It left Stafford with “four-and-a-half guys in the box, really pretty good numbers to run the ball”. Three started on defense against Dallas – Ndamukong Suh, C.J. Mosley and Ashlee Palmer. Oddsmakers made the 4-5 Raiders slim favorites to rebound after consecutive losses and get back in the hunt for the AFC wild card. Even the free agent additions have been paying dividends. And a few, like Bush, were released to save money on the salary cap because their value on the field did not measure up to what they were due to be paid.
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Change is a constant in the National Football League, and everyone’s used to it.
“We’ve got plenty of bounce-back in us”, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. “You have to move onto the next week’s work and that’s what we’re going to do”. There’s nothing else you can do.
“I didn’t see him doing that so I can’t comment on it”, quarterback Derek Carr said, “but I think we’re all frustrated”. The decision on the stated goal to hire a general manager to make all football decisions will impact the franchise for the next decade – or longer.
Michael Ola is the Lions’ best right tackle.
But the Raiders turned it on in the third quarter against the Detroit Lions to take the lead.
He also scrambled for an 18-yard gain on the preceding play.
“The number one reason that we were able to stop their passing game was what we did against the run”, he said. The memory probably went up with the cloud of smoke that followed Matthew Stafford on his five-yard touchdown run.
Charcandrick West, RB, Kansas City ($4,950 at SD): West rolled up a total of 161 yards from scrimmage with a rushing touchdown and an 80-yard scoring reception in Denver last week, and another strong stat line will be in the offing on the road in San Diego Sunday.
This week, Derek Carr will look to bounce back from his somewhat lackluster performance against the Vikings where he threw two costly interceptions and go back to the stellar quarterback that he has been all season. Bell added 40 – six carries for 22 yards, one catch for 18. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family.
It looked like the Raiders might be headed for their first playoff berth in 13 years, but the team’s defense might keep them out of the postseason.
In other words, the Raiders aren’t looking down on the Lions just due to their record.
The Raiders gave up a safety with 7:31 remaining when Donald Penn was called for holding in the end zone.
The Lions weren’t very effective running the ball with a 3.5-yard average in the game and a 3.6-yard average on the drive.
Oakland Raiders receiver Amari Cooper had just one catch on four targets on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
Jones gave most of the credit to defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who revamped the defense during the post-London bye. This could be trouble for Stafford, but with a wide receiver who is as good as Calvin Johnson, he may still have his way. The effort was rewarded when Mason Crosby missed a 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
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This wasn’t a milestone victory for the Lions, like last week in Green Bay. “When you think he’s going to get 10, he gets 20 and he’s heady”, coach Jim Caldwell said. Eric Ebron dropped a pass in the end zone. Which became fourth-and-punts. And it didn’t help that twice Carr mismanaged the play clock and drew delay-of-game penalties. The Raiders trailed 9-0 when Latavius Murray scored on a 1-yard run early in the third quarter.
