The Oakland Raiders were really showing us something Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts. With 11 minutes to go in the game, Trent Cole sacked Carr – Derek’s ankle got stuck in the ground as he was being twisted down the ground. Upon seeing the trainers come make their way towards him, Carr laid out flat and began screaming in pain while clutching the leg. Since Week 7, the Raiders rank seventh in yards allowed at 324.1, producing a plus-10 turnover margin in that span.
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The Oakland Raiders clinched an AFC playoff spot and are focused on earning a first-round bye. The Raiders visit the Denver Broncos in their regular-season finale January 1.
The Colts trailed 13-7, but were driving near the end of the second quarter. It means big plays and more touchdowns, a big reason why the Raiders stacked 11 wins.
After losing to Oakland on Saturday, the Colts will conclude the 2016 season next Sunday (New Year’s Day) with a home contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12).
Carr has been operating primarily out of the shotgun or pistol formation since he injured his pinky finger last month on a bad snap from under center in a win over Carolina.
While finishing the regular season strong is of course the priority, both Cooper and Crabtree will need to be as healthy as possible come playoff time, especially if the Raiders are to win their first post-season game in more than a decade. Quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while Robert Turbin rushed for two more touchdowns.
McGloin has started six games in his career, though none since 2013.
If the Patriots lose next week and the Raiders win, the Raiders take the No. 1 seed.
With a serious sense of urgency for the Colts, and the Raiders defense looking like they had already put it in cruise control, the Colts mounted a touchdown drive to make it a 33-14 game.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had to be helped off the field early in the fourth quarter after suffering a broken fibula. But the loss of yardage was the least of the Raiders concerns. Given that Luck has also been sacked a league-high 37 times, the Khalil Mack strip-sack comes into play.
The Colts garnered just two selections in receiver T.Y. Hilton and punter Pat McAfee as Luck was passed over. This game marks the 39th anniversary of the Raiders’ historic 37-31 double-overtime playoff victory against the Colts, who were then in Baltimore.
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– Reggie Nelson, Raiders free safety: He showed why he was a Pro Bowl selection for the second straight year when he picked off Andrew Luck’s deep, under pressure heave into the end zone late in the second quarter to prevent a potential Colts touchdown. That’s a rosier path than the Steelers drew last season when the Bengals had to use A.J. McCarron in the wild-card game.
