The Raiders returned to Las Vegas this week to take on the Indianapolis Colts with first time interim head coach Jeff Saturday taking over for the recently fired Frank Reich. The Raiders started the game without some key players: TE Darren Waller (IR), WR Hunter Renfrow (IR), LB Divine Deablo (IR), and LB Blake Martinez (retirement). After a rough start to the game, the Raiders were able to fight back and take the lead a few times, but despite their efforts, were not able to leave with the win.
When asked about the loss, QB Derek Carr started to get emotional and could not find words in his press conference.
“I’m sorry for being emotional, I’m just pissed off,” Carr said.
The first quarter was anything but ideal for the Raiders. On the first drive of the game, the Raiders offense was held to a three and out and on their second drive, the Raiders offense was pushed back due to penalties and a sack by the Colts defense, resulting in another punt. The Raiders fans let their frustrations be known when the offense was booed off the field by the fans following their poor start.
The Colts used their second opportunity with the ball to drive down the field and finish it off with a QB Matt Ryan one-yard touchdown run to take the 7-0 lead.
Ryan, the former league MVP and assumed Colts bridge quarterback at the start of the season, surprisingly started the game today after Reich, the fired head coach, had previously handed the reins over to inexperienced QB Sam Ehlinger.
In the second quarter, Amik Robertson forced a fumble, which turned the momentum in the Raiders’ favor. The offense turned the turnover into a Foster Moreau touchdown to give them their first points of the game.
The Colts started the second half with the ball up by six and they made their way down the field for what seemed to be an eventual score, but due to a Maxx Crosby sack on third and one, the Colts had to attempt a field goal on fourth and 15 and were not able to get it through the uprights.
The third quarter was the tale of both 28’s as starting RBs Jonathan Taylor and Josh Jacobs got going. After great catches by Foster Moreau and Ameer Abdullah to set the Raiders up in the red zone, Josh Jacobs finished the first drive of the half with a run up the middle for a touchdown to tie the game at 13. Daniel Carlson successfully made the extra point, giving the Raiders a 14-13 lead.
Taylor responded on the Colts’ next possession with a 66-yard touchdown run of his own to put the Colts up 19-14. Taylor had a great game against the Raiders defense, finishing the day with 147 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown.
The energy in Allegiant Stadium started to rise when the first points of the fourth quarter came after a Derek Carr to Davante Adams 48-yard touchdown connection on third and 10. Carr did a great job of stepping up to avoid pressure and delivered a strike to his college buddy to put the Raiders up 20-19. After the touchdown, the Raiders tried a two-point conversion of their own and failed due to a pass to Adams in traffic.
The Colts took their last lead of the night after a touchdown drive that involved a 39-yard run from Ryan and WR Parris Campbell scoring a 35-yard catch and run touchdown.
The Raiders had a chance to go down the field and win the game with five minutes left to play. The drive looked promising after some great catches by Adams to help the team get into the red zone.
The game ultimately came down to a third and six on the Colts’ 16-yard line. Carr was able to put the football in the hands of Moreau in the end zone, but the pass was broken up, giving the Raiders one more shot on fourth down. Carr attempted a pass to Adams in the end zone, which was broken up by former Defensive Player of the Year CB Stephon Gilmore, ending the game.
Colts new head coach Jeff Saturday got his first win in his debut, and Josh McDaniels and the Raiders fall to 2-7 on the season. There are more questions than answers it seems to how the Raiders can turn their season around.
“It’s like a broken record,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said after the game.
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