The Jags were out-gained in total yards and time of possession but somehow managed to acquire a win over Oakland.
The Jacksonville Jaguars came into Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders with a 2-12 all-time record and a nine-game losing streak on the West Coast but that changed Week 15. With the help of some “Minshew Magic,” the Cardiac Cats were able to rain on the Raiders’ parade in their last regular season game at RingCentral Coliseum (a.k.a. Oakland Coliseum).
After a relatively flat first half on offense, Gardner Minshew II and company were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both of which were courtesy of receiver Chris Conley. Coincidentally, both drives were also the Jags’ first and last drives of the fourth quarter on offense.
The first scoring drive was an 11-play drive for 53-yards. The second scoring drive, which gave them the lead, was another one in which Jags fans will forever tie to Minshew’s name.
Minshew rallied the Jags after a missed field goal by the Raiders by hitting a combination of C.J. Board, Leonard Fournette and Conley along the way with roughly 3:30 left in the game. Before snagging the game-winning touchdown, Conley also contributed a 21-yard reception on the drive. Eventually, the Jags found themselves on the Raiders’ 4-yard line and Minshew threw a dart to Conley on a slant pattern, silencing the Oakland crowd.
Minshew finished the game 17-of-29 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Conley, on the other hand, had four catches for 49 yards and the two aforementioned touchdowns.
Defensively, the Jags allowed 364 total yards, 236 of which came through the air, however, the pass rush came up big for the Jags in some key moments. They finished the game with four sacks on Derek Carr. Two of those sacks came from pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was unstoppable all game and also totaled five tackles. Rookie pass-rusher Josh Allen also had a solid day, acquiring his 10th sac of the season, which put him with interesting company.
NFL rookies with 10+ sacks since 2010:
Ndamukong Suh (2010) Aldon Smith (2011) Von Miller (2011) Joey Bosa (2016) Bradley Chubb (2018)@JoshAllen41_ (2019)
Sunday’s win was a weird one, to say the least, as the Raiders out-gained the Jags in total yards (364 to 262) and had a longer time of possession (34:12 to 25:48). In the end, the Jags managed to pull off a win though and that’s all that matters.
The Jags’ next game will be on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. That game will take place at 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 22.
Raiders wire takes a look at the Winners and Losers from the terrible loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last game in Oakland.
Well, that was an awful way to close the coliseum. The Oakland Raiders didn’t show up in the second half allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to come back from a 13 point halftime deficit to win the game 20-16. This is the Raiders’ fourth loss in a row after a surprising 6-4 start but now has come back to life.
The Raiders offense came out hot with their usual first drive score, but after that was nothing but field goals even when they moved the football. They were completely shut down in the second half with all four possessions leading to no points and kept the Jaguars in the football game. The Raiders are starting to match their point differential to equal out how bad they are.
The defense put up the best performance they could holding the Jaguars to 4.9 yards per play. However, the defense is not good enough to hold any offense under 20 points and allowed three second-half drives that were either field goals or touchdowns. Even with decent individual performances for the defense, the secondary is too beat up to hang with any football team.
Who were the winners and losers for Week 15? Not many winners with this terrible loss closing the Oakland Coliseum.
The Oakland Raiders played their final home game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, and they closed the stadium out by … well … allowing 17-unanswered points in a 20-16 loss to the Jaguars.
Let’s just say that the Raiders fans weren’t too pleased with the final effort in Oakland.
Following the loss, quarterback Derek Carr went towards the Raiders faithful in the Black Hole to thank fans and sign autographs. He was greeted by a loud chorus of boos. When Carr left the field and went for the locker room, he continued to be booed. The meltdown was just getting started for Raiders fans.
Carr to the Black Hole as well. He was booed as he got over there and now is being booed as he leaves the field. Tough farewell here in Oakland.
Derek Carr exciting the Coliseum field for the final time – to a chorus of boos. Not exactly the way this was supposed to go. pic.twitter.com/wgTPkrigT4
Reporters were eventually asked to leave the field as a brawl broke out in the stands. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Torrey Hart, a woman was left bloodied after being hit by debris.
Things are descending into chaos in Oakland. Media has been asked to leave the field as security engaged in full-on brawl with a fan. Another woman gushed blood from her forehead, appearing as if she had been hit by trash heading for the field. pic.twitter.com/zOlImU7hEh
It’s the last Raiders game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and the home team will do all it can to send its loyal fans home happy.
Much has transpired during the Raiders’ 2019 season: Hard Knocks and the Antonio Brown fiasco, unforeseen roster turnover, blowout losses, winning streaks, record-breaking rookies, an NBA-length road trip, injuries, agony, and triumph.
But this week, none of that matters. It’s the Raiders’ last game at the storied Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, and unlike the previous time the club left, they won’t be coming back. The home team must put on a performance to remember.
Luckily, the Raiders’ opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, come into The Coliseum limping, and Oakland is favored. Still, it will take an impressive effort from Jon Gruden’s bunch to reverse their own slide down the standings.
Here are the players to watch as the Raiders say goodbye to the venerable stadium and look to send their loyal fans home happy.
DB Daryl Worley
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The Raiders defense simply must play better than they did last week, after allowing the Titans to rack up 500 yards of offense before the fourth quarter even started. The day after the game, coach Gruden said there will be changes on that side of the ball.
For starters, Oakland released safety D.J. Swearinger, who had been with the club just a few weeks. In a related development, cornerback Daryl Worley is expected to log some time at the back end of the defense to make up for Swearinger’s absence.
Worley is a favorite of Gruden’s, due to his willingness to tackle. That will serve him well at safety. Plus, he’ll have plenty of motivation after allowing a 91-yard touchdown reception against the Titans. Watch to see if Worley can bounce back at a new position and help the defense regain its composure.
Here are some quick observations we made throughout the game.
The Tennessee Titans (8-5) recorded their fourth straight victory as they came into Oakland and defeated the Raiders (6-7), 42-21.
The game was a shootout at first, tied 21-21 at halftime, but the defense came alive and the team was able to leave with a dominant victory.
The Titans look like a team that compete as they face the division rival Houston Texans in Nissan Stadium next week.
Here are some quick observations we made throughout the game.
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– The Raiders won the toss and elected to defer, allowing quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the offense the first go.
– Tannehill attempted a slant deep in Raiders territory, and was intercepted by Maurice Hurst. Tannehill tackles him at the Titans’ 24-yard line.
– It took the Raiders hardly an time at all to put a D’Andre Washington touchdown on the board. This marked Washington’s second touchdown of the season.
– Khari Blasingame made his first career catch, a 24-yarder, on a wheel route to bring the Titans to the Oakland 23. It wasn’t long after that Derrick Henry took a 12-yard touchdown in to make it 7-7 with 3:21 left to play in the first quarter.
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– The Titans got a stop on the Raiders on the following drive, leaving them punting.
-A.J. Brown caught a 91-yard playaction touchdown pass from Tannehill to give the Titans a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.
– Carr hit Rico Gafford as the Titans got lost in man-to-man coverage, allowing them to tie the game up at 14-14.
– Tannehill connected with Anthony Firkser on what would have been a touchdown pass, but it was called back due to holding on offensive lineman Nate Davis.
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– Brown came up with his second touchdown of the day on a 16-yarder from Tannehill. He broke through three tackles as he drove his way into the end-zone.
– The Titans were nearly able to prevent a Raiders touchdown at the bottom of second quarter, but the defense gave way and allowed a touchdown reception by tight end Foster Moreau. The game was tied at 21-21 soon before halftime.
– Ryan Succop tried for a 42-yard field goal just before the half, but it hit the goalpost.
– After leaving the game at the two minute warning, Henry came out with the team in the second half.
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– Safety Kenny Vaccaro left the game with a concussion as Amani Hooker entered the game in his place.
– Linebacker Jayon Brown came up with a near-interception, bringing up third down for the Raiders.
– Henry punched in the score for the Titans after a 38-yard reception by tight end MyCole Pruitt. The Titans led by a touchdown at that point.
– Tannehill found tight end Jonnu Smith on 17-yard touchdown at the top of the fourth quarter to extend the team’s lead to 35-21.
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– Cornerback Tye Smith forced a fumble, and Brown took it in for a score. Smith has now forced fumbles in back-to-back games.
– With just under four minutes remaining in the game, the Raiders went for it on fourth down at the Titans’ 1. There was nobody home when Carr went to throw the ball, and Tennessee took over on downs.
The Raiders are fresh off two blowout losses, and a winning season could disintegrate without a stellar performance from these five players.
It’s been a rough couple weeks for the Raiders, having dropped consecutive road games in blowout fashion, most recently to the Chiefs with first place in the AFC West on the line.
But the story of this year’s Raiders is still being told.
At 6-6, their remaining four games are against teams without elite records, so Oakland still has a shot at the playoffs. At the very least, they can recover the league-wide respect they earned in going 6-4, building momentum for next season in the process.
Their first challenge could be the toughest and not solely due to the quality of the opponent. After two lopsided loses, finding their confidence and building positive momentum will itself be a task. Here are the players to watch as the Raiders attempt to start the last quarter of the season with a win.
DT Jonathan Hankins
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Against a Tennesse Titans team featuring running back Derrick Henry, the Raiders’ stout run defense will be put to the test. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins will be key in stopping the man Raiders coach Jon Gruden says has an under-recognized and valuable skill.
“I think the secret sauce in Henry is he’s got all the talent, and size, and running instincts, but he never tires. He’s a machine, man,” Gruden said during his Wednesday press conference. “You’ve got to gang tackle him. The more they give him the ball, the better he gets … an impressive human being.”
Hankins can’t stop Henry by himself, but by disrupting the middle of the Titans’ offense, he can make Henry work harder and allow the rest of the Raiders’ defense to swarm. It’s been Hankins’ formula for success all season, but Oakland needs him perhaps more than ever this week. Watch to see if he can make Henry spend some stamina and have a subpar game.
Raiders QB Derek Carr ranked as 13th-best quarterback in 2019 by Pro Football Focus
While the Oakland Raiders’ offense has struggled at times this season, one encouraging development from this season has been the play of Derek Carr. Through 12 games, Carr has completed more than 70 percent of his passes, throwing 16 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.
According to Pro Football Focus, Carr has been the league’s 13th-best passer, excelling in ball security and adjusted completion percentage. Take a look at what the site believes have been his strengths and weaknesses so far this season.
Carr has thrown the ball well this year, and he has the second-lowest percentage of negatively-graded throws in Oakland’s short passing attack. They could stand to be more aggressive, especially since Carr has the arm and touch to attack at all levels of the field. Instead, Carr has the second-lowest average depth of target in the league at 6.9, and that’s led to his ranking just 17th in percentage of positively-graded throws. He has the ninth-best passing grade at 80.5, but his 32.2 rushing grade is the worst in the league, in large part due to a poor goal-line fumble against the Packers.
While there are some flaws in Carr’s game that will drive you wild, he has been a better-than-average quarterback this season and is way down the list of problems for the Raiders. If Oakland can find Carr some more consistent help at receiver next offseason, expect him to continue to climb up the quarterback power rankings in 2020.
The Titans are favored to leave with the win by a point spread of (-2.5), according to Bet MGM.
The Tennessee Titans (7-5) are looking very much like a team that could edge its way into the playoffs after recording a 31-17 win over the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Nissan Stadium.
With the victory, the Titans have now won three games in a row, and will look to extend that streak to four as they face the Oakland Raiders (6-6) this week on the road.
The Titans are favored to leave with the win by a point spread of (-2.5), according to Bet MGM.
The Raiders have hardly had the same type of momentum as the Titans have held lately, dropping their past two consecutive contests.
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Oakland has scored just 12 combined points in two games, recording a 40-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, and falling 34-3 to the New York Jets in the week prior to that.
While the Titans could have their quarterback of the future in Ryan Tannehill, things couldn’t be much different at the position for the Raiders.
Quarterback Derek Carr is likely playing for his job at this point, and this game could ultimately end up being the deciding factor.
Carr has been met with plenty of criticism, including after he went 20-of-30 passing for 222 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against Kansas City.
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The Titans and Raiders are set to kick off at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
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Every year when fantasy drafts and auctions roll around, there are players who explode on the scene and become the gold standard the following year. If you can’t carry over players, your move in the middle rounds to get a guy like Patrick Mahomes in 2018 paid off, just like those who jumped before others on Lamar Jackson is taking you to the pay window almost every week.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Every year when fantasy drafts and auctions roll around, there are players who explode on the scene and become the gold standard the following year. If you can’t carry over players, your move in the middle rounds to get a guy like Patrick Mahomes in 2018 paid off, just like those who jumped before others on Lamar Jackson is taking you to the pay window almost every week.
When looking at the guys who are going to cost you a much bigger investment next year than they did this year, there are several players that those of us at The Huddle had ranked prior to this year’s draft season a lot lower than they will be next year.
These are the fantasy breakout stars of 2019. If you have more than one of them on your roster, you probably are preparing for the fantasy playoffs from a position of strength.
QUARTERBACKS
Lamar Jackson (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 13) – Every year, some player jumps off the page and emerges as a bona fide fantasy star. Last year, it was Patrick Mahomes. This year, it’s Jackson. Through 12 games, he has thrown for 2,532 yards and 25 touchdowns, had five games with three or more passing TDs and, more importantly, has rushed for 977 yards and seven scores. Owners were a little nervous about putting too much stock in him on draft day. They won’t next year.
Josh Allen (Rank: No. 20) – He was my pick to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 draft because, in my view, he had the highest ceiling. That view hasn’t changed. He hasn’t thrown for more than 265 yards in any game, but when you factor in eight rushing touchdowns, he has accounted for two or more TDs in 10 of 12 games this season and his weekly totals are worthy of being a starter.
Kyler Murray (Rank: No. 19) – He hasn’t blown up the league, but has proved the NFL isn’t too big for him. He has six games with two or more TD passes, four 300-yard games and leads the Cardinals in rushing. An offseason to absorb Arizona’s Air Raid Offense could make him the guy to watch next season.
RUNNING BACK
Dalvin Cook (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 13) – Fantasy owners were willing to step up to a certain extent for a talented player who had missed more games than he had played his first two seasons. This year has been his watershed – healthy and living up to his billing. It only took him 11 games to hit 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns with seven games with 97 or more rushing yards. He was ranked in the area of No. 10 in most pre-draft rankings. How close to No. 1 will he be next year? A lot closer…and deservedly so.
Josh Jacobs (Rank: No. 17) – Rookie running backs have been hit and miss the last few years, which may explain why Jacobs was the only running back taken in the first round of this year’s draft. But, Jacobs has proved he can be a workhorse, which is what the Raiders want in their featured back. It only took him 12 games to top 1,000 yards as a rookie and, with nine games with 15 or more carries in that span, he is primed to be a stud for years to come.
Carlos Hyde (Rank: No. 61) – Usually a breakout star isn’t in his sixth season. After four years in San Francisco, he left via free agency and from March 2018 to August 2019 he was with the Browns, Jaguars, Chiefs and Texans. From Arian Foster to Lamar Miller, Houston running backs put up big numbers. He’s going to top 1,000 yards and has averaged almost five yards a carry. With some stability and miles left on the tires, he’s going to jump in the player rankings next year.
Chris Carson (Rank: No. 16) – Anyone who has had a Seahawks running back on their roster knows the Pete Carroll mixes and matches, but, in a six-game span starting in Week 4, Carson ran 20 or more times in six of seven games and has six games with 89 or more rushing yards in that span.
Devin Singletary (Rank: No. 24) – You knew as a rookie, he was going to have to share time on the low side with veteran Frank Gore. But, after coming back from an injury in Week 7, he and Gore have flip-flopped roles. Singletary has led the team in rushing in each of the last five games and we’re witnessing a changing of the guard. With Gore likely headed to retirement after the season, Singletary will vault in 2020 rankings.
WIDE RECEIVER
Kenny Golladay (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 17) – Golladay was a known commodity coming off a 1,000-yard season in 2018, but what has changed this season is his big-play ability. Through 12 games, he has caught 47 passes, but is averaging more than 20 yards per reception and has nine touchdowns. He had the weight of being the big receiver to follow Calvin Johnson and he’s living up to it. He will be somebody’s No. 1 receiver next year.
D.J. Moore (Rank: No. 22) – As a rookie, he caught 55 passes for 708 yards and two TDs. He surpassed all of those numbers before Thanksgiving. He still hasn’t become a consistent touchdown scorer – which separates the good from the great fantasy receivers – but can be counted on for six or more catches a game and in four games in November, he caught 30 passes for 454 yards and two TDs. He’s on the brink of stardom and it’s getting noticed.
D.J. Chark (Rank: No. 62) – Considering that Nick Foles went down 10 minutes into his Jags career, there were more than a fair share of doubters about Chark’s prospects. He hasn’t been dominant but is going to end the season with more than 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns, which, when everyone looks at year-end stats, is going to push him into WR2 territory.
D.K. Metcalf (Rank: No. 59) – Other receivers have posted bigger numbers, but you see the impressive nature of Metcalf’s game. He’s averaging almost 17 yards per reception and he and Russell Wilson are building a rapport that could make him a breakout star in his second season.
TIGHT END
Darren Waller (Preseason Huddle Rank: No. 8) – We were high on him in the preseason and it didn’t take him long to get the attention of fantasy owners this season. He has almost twice as many receptions as any other Raiders receiver and, while the touchdowns haven’t come with great regularity, Jon Gruden is going to find more ways to exploit him with mismatches, especially in the red zone, as he gains more experience on how to shield defenders and use his mammoth size.
Mark Andrews (Rank No. 11) – In a year where tight ends largely haven’t lived up to expectations, Andrews has been consistent, catching 53 passes for almost 700 yards and seven touchdowns through 12 games. As Lamar Jackson morphs into a more complete quarterback, Andrews could end up being the Greg Olsen of the Ravens offense.
Irv Smith Jr. (Rank: No. 44) – Often times to get a measure of a player’s progress, you need to look at his weekly targets and receptions. Smith is far from a polished product and won’t be high on a lot of ranking sheets next year, but he is getting more incorporated into the offense and is ready to step up as a red zone and deep seam option. Mark it down.
Here is the Week 14 Fantasy Market Report:
RISERS
Calvin Ridley – For much of the season, he has been the clear No. 2 wide receiver option in Atlanta, but, with Julio Jones hurting (again), he has stepped up. In his last three games, Ridley has been targeted 32 times, catching 22 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns and is emerging as a big-time fantasy threat in his own right.
Mark Andrews – He is far and away the most consistent receiver in the Ravens passing game and, while he hasn’t matched his yardage totals from the first two games (16-230-2), he has four touchdowns in his last four games and has at least one receptions of 20 or more yards in eight of 12 games (and has scored three touchdowns in the four games he hasn’t had a 20+ yard reception).
Deebo Samuel – When you’re looking for a flex player who isn’t a lock to start, you need one of two things – a guy who gets volume or scores touchdown. Over the last four games, in Weeks 10-12, Samuel caught 16 passes for 246 yards. In the last two, he was only targeted six times and caught four passes, but has a touchdown in each. With defenses looking to shut down George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders, Samuel has emerged as a viable fantasy option.
Leonard Fournette – In PPR leagues, Fournette was viewed as a guy who could run for 100 yards in any game, but not be counted on for critical reception points. That has changed. In his first two seasons (21 games), Fournette never caught more than five passes and had just three games with more than three. This year, he leads the Jags with 65 receptions, including 10 games with four or more and six with six or more. In his last five games, he has caught 37 passes. While they haven’t resulted in touchdowns, they’ve made Fournette a much more valuable player.
DeVante Parker – Over the years, Parker had burned fantasy owners more than rewarding them and many owners won’t put any Dolphins in their lineups. But, Parker has been targeted 10 or more times by Ryan Fitzpatrick in each of the last four games and, over the last three, has 20 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns. He’s on pace to finish the season with more than 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns – clearly starting fantasy numbers for a guy who has been a career tease.
FALLERS
Le’Veon Bell – He’s been on this list before earlier in the year, but it bears repeating how dismal he has been and was drafted in most leagues to start every week. He hasn’t had a receiving touchdown since Week 1 and has 35 or fewer receiving yards in eight games. He hasn’t rushed for more than 70 yards in any game, has 50 or less in seven games and has scored just three TDs. If you started Bell consistently and made the playoffs, you did it despite him, not because of him.
Derek Carr – In his first eight games, he had two or more TD passes in five of them and looked to be a serviceable fantasy backup ready to reclaim his career. Yet, he hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in any game this season and, in his last four games, he has less than 225 yards in three of them and just three passing TDs in those four games. He’s not worth a roster spot for a team in the playoffs because better options are available on the waiver wire.
Greg Olsen – Still expected to be a starter in TE-mandatory leagues, Olsen has fallen off the map. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3 and, in his last nine games, he has been limited to less than 45 yards in six of them. The Panthers pass offense runs through Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore these days, no longer Olsen.
Mike Evans – This is another one of those “tough call” scenarios because nobody who has Evans is likely to bench him. But, you have wonder how defenses are taking on Evans. From Weeks 7-10 (a bye week wedged in there), in three games, Evans was targeted a whopping 45 times, catching 32 passes for 474 yards and three touchdowns, carrying fantasy teams on his back. In the last four, however, he has caught just four passes in each game, totaling 254 yards and no touchdowns. As we enter the fantasy playoffs, those numbers have to improve or he could be part of a one-and-done scenario.
Vance McDonald – This one is a little personal. I’ve never bought into the McDonald hype that just about every other fantasy analyst has. In seven seasons, he has never caught more than 50 passes or scored more than four touchdowns, yet his bandwagon keeps taking on passengers. The belief was that, if he could stay healthy, he’d blow up. Well, he’s played 11 games and doesn’t have a single game with more than 40 receiving yards, and, in his last nine games, has one touchdown and three or fewer receptions in eight of those games. Keep putting him in your lineup. You’ve been warned not to for the last time.
