Hunter Renfrow, Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Just when it looks like they’re going to fall out of it, the Oakland Raiders will continue to battle for a playoff spot. Expect them to do it all year long.
After dropping two games in a row on the road after getting a big win over the Chicago Bears in London a month ago, the Oakland Raiders hold on to beat visiting Detroit Lions at the Coliseum on Sunday. Oakland improves to 4-4 on the year, while the Lions fall to 3-4-1.
This was a game that Oakland battled with Detroit throughout and that will be the Silver and Black’s role the rest of the way. Nobody can kill the 2019 Raiders. Whether or not we want them there, the Raiders will be in the mix for a playoff spot in the AFC until late December. They might even make it in for the second time in four years.
Keying the Raiders’ 31-24 home victory over the Lions were great games by quarterback Derek Carr and running back Josh Jacobs. Carr completed 20-of-31 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Jacobs had 28 carries for 120 yards and two rushing touchdowns. This the recipe for Oakland offensive success, as well as keeping Carr upright.
After getting beat up for most of 2018, Carr has been kept clean by the Raiders offensive line throughout 2019. He was only sacked one time on Sunday against what is a strong Lions pass rush orchestrated by Detroit head coach Matt Patricia.
Oakland may drop games in the second half of the year because of its defense, but the offense of head coach Jon Gruden will keep the Silver and Black alive very late into the season. Will this team catch the archival Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West? Probably not, but the AFC Wild Card race is completely wide open and the Raiders can certainly slide into one of the two available spots.
The Lions may not be a playoff team this year, but they too are not an easy out. This is a physical football team that the Raiders outplayed when it mattered the most in the fourth quarter. Two fourth-quarter touchdowns were what helped propel the Silver and Black to victory. We may not see the Raiders play a final playoff game while in Oakland, but they are so trending up for 2020.
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