snap in the game and had a great game overall, including putting up six combined tackles (five solo). None compared to his big-time play to seal the deal for the win.
Baller: RB Josh Jacobs
Before the big-time throws by Carr to give the Raiders the late lead and the big-time play by Joseph to clinch, it was Jacobs setting it all up.
The Raiders’ first scoring drive was almost all Jacobs. He started with three consecutive runs for 28 yards and two first downs. Then finished off the drive with three runs for 14 yards, a first down, and the touchdown in which he bounced the run-out left and trotted in for the score.
Jacobs scored each of the Raiders’ first two touchdowns. He also had 5 runs for 34 yards on that drive, and the Raiders took a 17-14 lead, which they carried into the half. He finished with 120 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. Now, if only his game as a receiver could catch up to his game as a runner. He had two drops in the game, one in the final drive that was nearly intercepted.
Baller: RB Jalen Richard
Perhaps it was because Jacobs and his 28 carries wore the defense out or that Richard was fresh late in the game, but on the Raiders game-winning drive, out of nowhere came Richard to gouge the defense.
The first four plays the ball went to Richard. First on the gorgeous Carr pass, which Richard hauled in between defenders for a 31-yard pickup. Then a 7-yard run, followed by a 5-yard run, and finally another big catch on a short cross which he turned out the jets to pick up 23 yards.
That last play put the Raiders in first and goal at the nine-yard-line, and they scored three plays later to take a 31-24 lead.
Baller: WR Hunter Renfrow
That game-winning touchdown was scored by Renfrow. It was his second in as many weeks and in some ways just as impressive as his big 68-yard touchdown in Houston.
This one had Renfrow executing the scramble drill, which is no small thing, especially for a rookie. Carr had escaped the pocket and was peeling out left, looking for one of his receivers to break up backyard style. Renfrow got away and raced for the sideline, Carr threw for him, and the savvy little rookie made the catch leaning out of bounds, tapping his feet inbounds for the score.
That was the big play, but not Renfrow’s only play in the game. He had an 8-yard catch on third and six on the Raiders’ first scoring drive and a 17-yard grab to the 3-yard-line, which set up their second touchdown of the game. He finished with a team-leading 6 catches on 7 targets for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Baller: DE Clelin Ferrell
Well, if this isn’t a welcome sight. Ferrell desperately needed a game like this after having been utterly invisible for the first seven games of the season. Granted, even this game wasn’t without some cringe-worthy moments from Ferrell, but it also had several impressive moments, which he hasn’t had many of thus far in his young career.
We pick it up early in the fourth quarter. The Raiders had just taken a 24-17 lead, and the defense was tasked with keeping this one. Ferrell made a run stop on the first play and had two run stops, including a tackle for loss at the end of the drive, which ultimately led to a third and long and a punt.
The Lions would later tie it up anyway, but with the Raiders taking the lead right back, it was once again on the defense to hold the lead and the win. The Lions drove to first and goal at the 8-yard-line. After a 4-yard scramble, the Raiders linemen set to crash the pocket on Stafford.
Ferrell got inside pressure, and when Stafford went to spin out of it, he fell down, got back up, and was sacked immediately by PJ Hall. Two plays later, the Lions were in fourth and goal at the one. Stafford again dropped back, and for some reason, the Lions offensive lineman, just let Ferrell go, so he came rushing at Stafford with his arms up, forcing him to make a far more difficult sidearm delivery which was batted down by Karl Joseph to secure the win.
Baller: HC Jon Gruden
Gruden flatly outcoached Matt Patricia in this game. Carr often had the looks he wanted, Jacobs was utilized perfectly, and the late use of Jalen Richard on that game-winning drive was the knockout punch. That fake punt was pretty nifty too. Even if it didn’t end up yielding any points.
Honorable Mention
Foster Moreau – scored another touchdown – his third of the season – and had some beautiful blocks as well.
Daryl Worley – He would probably be a Baller for his incredible one-handed catch alone, but for all the other catches he surrendered. What an interception that was though. In the end zone, taking a TD away, and giving the Raiders the ball so they could take the moment back before halftime.
Continue to the Busters
Buster: LBs Tahir Whitehead, Nicholas Morrow
Even if you take into consideration all the times they are in the zone and end up having to cover a wide receiver, these two still had a rough outing. Three of the first five plays the Lions had, Morrow was victimized. He gave up a 4-yard catch in which Maxx Crosby had to drop back and make the tackle followed by a 28-yard catch on third and two. Two plays later, he gave up a 10-yard run. That drive was not looking good until an unforced fumble late gave the Raiders the ball.
The next Lions drive, Whitehead first gave up a 3-yard first-down run, and then bit on a play fake to the left to give up a 14-yard catch and run. That drive the Raiders weren’t bailed out by a fumble.
With just over a minute left in the first half, the Lions got the ball looking to score again before the half. They nearly did too, because Whitehead was out of position to give up a wide-open catch for 23 yards that put them in Oakland territory.
In the third quarter, the Lions would move into scoring range. They were at the 19-yard-line where Whitehead didn’t keep his head up on a tackle and whiffed on the running back as he juked by him for 11 yards.
The final Lions scoring drive was Whitehead’s worst. He was blocked on a screen play that went for 19 yards. On the next play, he was late to recognize the end around to give up a seven-yard run. Two plays later, he gave up a 26-yard touchdown.
On the final drive, the Lions found themselves in third and goal from the 14. Then Morrow gave up a 13-yard catch to set up fourth and goal from the one.
Buster: C Andre James
I know fans tend to want to cut James some slack. This time last year, he was playing tackle at UCLA, having never played center before, and here he is, starting an NFL game at center as an undrafted rookie. That’s all fine and good, but it doesn’t change his dreadful performance in this game.
Three times, he skipped a snap to Derek Carr. Each time was on third down, and two of them were ruled a fumble which Carr luckily recovered.
The first low snap came on the opening drive, and it took a great play by Carr to scoop it up and still manage to get the throw away for a first down. With the second drive came another low snap. This one got by Carr altogether, and he had to track it down and escape a convoy of rusher to throw it away just to save a field goal.
It removed the possibility of a touchdown and could have either led to a deep sack taking the team out of field goal range or a turnover and possibly a defensive score.
Early in the third quarter, again on third down, James again snapped it low. Again, Carr had to dig it out and throw it away, and the drive was over.
James also gave up a couple run stuffs including one for no gain on first and goal.
Buster: DBs Trayvon Mullen, Lamarcus Joyner
Daryl Worley escapes Busterdom this week due to his big interception. But these two do not. Mullen gave up a 14-yard catch on the Lions’ second scoring drive. He would give up a 15-yard catch on their third scoring drive as well, while Joyner was blocked on a 13-yard run and missed a tackle on an 8-yard catch.
Joyner gave up a 17-yard catch early in the fourth. Mullen would later give up a 7-yard catch to start out the Lions’ final scoring drive. The last drive of the game was made possible in part to that sweet prevent defense cushion, but also through Mullen and Joyner. Mullen gave up the first catch for 7 yards, then Joyner gave up a seven-yard catch as well. The next play Joyner was flagged for holding.
On third and ten, Mullen gave up a 24-yard catch that put the Lions in business at the Oakland 34-yard-line. You know how the rest went down.
Buster: DT Johnathan Hankins
Hankins had just two combined tackles in the game, while several runs went through his position, including a 10-yard run on the first drive, 9-yard run on the second drive, and an 8-yard run in the third quarter, which was preceded by a holding penalty. He also was flagged once for offsides.
