The Raiders lost yet another wide receiver and saw a sideline tiff between head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr on Sunday, yet came out of a game in Arizona with a rare victory.
So, for at least a while, there is relief in Raider Nation.
The Raiders beat the Cardinals 23-21 on Daniel Carlson’s 35-yard field goal with just two seconds left. Oakland is now 2-8. The Cardinals also are now 2-8.
Trailing 21-20, the Raiders got the ball on their own 20 with 1:53 remaining and a victory seemingly out of reach. But Carr completed passes of 9 yards to Marcell Ateman, 2 yards to Jared Cook and then went deep to Ateman for 32 yards to the Cardinals’ 37 with 1:02 still to play. After taking a sack, Carr hit Seth Roberts for 20 yards to the 17. Three plays later, after the Raiders ran some time off the clock, Carlson drilled his game-winning kick.
The Raiders and Cardinals were tied 14-14 at the half, then Oakland went up 20-14 with two third-quarter field goals before Arizona came back to drive 80 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown on a 5-yard pass from Josh Rosen to Larry Fitzgerald with 5:20 remaining.
The Raiders twice went three-and-out after the Arizona touchdown drive, but finally moved the ball on their last possession to set up Carlson’s third field goal of the day to win it.
At one point in the second quarter, after the Raiders went three-and-out and Carr was penalized for calling consecutive timeouts because of miscommunication from the sideline, Gruden was caught on TV cameras yelling at Carr as he came off the field. Gruden and Carr exchanged words for a while before Carr walked off. One report said tight end Lee Smith put his hand on Gruden’s neck or shoulder to try to calm the situation. But, in a few moments, Gruden and Carr seemed to be in a good mood again.
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Carr was 19-of-31 for 192 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and was sacked four times. Ateman (four catches, 50 yards) and Roberts (four for 38) were his top targets.
Wideout Brandon LaFell caught a 5-yard TD pass from Carr in the second quarter, but then was knocked out of the game with an Achilles’ tendon injury. Already thin on talent because of the trade of Amari Cooper and injuries to Jordy Nelson and Martavis Bryant, the Raiders were down to just three healthy wide receivers by the end of the game, with Roberts, Ateman and Saeed Blacknall.
The Raiders will try to get a second straight victory next Sunday in Baltimore against the Ravens.
