Raiders winners and losers in 30-24 victory vs. Patriots

Raiders winners and losers in 30-24 victory vs. Patriots

It was just a regular-season meeting between struggling teams, but on Sunday, the Raiders and Patriots produced memorable moments reminiscent of the famed “Tuck Rule” playoff game from two decades earlier.

And this time, the Raiders came out on top.

Las Vegas tied the score at 24 on a controversial touchdown catch from wide receiver Keelan Cole with less than a minute to go. As the Patriots desperately tried to notch a touchdown on the last play regulation, a lateral from WR Jakobi Myers landed in the hands of defensive end Chander Jones, who ran to the end zone as time expired.

The result was a 30-24 Raiders victory. Here are the winners and losers for the week, in a game — and finish — that will go down in NFL history.

Winner: DE Chander Jones

The Raiders pass rush took a while to get going and didn’t record a QB sack, but nobody will remember that about this game. Jones made a historic play to send Las Vegas home winners after a subpar performance for most of the afternoon.

Jones showed his athleticism as he caught Myers’ questionable attempt at a play and then bullied his way past Patriots quarterback Mac Jones for the game-winner.

Jones had a few moments before this play, too, most notably two QB hits and two passes defensed.

Winner: WR Keelan Cole

Before Jones’ miraculous play, the Raiders notched a touchdown to tie the score. Quarterback Derek Carr found WR Keelan Cole in the corner of the end zone, and though he appeared out of bounds on the replay, the play stood as called.

This was the Raiders’ first score of any kind in the second half. Las Vegas was ahead 17-3 at the break and had a dreadful performance in the third quarter and most of the fourth. Still, Las Vegas came out on top.

Winner: DE Malcolm Koonce

The Raiders earned their 17-3 lead after defensive end Malcolm Koonce blocked a punt late in the first half. The Patriots didn’t appear set, as Koonce’s supposed opponent wasn’t even looking his way. Koonce was unblocked and made it count.

Winner: WR Mack Hollins

Carr threw a touchdown pass to WR Mack Hollins after Koonce’s block, and Hollins ended up with four catches for 40 yards. He missed a couple of deep-throw opportunities late in the game, but he also had a first-down catch on a 4th-and-10, last-gasp opportunity for the Raiders. Plus, he made a notable special teams play, pinning the Patriots back at their own 2-yard line.

Winner: TE Darren Waller

The Raiders welcomed back tight end Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow, who were both activated from the injured reserve list. Waller caught a touchdown, Las Vegas’ first of the day.

They combined for just four catches and 62 yards, however. Plus, superstar WR Davante Adams had only four catches for a paltry 28 yards on eight targets. Once again, details won’t matter much in this game, though a lot more is expected from this group of playmakers. As for Waller, it was still a triumphant return.

Loser: Dave Ziegler

The Raiders offense underperformed in large part due to poor roster construction from general manager Dave Ziegler, specifically along the offensive line. After an injury to guard Dylan Parham, both guards protecting Carr were on the Raiders’ practice squad just last week.

Unsurprisingly, Carr faced a ton of pressure, especially in the second half when Patriots added more blitz packages to the mix. Though recently released guard John Simpson may have his shortcomings, it appeared Las Vegas could have used his help on Sunday. The line would have also benefitted from more attention in free agency during the offseason.

Loser: QB Derek Carr

Though Carr had three touchdown throws, he lands on the Loser list for one play in particular. He threw a pick-6 early in the second half when the Raiders were still ahead, 17-3. The mistake was inexcusable and opened the door for another collapse by Las Vegas.

The Raiders only gained 22 yards in the third quarter and weren’t much better in the fourth until the last portion of the game. Las Vegas fell behind, 24-17, and almost built on the NFL record they set last week for most blown double-digit halftime leads. It all started with Carr’s pick-6.

Plus, Carr has to perform better when he has Waller, Renfrow, and Adams, even if the blocking is subpar. Adams, especially, is a weapon that Carr must find consistently every week.

Loser: WR Davante Adams

I’ve got to put Adams on the Loser list, too. His lack of action over the last two weeks is incomprehensible. He’s losing out on a ton of production, and that doesn’t seem right, no matter how you slice it.

Carr and coach Josh McDaniels have to figure out how to get Adams back on track, especially with Waller and Renfrow back in the fold.

Loser: Run defense

The Raiders defense didn’t allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter, but they relinquished a lot of big plays as the contest wore on, especially in the run game. The Patriots amassed 203 yards on the ground, led by 149 from RB Rhamondre Stevenson.

Loser: Coaching

The Raiders coaching staff got away with a poor afternoon, too. Las Vegas nearly blew another big lead and committed 13 penalties along the way. Thankfully for McDaniels and crew, the Patriots’ blunder clinched a much-needed win.

The Tuck Rule game is still talked about to this day, and though that famous battle was in the New England snow during the playoffs, this game will be nearly as memorable.

Still, the Raiders have to play better, especially on offense, during the next three games. Carr has to show that he can score more touchdowns with his full assortment of playmakers, and McDaniels must do a better job coaching with a lead.

They can learn their lessons during a win this week, though. Now, they’ll prepare to battle ghosts of another historic play by another historic franchise — on Christmas Eve in Pittsburg on the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. Perhaps the Raiders can create some of their own magic in that game as well.

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