Tag: Hunter Renfrow

What They Are Saying: Renfrow, Williams star in Sunday Night Football thriller

A couple of former Clemson wide receivers shined in Sunday night’s NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers. Hunter Renfrow hauled in two touchdown passes to help the Raiders defeat the Chargers 35-32 in an overtime …

A couple of former Clemson wide receivers shined in Sunday night’s NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Hunter Renfrow hauled in two touchdown passes to help the Raiders defeat the Chargers 35-32 in an overtime thriller, while Mike Williams had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown — a 12-yard score as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime.

With the win, Renfrow and the Raiders earned their first playoff berth since 2016 and will play at Cincinnati in the first round of the AFC playoffs. The Chargers, meanwhile, saw their season come to an end with the loss.

Check out what they are saying about the performances of Renfrow and Williams in Sunday night’s game:

–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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Everything we know about Chargers’ heartbreaking loss to Raiders

Highlighting everything notable from the Los Angeles Chargers’ crushing loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers lost to the Raiders in one of the most thrilling football games in recent memory.

To recap Week 18, here is everything we know:

It was over when…

Daniel Carlson kicked the game-clinching field goal as time expired in overtime.

Notable numbers of the game

The Chargers were 6-of-7 on fourth down situations.

Justin Herbert surpassed 5,000 passing yards, marking the first Charger ever to accomplish the feat.

Herbert engineered a 19-play, 83-yard drive in 2:06 to send the game to overtime.

Los Angeles allowed 174 rushing yards (5.1 yards per carry).

The Bolts committed ten penalties for 108 yards.

Quick takes

– What more can you say about Herbert? The guy has it. Despite being in the face of pressure and taking hit after hit all night long, he still overcame the adversity.

– When it seemed like the Chargers’ season was over when it was 29-14, Herbert guided them to two consecutive touchdown drives to tie up the game and send it to overtime, delivering remarkable throws along the way.

– Los Angeles’ offensive line had no answer for the Raiders’ pass rush for the majority of the game, and it was Storm Norton who was the primary culprit, with Maxx Crosby having his way on the right side.

– The drops continued to be an issue, but the pass catchers delivered in crunch time on crucial downs. Mike Williams and Keenan Allen had two each in the final two drives.

– The Chargers had to abandon the run in the fourth quarter, but they managed to be efficient, averaging four yards per carry on the night.

– Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow were held to 22 and 13 yards, respectively. However, Michael Davis and Chris Harris Jr. were the culprits of Renfrow’s touchdown grabs.

– Derek Carr was held to 186 yards passing. Still, the Raiders resorted to the run where Joshua Jacobs had a field day, and the Chargers remained undisciplined up front and struggled to tackle at the second level, with Jerry Tillery and Kenneth Murray being the primary targets.

– The 3rd-and-23 play where Jalen Richard picked up the first down was the most maddening of them all.

– Speaking of Murray, he was on the field in favor of Kyzir White in dime packages. Confusing, to say the least, considering White was the team’s best linebacker all season.

–  It’s easy to point fingers at the refs. The pass interference penalty on Harris to set up Jacobs’ one-yard rushing touchdown shouldn’t have been called. Even if Zay Jones flopped or not, the ball was not catchable.

– While the Raiders got theirs, I felt like the refs missed a handful of holding penalties that should’ve been called for the Chargers.

– The special teams unit wasn’t at its best. Dustin Hopkins missed a 52-yard field goal. Andre Roberts averaged just 23.5 yards on kickoffs and fumbled on a punt return.

– Brandon Staley’s timeout in the final minute of overtime will be the talk of the week, as many assume that the Raiders were trending towards letting the clock run out to end the game in a tie. Regardless, the lackluster run defense still let them down on that entire drive, as it did most of the game.

What’s next?

After finishing 9-8, the Chargers head into the offseason with nearly $80 million in cap space and the 17th overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.

Watch: Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow with filthy move for TD catch vs Chargers

You’re gonna want to see this nasty move Hunter Renfrow made to get open for the TD.

It’s quickly a 10-0 lead for the Raiders against the Chargers Sunday night. The touchdown was to, who else, but Hunter Renfrow. And the move he made to absolutely destroy Michael Davis and free himself up was downright nasty.

The Raiders scored on their opening drive with a big catch and run by Foster Moreau to put them in first and goal. They got a field goal out of it to take a 3-0 lead.

Then after stopping the Chargers for a three-and-out and being stopped themselves, the Raiders punted it away. On the return, former Chargers return man Tyron Johnson knocked the ball out of the hands of Andre Roberts and the Raiders recovered at the LA 23-yard-line.

A few plays later, including a 4th down conversion, the Carr to Renfrow touchdown happened to put the Raiders up 10-0.

It’s just the kind of start the Raiders hoped for in this crucial matchup for both teams as the winner heads to the playoffs and the loser heads home for the offseason.

The day Clemson ‘arrived’ in the Swinney era

This season’s national champion in college football will be decided Monday in a rematch between Georgia and Alabama, but Sunday marks the anniversary of an important championship at Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s vision of taking the Tigers to the top of …

This season’s national champion in college football will be decided Monday in a rematch between Georgia and Alabama, but Sunday marks the anniversary of an important championship at Clemson.

Dabo Swinney’s vision of taking the Tigers to the top of the mountain in the sport became reality on Jan. 9, 2017. Clemson knocked off Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide in an instant classic inside Raymond James Stadium to claim the first national championship in the Swinney era and just the second in school history.

It was doubly sweet for the Tigers after how bitter the ending to the previous season turned out to be.

Clemson laid the foundation of what was to come in 2015 when it started its run of six straight College Football Playoff appearances. With an emerging star at quarterback in sophomore Deshaun Watson, the top-seeded Tigers went into their first-ever CFP title game undefeated that season, which included a blowout win over Oklahoma in one national semifinal.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) kisses the National Championship trophy after the Tigers defeated Alabama 35-31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Monday, January 9, 2017.

Alabama won the other in a romp over Michigan State to set up the first national title matchup between Clemson and Swinney’s alma mater. Yet despite a record-setting performance by Watson, whose 478 total yards of offense are still the most in national title game history, Clemson came up just short in a shootout, 45-40.

Watson, Swinney and the rest of the Tigers exacted their revenge a year later in Tampa.

Clemson-Alabama, Part II, was another heart-pounder with the teams going back and forth after the Tigers rallied from a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter. Clemson took its first lead on Wayne Gallman’s touchdown plunge with just 4 minutes, 38 seconds left.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts put the Crimson Tide back in front, 31-28, with a 30-yard touchdown scramble. Clemson got the ball back one last time with 2:01 remaining, needing at least a few first downs to set up a tying field-goal attempt and 68 yards for a winning touchdown.

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Mike Williams (7) catches a pass over Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Anthony Averett (28) in the 207 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bart Boatwright/The Greenville News via USA TODAY Sports

On the Tigers’ collective mind, there was only one option.

“We were not playing for overtime,” Swinney said afterward. “We were going for the win. That’s our mentality.”

The Tigers quickly moved into Alabama territory thanks to a long completion from Watson to Mike Williams. Clemson eventually got inside the 10-yard line on an acrobatic 17-yard reception by tight end Jordan Leggett, but only 14 seconds remained.

Watson threw incomplete on first-and-goal. He looked for Williams on second-and-goal, but the Tigers’ junior receiver, who caught a touchdown earlier in the game, was interfered with, giving Clemson a fresh set of downs at the 2 with just 6 seconds on the clock.

That was enough time for the Tigers to win it on the next play when Watson rolled out and found Hunter Renfrow in the front corner of the end zone for a touchdown with just 1 tick left, giving Clemson its first national championship since 1981.

Clemson Twide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) catches the game winning touchdown against Alabama defensive back Tony Brown (2) during the fourth quarter in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. (photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

“Never in a million years did I think I would catch the game-winning pass,” Renfrow said then.

Watson went 36 of 56 passing for 420 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in the win to earn offensive MVP honors. Linebacker Ben Boulware was named defensive MVP. The Tigers have won another national championship since, again beating Alabama in the teams’ third title matchup to cap the 2018 season.

But five years ago today marked the Tigers’ national breakthrough under Swinney.

“(Alabama has) been the standard for a long time, but not anymore,” Boulware said then. “Clemson has arrived. Clemson is here. We are back on top.”

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tiger head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates with the trophy after a 35-31 victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

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ESPN analyst, former NFL great talks ‘underrated’ Renfrow

Former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow is getting ready to play in a big primetime game on Sunday night when the Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) battle the Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) in Las Vegas. On ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, the analysts discussed the …

Former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow is getting ready to play in a big primetime game on Sunday night when the Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) battle the Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) in Las Vegas.

On ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, the analysts discussed the Raiders-Chargers matchup (8:20 p.m., NBC) that carries playoff implications and marks the final game of the NFL regular season.

ESPN NFL analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Tedy Bruschi was asked if the Raiders’ game plan should be to stick to the run game and then try to hit tight end Darren Waller.

“He’s going to help out a lot,” the longtime New England Patriots linebacker and Patriots Hall of Famer said. “But there’s one guy that you can’t forget about — and a lot of people do — and that’s Hunter Renfrow.”

Bruschi then broke down tape of Renfrow and talked about the receiver’s uncanny ability to get open, especially on third downs when the chains need to be moved.

“I mean, the saying, it’s ‘Third-and-Renfrow.’ This guy gets it going,” Bruschi said. “I’ve got a couple plays here to show you of him on third down and why he’s so difficult. You see him in the bunch formation. (Raiders quarterback Derek) Carr isn’t even looking his way, but he feels and he always knows where to be. He senses the trouble, boom, takes off. Carr now sees him, jump pass to him here, and he finds a way to get open for his quarterback, especially on third down like that third-down conversion right here.”

Renfrow has had a career year in his third NFL season. In 16 games heading into Sunday night’s clash with the Chargers, the 2019 fifth-round draft pick has racked up 99 catches on 123 targets for 1,025 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions, all career highs.

Still, Bruschi believes Renfrow is underrated considering what he brings to the table as a playmaking slot receiver with his route running and craftiness to pick up yards after the catch.

“I don’t know how you play man coverage on him,” Bruschi said. “Stop, go, stop, boom — wide open, third-and-short. Oh yeah, by the way, you need me to come off my coverage, try to make a tackle. No, you can’t do that either. This guy is slippery, this guy is underrated… Waller is going to help, yes. Third-and-Renfrow, you’ve got to stop him.”

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4 bold predictions for Chargers in Week 18 vs. Raiders

Laying out four bold predictions as the Chargers look to advance to the playoffs.

The Chargers face the Raiders in a win-and-you’re-in matchup on Sunday night.

In a heated divisional bout like this, there’s always bound to be some things that occur that most people would not have forecasted.

With that being said, here are four bold predictions for Week 18’s matchup:

Derek Carr is sacked over four times

One of the highlights of the Chargers’ Week 4 win over the Raiders was their pass rush. They pressured Carr 22 times and sacked him on four occasions, with Joey Bosa leading the pack with seven pressures and a sack. Since then, Las Vegas moved rookie Alex Leatherwood from right tackle to right guard and Brandon Parker to right tackle. However, the two have combined for 87 pressures and 11 sacks allowed this season. With Bosa lined up over Leatherwood, especially, Los Angeles is set up to live in the backfield.

Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. each have an interception

Carr has thrown an interception in each of his last three games, bringing his total to 14 on the season. You couple that with the Chargers being able to get to him as much as they did last time earlier this season, he will be prone to make some mistakes. James had two almost interceptions last weekend against the Broncos, and Samuel has three passes defended in the past two games. It’s only a matter of time until they actually get their hands on the football, and I think this is where the former Seminoles do so.

Austin Ekeler totals over 150 yards

In the two team’s first meeting, Ekeler was one of the primary factors to the Chargers’ offensive success. He 145 yards from scrimmage, 117 rushing yards (career-high) on 15 carries (7.8 yards per carry), and two touchdowns. The Raiders are allowing 116.1 rushing yards per game and 38.1 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs this season. Meanwhile, the Chargers have averaged 134 yards on the ground over their last four games. Dominate in the trenches as the offensive line has been, utilize the screen game and get Ekeler matched up one-on-one with Raiders linebackers, and you should anticipate a big day from him.

Chargers win, 30-24

No, even if the Jaguars beat the Colts, the Chargers and Raiders will not play for a tie. Yes, you can look at the loss to the Texans and point out that Los Angeles is inconsistent. However, the team was down a multitude of starters then, but are proven to compete and beat the best of the best when healthy, which they will be in this game. On the other hand, Las Vegas has looked improved, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense has only topped 23 points dating back to Oct. 25. This has the makings of a shootout, but Justin Herbert will lead the Bolts to their first playoff appearance since 2018.

6 most important Chargers players in Week 18 vs. Raiders

Which players will be key for the Los Angeles Chargers if they hope to come away with a victory in Week 18 against the Las Vegas Raiders?

A crucial game for the Chargers’ playoff hopes is set to go down in prime time, as they will take on the Raiders, who are also in a win-and-you’re-in situation.

Which players will be key for Los Angeles to come away with a victory in Week 18?

QB Justin Herbert

This is arguably the biggest game of Herbert’s young career. We’ve seen him lead the Chargers to multiple fourth-quarter comebacks, write his name in the history books week after week. But matters the most, when we look back on his career, is far he can guide his team in each of his seasons. The sophomore signal-caller shines the brightest under the lights, as he has 1,418 passing yards, 14 touchdown passes to two interceptions and a completion percentage of 65 in five primetime games. Against the Raiders, he has 867 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 67.

OT Storm Norton or Trey Pipkins

It remains to be seen who will get the start at right tackle. Norton missed last weekend’s game against the Broncos. In place of him was Pipkins, who played very well, allowing zero pressures. Regardless of who starts, they will need to be on their A-game against the premier pass rusher, Maxx Crosby. The last time these two teams met, Crosby played a large part for the Raiders front that generated pressure on 29.3 percent of Herbert’s dropbacks.

RB Austin Ekeler

Ekeler had his most productive game against the Raiders in Week 4, finishing with 145 yards from scrimmage, 117 rushing yards (career-high) on 15 carries (7.8 yards per carry), and two touchdowns. It’s imperative that he replicates a similar performance against an uneven Las Vegas team against opposing running backs. They allow the third-most receiving touchdowns (6) and fourth-most rushing touchdowns (15) to backs. The Chargers have averaged 134 yards on the ground over their last four games.

S Derwin James

The Raiders will get an integral piece on the offensive side of the ball back in Darren Waller, who missed the past five games with injuries and COVID-19. Waller posted four receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown when the two teams met earlier in the season. But James also had an interception late in the fourth quarter to close out the Chargers’ win. Not only will the coverage skills of James be crucial in limiting Waller, but his versatility will be vital in slowing Joshua Jacobs on the ground and generating quarterback pressure.

CB Asante Samuel Jr.

The Raiders’ top target, who recently topped the 1,000-yard mark (1,025) and is one reception shy of 100, will draw plenty of attention, and the rookie cornerback will likely be tasked with covering him, with the exception on third downs where Renfrow will need to be bracket covered. In their first meeting, Renfrow caught six of his eight targets for 45 yards and a score. Since returning after his suffering second concussion of the season that came back in Week 11, Samuel has been up-and-down the past two games.

EDGE Joey Bosa

The Chargers held Derek Carr to under 200 passing yards in their first meeting with the Raiders. One of the factors to Carr’s down performance was the copious amount of pressure he was under, and it was Bosa who consistently lived in the backfield, as he had seven pressures, five hurries, and a sack. Bosa’s presence will be critical in ensuring Carr has little time to throw, especially on third down, and stopping Jacobs.

Renfrow has joined more elite company

Hunter Renfrow has had a stellar season for the Las Vegas Raiders, etching his name in the history books along the way. Two Sundays ago, the Clemson legend and third-year NFL pro joined Tim Brown and Jerry Rice – a pair of Hall of Famers – as the …

Hunter Renfrow has had a stellar season for the Las Vegas Raiders, etching his name in the history books along the way.

Two Sundays ago, the Clemson legend and third-year NFL pro joined Tim Brown and Jerry Rice — a pair of Hall of Famers — as the only Raiders in history to reach 90 catches in a season.

That’s not the only elite company Renfrow is in, though. According to ESPN Stats & Info research producer Doug Clawson, the only wide receiver in the last 30 seasons with a better catch rate than Renfrow’s 80.5 percent catch rate this season (minimum of 100 targets) is two-time All-Pro Michael Thomas in 2018 (85.0 percent).

In 16 games this season, Renfrow has recorded 99 catches on 123 targets. The 2019 fifth-round draft pick has 1,025 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions this season heading into the Raiders’ regular season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

With his 99 receptions, Renfrow needs just five more to tie the aforementioned Hall of Famer Brown (104 in 1997) for the most receptions by a wide receiver in a season in Raiders franchise history.

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Watch: Renfrow mic’d up while passing 1,000 receiving yards vs. Colts

Former Clemson star and current Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow reached a meaningful milestone against the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday, catching seven passes for 76 yards to become a 1,000-yard receiver for the first time in his …

Former Clemson star and current Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow reached a meaningful milestone against the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday, catching seven passes for 76 yards to become a 1,000-yard receiver for the first time in his career.

Go on the field with Renfrow in the following video from the Raiders as he was mic’d up during the Week 17 win vs. the Colts:

–Photo for this article courtesy of USA Today Sports Images 

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Hunter Renfrow has NFL 2nd-best WR catch rate in past 30 years

Only one WR has a better catch rate than Hunter Renfrow over the past 30 years

A couple of weeks ago, Hunter Renfrow joined some elite company in the Raiders’ record books. He joined Tim Brown and Jerry Rice as the only ever Raiders wide receivers to record 90 catches in a season.

Well, through 16 games, Renfrow has joined more elite company. The reliable slot receiver has a catch rate of 80.5% which is the second-highest over the past thirty years. The only one higher is two-time All-Pro Michael Thomas.

Renfrow is coming off one of his best games of the season in which he caught a go-ahead touchdown and the catch that put the Raiders in a position to win the game in the final seconds.

In the process, he reached 99 catches on the season, putting him in sole possession of third-most catches in a single season in Raiders history, just five catches behind Tim Brown for the most catches by a Raiders wide receiver (104).

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