For the second game in as many weeks the Raiders won a walk-off game in overtime. This one had much more scoring in the game itself, leading to the 34-34 tie at the end of regulation. It wasn’t always pretty, but there were some wow moments along the way and the Raiders once again came out victorious.
Ballers
RB Josh Jacobs
Now the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Jacobs had a monster game by any measure. But especially in terms of stats, where he finished with a career-high 229 yards rushing with two touchdowns along with 74 yards through the air to give him 303 yards from scrimmage and two scores.
The first TD came on a toss from 30 yards out to give the Raiders their biggest lead of the day at 21-13.
The Seahawks answered with a touchdown drive of their own to bring it back to a one-point game. With just over five minutes left in the first half, the Raiders looked to Jacobs to sustain a long drive. After a couple five-yard runs early in the drive, the Raiders found themselves in 4th and two. Jacobs got the ball on a toss and picked up seven yards to put the Raiders in field goal range, allowing them to score to take a 24-20 lead at the half.
Down 34-27 with just over five minutes left in the game, the Raiders would need to once again drive for a score. This time a field goal wouldn’t cut it. The third play of the drive, Jacobs caught a pass for 14 yards to put them at the Seahawks’ 33-yard-line. A few plays later, he put the Raiders in first and goal at the ten and they went on to score the game-tying touchdown.
Jacobs did his part to put the Raiders in scoring position to start overtime, with three runs for 24 yards, but it stalled at the 38-yard-line, and Daniel Carlson missed the 56-yard field goal attempt.
The defense held to give Jacobs another shot and he took that opportunity and ran with it…86 yards to the house on the first play of the drive to end the game.
His big game helped him become the league’s top rusher at 1159 yards. Already a career-high with five games still left.
WR Mack Hollins, WR Davante Adams
The first long pass play of the game went to Hollins on third-and-four on the Raiders second possession. It went for 20 yards to put the Raiders in business at the Seattle 23-yard-line. Three plays later they tied the game at 7-7.
The first big play for Jacobs had involved Hollins and Adams. Down 13-7 in the second quarter, with Derek Carr already throwing two interceptions, the Raiders offense needed a spark.
A couple nice Adams catches gave them two first downs to put them at the Seattle 36-yard-line. Then Jacobs got the handoff up the middle, the Seahawks sold out to stop him. With the defense committed, Jacob pitched it back to Carr on the flea flicker, barely getting it back to him as defenders swarmed him.
Adams and Hollins played it perfectly, with Hollins acting like he was blocking, and Adams slowing up as if he was a decoy. The moment the pitch back happened, Adams picked up speed, drawing a double team from the the only remaining Seahawks left in the secondary. So when Hollins peeled off his blocked he was completely uncovered with plenty of open field in front him for an easy 36-yard catch and run for the score and a 14-13 lead. That play was a clinic in how to execute a successful flea flicker.
Down 34-27 late in the game, the Raiders needed a TD drive. That drive started with an incredible one-handed grab by Adams up the right sideline. The defender was holding Adams’s left hand down, so he simply reached up and snagged the pass with his right hand and pinned it to his chest for a 28-yard grab. A few plays later he caught a pass in the right flat, broke a tackle and picked up a first down at the 22.
Still tied at 34-34 in overtime, Jacobs broke through for his 86-yard touchdown run. And he hit the next gear and ran away thanks to a downfield block from Hollins.
FB Jakob Johnson, RT Jermaine Eluemunor, C Andre James
Hollins wasn’t the only one to help open things up for Jacobs on that game-winning run. The initial hole to get him to the second level was opened by Eluemunor and Johnson. They gave him the daylight, and Jacobs took it from there.
That was Jacobs’s second TD of the game. His first TD came on a toss in the second quarter. Once again Johnson was there to clear a path for him as was James.
James also laid key blocks on a couple big runs by Zamir White to set up a game-tying field goal in the third quarter. While Eluemunor blocked for Jacobs on another couple nice runs, one of which was on the first drive of overtime.
DT Andrew Billings, DE Maxx Crosby, DE Chandler Jones
Carr’s two interceptions in the first quarter, put the defense in a tough spot to try and stop the Seahawks from scoring. But in between, they did some good work. In particular, Billings shot up the middle to get a run stuff for a loss and share of a sack. Jones and Crosby helped with the sack by getting around the outside, forcing Geno Smith to step into a quickly closing pocket.
It was a new game at 27-27 in the third quarter, and the three-and-out that came afterward was completed in part because Jones did a nice job disguising. He made it look as if he was coming on the rush and after one step. turned to follow the tight end, thus closing off the outside for the screen, stopping it in its tracks and forcing a punt.
Jones’s final act falling on a fumbled handoff to stop what would have been a scoring drive for the Seahawks, and giving the Raiders the ball back.
The Raiders offense couldn’t capitalize on the turnover this time. When the Seahawks took over on downs, Billings and Crosby teamed up to sack Smith.
After the Raiders tied it up at 34-34, the defense still needed a stop. The Seahawks had 1:54 left to score. They got one first down and then found themselves in third-and-10. Cue Maxx Crosby who shot in to get another sack and send the game to overtime. Second straight week he did that.
As is often the case, Crosby clearly got stronger as the game went longer. In OT, the Seahawks got the ball with a chance to win it, but instead went three-and-out. On third and five, Crosby flew around the edge, using his wingspan to grab Smith’s throwing arm with the QB barely getting the pass off. All he that did was save a few yards as the pass went into the turf and the Seahawks punted it back. You know what happened next.
LB Denzel Perryman
The man who deals with the coverage criticism probably a lot more than he should, made the Raiders’ biggest play on defense in coverage. As middle linebackers are asked to do from time to time, he dropped back to patrol the middle zone and watch the quarterback’s eyes. That put him in the right position to pick off Geno Smith’s pass and return it 25 yards to the Seattle 30. And the Raiders converted the takeaway to the touchdown in one play to take a 21-13 lead.
Come the third quarter, the score was tied up at 27-27 and Perryman shot into the backfield to make a tackle for loss, leading to a three-and-out. It was still tied up heading into the fourth quarter and Perryman chased down Kenneth Walker trying to find round outside to stop him for a 13-yard loss.
Perryman finished with a team-leading nine tackles, two for a loss, along with his interception.
LT Kolton Miller
Kept the left edge clean and free from blindside pressure to give Carr plenty of time. That’s most of his job and he did it perfectly.
Honorable Mention
QB Derek Carr — He spotted the Seahawks with two scores early with two interceptions in the first quarter. But kudos to Carr for shaking it off and throwing three touchdowns to help send the Raiders to overtime. The first and third TD’s to Abdullah and Moreau were absolute dimes for throws too.