Derek Carr led the Oakland Raiders to a late, late win against the in-form Kansas City Chiefs in California last night.
Oakland had trailed by 9 at the start of the fourth. Carr led an 85-yard move in the final drive of the game which ended with a 2-yard TD throw to Michael Crabtree to set up Giorgio Tavecchio for a winning extra point.
The Raider’s kicker has had a troubled last couple of games and, although a late gust of wind took his kick and surely gave Oakland fans a fright, he converted to give his side the win.
It wasn’t all positive, though, for the Raiders.
Prodigal son Marshawn Lynch, whose return to Oakland has been positive in the main so far this season, was involved in a bizarre incident in which he put his hands on an official during a melee and was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Chiefs go (5-2) are still sitting pretty at the top of the AFC West and, although their 12-game winning streak in the division has been broken, their performance was solid and Chiefs fans won’t be overly disconcerted by it.
As for the Raiders, Lynch’s behaviour aside, it was a good day at the office.
They were facing the prospect of going 2-5 with a loss in this game. Speaking on the pressure that their performances had put on them, QB Derek Carr, who was understandably relieved, said post-game: “Now we have a lot of work to do to be better, but to come out on the other side of it, I just thank God, man, to be honest, because it was hard.”
Head Coach Jack Del Rio will hope this narrowest of wins can be a springboard for improved performances in the remaining weeks of the season. They’re in Buffalo in Gameweek 8 to play the Bulls.
