The Raiders have not made things easy at all the past few weeks. But they have managed to pull out three wins, which, in the end, is what matters.
In this one, they jumped out to a 10-0 lead and had a 13-3 lead with seconds left in the first half. But in a matter of fewer than three minutes from the end of the second quarter to the beginning of the third quarter, they found themselves trailing 17-13.
That remained the score to start of the fourth quarter, due in large part to Derek Carr throwing his second interception of the game. But the Raiders were able to put things together on offense in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead. Then with the score tied 20-20 with just under two minutes left in they were able to move into range of a game-winning field goal.
Ballers
WR Hunter Renfrow
The catch of the game was the one that put the Raiders in position for that game-winning field goal. Derek Carr sidestepped an oncoming rusher and stepped up in the pocket. Renfrow saw his quarterback trying to extend the play, so he broke off his route and made himself available.
Carr saw Renfrow and tossed it where hopefully only he could get it. Renfrow adjusted to make a brilliant diving 26-yard grab. After a few clock-draining plays, the Raiders ended the game.
Carr knew where to look for his outlet in part because his only touchdown of the day happened in a similar fashion. It was fourth and two from the 11-yard-line Renfrow had run his route and quickly diagnosed he needed to get to an open spot for his quarterback and Carr threw it there for the TD.
Renfrow caught a total of seven passes in this game to move into sole possession of the third-most catches in Raiders history. He is the most dependable outlet a QB can ask for.
On the opening drive alone, Renfrow made a 14-yard catch and an eight-yard catch on third and three to put the team in first down at the Indianapolis 40-yard-line. They would drive for a touchdown on that opening drive.
Even with his heavy workload as a receiver, Renfrow still returns punts. Late in the first quarter, he put the Raiders in great field position with a 41-yard return to the Indianapolis 35-yard-line. The Raiders got a field goal out of it.
Their next scoring drive, Renfrow caught a 12-yard pass on third and 13, allowing the Raiders to go for it on fourth and one. They picked it up and added another field goal. He added a five-yard catch on third and seven that set up his touchdown on fourth and two to finish with 76 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.
DE Yannick Ngakoue
The Colts started the game with a three-and-out. They didn’t gain a yard on those three plays because after a three-yard run on first down, Ngakoue blew up a pitch play leading to a three-yard loss.
Early in the second quarter, with the Raiders up 10-0, the Colts mounted a long drive entirely on the ground. That drive stalled starting with Ngakoue getting held. That led to a third and long and Ngakoue put a hit on Carson Wentz to force an incompletion and hold them to a field goal.
Come to the end of the second quarter, the Colts went on another long drive. This time they moved into first and goal at the one-yard-line where Ngakoue got in the backfield again to lay another hit on Wentz for another incompletion. Ultimately it took a run on third down for them to get into the endzone.
Suddenly down 17-13, and with Carr being intercepted for the second time, the defense had to step up to give the Raiders another chance to take back the lead. On third and six, Ngakoue sacked Wentz. Yannick was even held on the play and still got through. The holding was declined.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Colts were once again threatening. The Raiders were up 20-17, so holding them to a field goal was crucial. On second down, he disrupted a short pass play that was then stopped for no gain and set up third and long. They couldn’t convert and settled for a field goal.
Ngakoue finished with a sack, four QB hits, and a tackle for loss.
WR Zay Jones
Jones had the longest catch (11 yards) on the Raiders’ second scoring drive, the longest catch on their third scoring drive (26 yards), the longest catch of the game (42 yards) to set up their fourth score, and a 14-yard catch on their game-winning drive. He would finish with a career-high 120 yards on eight catches.
CB Nate Hobbs
Hobbs’ inclusion here could stand only to make the team and fans that much more frustrated with his actions after the game. Hobbs was arrested on DUI charges after being found passed out in his car at 4 am Monday. Incredibly irresponsible especially in light of the Henry Ruggs III tragic accident and Josh Jacobs’s DUI arrest earlier this year.
As for his game performance, he was on point. He got stronger as the game went along. He had a run stop in the third quarter, then led out the fourth quarter with a QB hit leading to an incompletion.
Late in the fourth quarter, he was flagged for pass interference on a play he pretty cleared played perfectly. Then he shook it off and ended the drive anyway, making a run stuff and then making the tackle on a short catch on third and long to force a field goal and give the Raiders plenty of time left to respond.
Clearly, the rookie cornerback had plenty to celebrate. You just wish he would have celebrated more responsibly.
LT Kolton Miller
Derek Carr saw some pressure in this game and was hit a few times as well. But none of it came from Kolton Miller’s side of the line.
Busters
S Trevon Moehrig, LB Divine Deablo
Each and every one of the Colts’ scoring drives featured one of these two rookie defenders giving up a key play along the way, if not the score itself.
The first scoring drive for the Colts began with Moehrig missing a tackle on an 18-yard Jonathan Taylor run. Next play Taylor ran for another 24 yards with Moehrig again missing the tackle.
The next Colts scoring drive began with Deablo giving up an 18-yard catch that put the Colts at the Vegas 38-yard-line. It ended with a touchdown to finish out the first half.
The second half began with a second consecutive Colts TD. It came on a deep shot from Carson Wentz in which Moehrig and Casey Hayward ran into each other trying to get to the ball, causing it to be tipped and caught by Colts WR TY Hilton for the 45-yard touchdown.
The final Colts scoring drive started with Deablo missing a tackle on an eight-yard run. Then moved into scoring range when Deablo gave up a six-yard catch on third and three. They kicked the field goal to tie the game at 20-20.
RG Alex Leatherwood
Last week, Leatherwood surprised everyone with an outstanding game. Easily the best game of the rookie’s NFL career thus far. Sunday he fell back to where he had been the rest of the season.
Late in the first quarter, the Raiders set up in outstanding field position at the Colts’ 35-yard-line after the big Renfrow punt return. They wouldn’t get much closer in part because Leatherwood didn’t block anyone, giving up a run stuff on Peyton Barber. Two plays later, in third and long, Carr was sacked.
Early in the second quarter, the Raiders were looking to answer the Colts’ first score. They would instead go three-and-out and on second down Leatherwood gave up a run stuff on Josh Jacobs. Carr was almost picked off on third down to force a punt.
He, no doubt, caused a few expletives from his coaches when the Raiders lined up in third-and-one from the ten-yard-line and he flinched to be flagged for a false start. Marcus Mariota was in the game due to the short-yardage situation. But after the false start, he left the game and Derek Carr was sacked to end the drive and force a field goal.
After the Colts took a 17-13 lead in the third quarter, Carr responded by throwing an interception. After he released the ball, Taylor Stallworth laid a hard hit on him, courtesy of Leatherwood.
DB Roderic Teamer
The Raiders didn’t really have a big threat of the pass with Carson Wentz. And yet somehow Teamer still managed to give up five catches for 36 yards.
The first catch went for eight yards and set up the Colts’ first score. Then he gave up three catches for 16 yards — including two first downs — on the touchdown drive late in the second quarter. And finally, on the Colts’ late, game-tying drive, he gave up a 12-yard catch to turn a potential third-and-long into a third and short. They picked up the first down on a read/option keeper.
