Carlson hits game winning 33-yard field goal with 2-seconds left in regulation
Attention Raider Nation. It’s almost time for Week 18. Week 18? Doesn’t that sound funny? The Raiders are still in the playoff hunt with a thrilling 23-20 win on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.
First Half
Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs scored a 2-yard touchdown run, to open up a 7-0 lead early for the Silver and Black. The Raiders led 7-0 after the first quarter, looking to pull a stunning upset over the Colts.
In the second quarter, kicker Daniel Carlson added a 47-yard field goal. The Raiders led 10-0 on the road.
Colts kicker Michael Badgley hit a 46-yard field goal cutting the Raiders led to 10-3. Carlson booted another field goal to increase the Raiders lead to ten with 1:47 left in the first half.
Colts running back and MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor punched it in for a 1-yard touchdown run with 0:01 left. The Raiders took a 13-10 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Second Half
Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton caught a 45-yard touchdown from quarterback Carson Wentz. The score gave the Colts the lead, 17-13 with 11:28 left in the third quarter.
With the Raiders trailing heading into the fourth, they still had 15 more minutes to save their season with a win.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Hunter Renfrow scored the go ahead touchdown pass from Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. The 11-yard connection gave the Raiders the lead back at 20-17.
The Colts tied the game at 20-20 on another field goal from Badgley with 1:56 left. Daniel Carlson sealed the game for the Raiders on a 33-yard field goal with 0:02 left in the game.
The Raiders stunned the Colts in Indy, 23-20.
Post Game Details
Carr threw two interceptions, giving him a career-high 14 on the season. He also was 24-31 and threw for 255-yards. It was Carr’s 29th career game winning drive.
Zay Jones had eight receptions for 120-yards. Renfrow finished with seven catches for 76-yards.
“I’m just wired, my mind, my heart, just that way, to love those moments,” Carr told fox5vegas.com.
Indianapolis won three straight games. They won the last 8 out of 10. They couldn’t hold a second-half lead against Las Vegas.
“Disappointing loss, really disappointed we didn’t do what we had to do in front of our home fans and clinch a spot in the playoffs,” coach Frank Reich told fox5vegas.com.
Taylor concluded with 20 carries for 108-yards and a touchdown. The NFL’s leading rusher surpassed Edgerrin James’ single-season franchise record of 1,709 yards rushing on a 9-yard carry half way through the third quarter. He has 1,734 yards to go with one game remaining in the league’s first 17-game season.
Carson Wentz was 16-of-27 for 148-yards and a touchdown. He spent most of the week on the Covid-19 reserve list.
“Definitely one of the weirdest weeks of my NFL career if not the weirdest,” Wentz told fox5vegas.com. “But we’re good, locked in the virtual meetings. Just different, wouldn’t say that’s the reason for the performance or the reason we lost today by any means. Just a strange, strange week.”
What’s Next for the Raiders?
The NFL announced on Sunday that the Raiders’ regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers on January, 9, 2021, has been flexed to “Sunday Night Football.” The kickoff is planned for 5:20 p.m. PT at Allegiant Stadium. The game will be televised on KSNV-3. Stream it live here.
So Raiders fans, let’s watch and cheer on one-more-time for one-more-win!
