Here are the five biggest takeaways from the Oakland Raiders’ victory.
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As the Oakland Raiders said in the locker room following their come-from-behind 35-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints, guts had little to do with coach Jack Del Rio going for a two-point conversion with 47 seconds remaining, rather than sticking with convention and kicking the extra point to tie. They also had to sweat out rookie kicker Wil Lutz’s last second field goal attempt from 61 yards, which narrowly missed wide left as the Superdome crowd briefly erupted before realizing the kick was no good.
Brees torched them for 423 yards passing and four touchdowns, but finally had his personal seven-game winning streak against the Raiders snapped.
Then it was Jalen Richard’s turn. Oakland turned the tide in the fourth quarter, outscoring New Orleans 21-10. “We didn’t create any turnovers, which if you’re going to play good defense, you’re going to have to do at some point”.
Bobby continued his narrative from the preseason – as long as Drew Brees is under center, the Saints have a chance.
Burnt toast: Marquette King and Andre Holmes set the Raiders up in a great position after the second drive of the third quarter stall. It didn’t matter. Brandin Cooks got free off the line from Sean Smith as he broke to the outside and quickly gained a step.
For the Saints, it was this: nursing a 34-27 lead with 6:03 left, the defense took the field with Oakland needing to drive 75 yards for a touchdown.
DJ Hayden, a former first-round draft pick, replaced Smith and was picked on by Brees with aplomb.
Albeit over a Saints squad once again trending dangerously towards defensive-dumpster-fire status, it’s the kind of statement win that should’ve been its own exclamation point for the young-and-hungry Raiders. What followed was utterly uninspiring. In the end though, it paid off and Carr threw it to Michael Crabtree.
The Raiders lost 8 yards on three plays and Janikowski kicked a 47-yard field goal.
Crawley was thrust into the game when Delvin Breaux, the Saints’ most reliable cornerback, left the game because of a leg injury earlier in the second half. He finished with six catches for 137 yards.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches his 100th career touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game as New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan (26) defends, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, i. Snead would finish it off with a 1-yard touchdown catch on fourth and goal.
Willie Snead, Saints: Since 400 passing yards isn’t new a feat for Brees, we’ll go with the wideout who benefited most in receiving yards.
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Chiefs 33, Chargers 27 (OT) The league was on upset alert as the Chargers took a 27-10 lead into the fourth quarter in Kansas City behind three touchdowns from Danny Woodhead and Melvin Gordon.
