Category: Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders Saturday post game wrap: Carr injured in victory

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is tackled by Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Trent Cole (58) during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Carr left the game after this play with an injury. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND-Just one week after making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, the Oakland Raiders were dealt a big blow in their home finale.

Derek Carr, who threw three touchdowns in the second quarter was forced to leave the game with a broken fibula in his right leg.

Despite the injury to Carr, the Raiders were able to hold off a strong comeback by the Indianapolis Colts to win 33-25 at the Coliseum.

Carr gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead just three seconds into the second quarter, as he found Andre Holmes in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown pass.

After former Stanford star Andrew Luck tied up the game on the Colts ensuing possession, as he found Donte Moncrief for a 24-yard touchdown pass, the Raiders would score the next 26 consecutive points to take a commanding 33-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Clive Walford scored what turned out to be the eventual game-winning touchdown, as he was on the receiving end of a Carr five-yard touchdown pass; however Sebastian Janikowski missed his first extra point of the season after making his first 35 attempts.

Just before the half, Carr hooked up with Jalen Richard from five yards out; however for the second time in a row, Janikowski missed the extra point.

DeAndre Washington, who was inactive for two of the past four games played a huge role, as he carried the ball 12 times for 99 yards and the final two touchdowns of the afternoon. Both of Washington’s touchdowns were from 22 yards in the third quarter.

Luck threw his second touchdown of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter to get the Colts within 33-14.

On the Raiders ensuing drive, Carr was hit by Trent Cole and fell to the ground in pain, as he held his right leg.

Prior to his injury, Carr ended up going 20-for-30 for 228 yards and those three touchdown passes.

Michael Crabtree was the leading receiver, as he caught seven passes for 90 yards on the afternoon.

Luck then drove the Colts down the field, with the big pass play coming when he hooked up with T.Y. Hilton for a 15-yard pass play.

After a 11-yard pass to Jack Doyle, and after a illegal formation penalty, Luck found Dwayne Allen for a 10-yard pass down to the 18-yard line. Following a Sean Smith seven-yard pass interference penalty, Luck called his own number and scampered now from 11 yards out.

Luck and Hilton connected for a two-point conversion that cut the lead down to just 11 with lots of time remaining.

Following a Raiders punt, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 42-yard field goal to bring the Colts within, but that would be as close as they would get.

McGloin was able to close out the game, as he found Amari Cooper for a huge 19-yard gain on third-and-8 that closed out the game.

With the loss, the Colts are eliminated from the AFC Playoffs for the second consecutive season, while the Raiders still have a chance to win the AFC West and earn the second bye in the conference by winning next week in Denver. They also can win the division if the Kansas City Chiefs lose one of their final two games.

Raiders host Colts in home finale on Christmas Eve

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Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) in action during an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 in San Diego. Oakland won 19-16. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — Now that the Raiders have locked up an AFC playoff spot, the Silver and Black will look to earn a first-round bye.

The visiting Indianapolis Colts are just looking to stay afloat this season.

Oakland (11-3) will host Indianapolis (7-7) on Christmas Eve in the Raiders’ final home game of the regular season.

Kickoff set for 1:05 p.m. PT.

This game will feature two of the best young quarterbacks in the league in third-year trigger-man Derek Carr for Oakland, and fifth-year starter Andrew Luck for Indianapolis.

Carr has been dealing with a fractured right pinkie ever since he sustained the injury at home on Nov. 27 against the Carolina Panthers. Since that injury, Carr and the Raiders are 3-1.

On the season, Carr has passed for 3,705 yards, 25 touchdowns to just six interceptions, but has only completed 36-of-71 passes for 330 yards over the past two games.

The player that most have picked to be this year’s league MVP helped Oakland clinch its first playoff berth since 2002 with a 19-16 victory over the Chargers down in San Diego last Sunday. Oakland has the second-best record in the AFC behind the New England Patriots (12-2) and are one-game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) for first place in the AFC with two games to go.

Carr was one of seven Raiders players, along with defensive Khalil Mack, wide receiver Amari Cooper, offensive lineman Keleche Osemele, Rodney Hudson, Donald Penn, and safety Reggie Nelson named to the AFC Pro Bowl team on Tuesday, the most players voted from one team.

Luck is having one of his better season, throwing for 3,631 yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but Indianapolis is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Indianapolis carved up the Vikings, 34-6, in Minnesota in Week 15 behind Luck’s 21-of-28 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Frank Gore carried the ball 26 times for 101 yards and moved ahead of Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett for 10th all-time for most career yards from scrimmage. Gore, who should wind up in Canton, is just 109 yards shy of recording his ninth 1,000-yard rushing season in 12 seasons and would become the first Colts running back since Joseph Addai (1,072 rushing yards in 2007) to record a 1,000-yard rushing season.

Oakland’s defense has started to really come on recently, and now have two players this season who have won defensive player of the week for his performance on Sunday.

Linebacker Bruce Irvin joined Mack when he won the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against San Diego.

Irvin sacked Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers twice, and forced a Kenneth Farrow fumble on a third down play that was recovered by linebacker Malcolm Smith. Irvin also recorded six tackles in a strong performance for Oakland.

Irvin now has seven sacks and five forced fumbles for this season and he along with Mack’s 11 sacks, can add to their total against an Indianapolis offensive line that has gotten Luck sacked 40 times this season, tied for third most with the Denver Broncos.

 

 

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Raiders want to protect the franchise pinkie Carr everything to team going into stretch

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr celebrates after an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, in San Diego. The Raiders won, 19-16. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Derek Carr what can you say he’s pretty much the weight of the franchise right now as the Oakland Raiders quarterback going into the last two games of the regular season as the Raiders prepare to host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum. They’ve taken him from under center to protect his pinkie finger and he’s been taking snaps from the shotgun or pistol formations. He goes under center the ball is going to forcibly hit that pinkie that’s going to cause further discomfort so the Raiders want to avoid that.

The offense has become a little bit more predictable but it’s definitely hard for the Raiders to have that good running attack that they’ve had and when Carr’s been there it’s been hard to run the ball in shotgun. Hopefully he gets fully healed and he can have a little bit of a diverse offense a little bit more reliability with the running game and it all starts with Derek Carr.

Joe Hawkes Beamon does the Raiders podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Carr, Cooper, and Mack among seven Raiders selected to Pro Bowl

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Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack, right, pressures San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — Quarterback Derek Carr, wide receiver Amari Cooper, and defensive end Khalil Mack headline seven Raiders (the most since 1991) selected to the AFC team for the 2017 Pro Bowl, the league announced Tuesday.

The 2017 Pro Bowl will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 29. Oakland’s seven players selected were the most selected from one team, with the Atlanta Falcons second with six players selected to the NFC squad.

Oakland (11-3), who clinched their first trip to the playoffs since 2002 with a 19-16 win in San Diego Sunday, hope that none of their players play in the NFL’s All-Star Game as they could be preparing to play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5 in Houston, Texas at NRG Stadium.

Carr is having  career-year and is one of the favorites for the NFL’s MVP Award, throwing for 3,705 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. The third-year signal caller has a 95.2 passer rating while engineering the NFL’s third-ranked scoring offense at 26.9 points per game.

Cooper is just finding his way in the league in only his second season out of Alabama, surpassing the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second straight season with 1,038 receiving yards this year. Cooper recorded 1,070 receiving yards in his rookie season last year.

Mack, who had his streak of consecutive games with at least one sack snapped at eight in San Diego, is tied for fourth in the league with 11 sacks. No matter what sports page or blog you read, or sports talk show you watch and listen to, Mack’s name is mentioned as a strong candidate to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Left tackle Donald Penn, left guard Kelechi Osemele, and center Rodney Hudson were selected from the AFC’s best offensive line that has only gotten Carr sacked a league-low 15 times this season. This is Penn’s second Pro Bowl nod, while this is the first selection for both Hudson and Osemele.

Safety Reggie Nelson  earned his second straight nod with his team-leading four interceptions.

The Raiders sent six players to last year’s game, with Mack, safety Charles Woodson, and fullback Marcel Reece being voted on the first ballot before Carr, Cooper, and running back Latavius Murray were selected as alternates.

The Silver and Black host the Indianapolis Colts (7-7) on Christmas Eve in Oakland’s final regular season home game.

 

Sunday Final: Raiders clinch playoff berth; Extra Points from Week 15

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AP photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr addresses the media following the Raiders-San Diego Chargers game last Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

SAN DIEGO, Calif — For the first time since 2002, the Oakland Raiders have clinched a playoff spot after holding off the Chargers 19-16 on the road Sunday.

Even though the game was played at Qualcomm Stadium, it looked and sounded like the Black Hole of the Oakland Coliseum with the huge contingent of Raider Nation making the trip to SoCal.

Oakland took advantage of an injury-riddled Chargers team that played without star running back Melvin Gordon, who missed the game due to a hip injury.

Derek Carr, who played primarily out of the shotgun while dealing with a dislocated pinky on his throwing hand, completed just 19-of-30 passes for 213 yards and a 13-yard touchdown shortly before halftime that tied the game at 10-10.

Carr and the Raiders offense looked rather mortal against a stingy Chargers defense that forced two red zone turnovers in the first half, snapping a string of 62 straight trips into the red zone without committing a turnover. Oakland was just 1-for-7 in the red zone and had to rely on four field goals from veteran kicker Sebastian Janikowski to provide most of the scoring for the Silver and Black.

Michael Crabtree led Oakland with six catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. It was the second straight game that Oakland’s receiver didn’t record more than 60 yards.

But the story for the Raiders was the defense’s play in the fourth quarter where Oakland forced two Chargers’ turnovers, including the playoff-clinching interception by safety Reggie Nelson on 4th and 15 on San Diego’s final possession thrown by Philip Rivers.

Linebacker Bruce Irvin registered two of Oakland’s three sacks, and forced one of two fumbles for the Silver Black. Fellow linebacker Khalil Mack saw his consecutive games with a sack snapped at eight games.

Outside of Rivers’ late turnover, the 13-year veteran quarterback from North Carolina State was having a strong day throwing the ball — completing 17-of-30 for 206 yards and two touchdowns.

Rivers got San Diego (5-9) on the board on their first possession of the game when he found wide receiver Travis Benjamin wide open down the field for a 47-yard touchdown, and a 7-yard strike to rookie tight end Hunter Henry in the third quarter that saw San Diego take a 16-13 lead (San Diego missed the extra point.)

For Oakland (11-3), the win is huge as they took sole possession of first place over Kansas City (10-4) in the AFC West with two games to go. The Chiefs were stunned at home 19-17 by the Tennessee Titans (8-6).

Oakland must finish ahead of Kansas City if they want to win the division since the Chiefs swept the season series between the two teams.

The Raiders host Indianapolis Saturday in the team’s final home game of the season Christmas Eve, while Kansas City host the reeling Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos (8-6) on Christmas night.

Denver fell to the AFC’s top team, the New England Patriots, 16-3 at home Sunday.

Extra Points from Week 15

  1. Colts running back Frank Gore passed Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett for 10th place on the NFL’s all-time list for most career yards from scrimmage (16,332) in Indianapolis’ hammering of the Vikings 34-6 in Minnesota. Gore, who also passed Dorsett to move into eighth place on the all-time rushing yards list in Week 13 against the New York Jets (12,789), added 101 yards to that total and is just 109 rushing yards away from his ninth 1,000-yard season in 12 seasons.
  2. Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (14,618) moved into seventh place on the NFL’s all-time receiving list in Baltimore’s 27-26 home win against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 37-year-old Smith Sr. moved ahead of Hall of Famer and former Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison (14,580) on a 34-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
  3. New England (12-2) secured their eighth AFC East division title, and their seventh straight first round bye in the AFC playoffs Sunday and are currently the No. 1 seed.
  4. Jacksonville fired head coach Gus Bradley after the Jaguars dropped to 2-12 on the season. Bradley, who was 14-48 in this three-plus seasons in Northeast Florida, has a .226 winning percentage which ranks as the worst for any coach in the Super Bowl era among coaches with a minimum of 50 games. The Jaguars blew a 20-8 lead Sunday against their division rival Houston Texans and lost 21-20 for their 10th straight win in the AFC South.
  5. Speaking of Houston, the Texans have a quarterback controversy if they want to admit it or not. Incumbent starter Brock Osweiler, who signed a four-year $72 million contract ($37 million guaranteed) in the offseason, was benched after he started the game 6-of-11 for 48 yards with two interceptions, in favor of backup Tom Savage. The third-year pro from Pittsburgh went 23-of-36 passing for 260 yards, with no touchdowns and interceptions fueling Houston’s comeback.
  6. Dallas’ rookie duo of quarterback Dak Prescott (32-of-36 passing for 279 yards) and running back Ezekiel Elliott (23 carries, 159 yards, and 1 TD) helped the Cowboys (12-2) snap Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers’ five-game winning streak. The dangerous combo has the Cowboys closing in on the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and having the road to the Super Bowl going through Dallas. The loss hurts Tampa Bay (8-6), who trail the Atlanta Falcons (9-5) by one game in the NFC South with two games to go.

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders-San Diego Chargers post game wrap: Silver and Black going to the playoffs

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Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) is held out of the end zone during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

By Jeremy Kahn

Well, the 14-year wait for the Oakland Raiders to return to the playoffs is finally over, and the lone player left from that era scored the game-winning points.

Sebastian Janikowski, who was drafted with the 17th pick in the 2000 draft and is the last player left from the team that lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII kicked a 44-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Raiders defeated the San Diego Chargers 19-16 at Qualcomm Stadium.

In what was a road game looked like the Oakland Coliseum, as the Raider Nation made the trek down to San Diego for what could be the last Raiders game in San Diego, as the Chargers may move to Los Angeles next season.

The eventual game-winning drive started on their own 34-yard line, and were helped out by two big plays.

Latavius Murray ran thru a big hole and gained 27 yards for a huge first down. Then Derek Carr threw a 22-yard pass that setup Janikowski’s game-winning field goal.

Just prior to the Janikowski field goal, Carr helped out his own cause, as he was able to pickup a key first down at the Chargers 21-yard line.

Carr was originally ruled out at the 22-yard line, a yard short of the first down line marker; however Jack Del Rio challenged the spot and the call was reserved.

Carr then threw an incompletion, and he was then sacked to setup Janikowski for the game-winning field goal.

Reggie Nelson clinched the victory, as he intercepted a Philip Rivers pass with 1:37 remaining to clinch the victory.

Janikowski made four field goals overall, as he also hit 21, 45 and 33 yards.

Rivers gave the Chargers a 16-13 lead, as he found tight end Hunter Henry from seven yards out, but Josh Lambo missed the extra point.

Janikowski tied up the game with 8:38 remaining, as he kicked 21-yard field goal.

Carr ended up going 19-for-30 for 213 yards with a touchdown and a interception, and added five carries for five yards.

Michael Crabtree scored the only Raiders touchdown, as he was on the receiving end of a 19-yard touchdown pass from Carr.

Crabtree was originally out of bounds, but after a review, the call was reversed, as he got both feet in.

Oakland heads to San Diego with playoff berth on the line

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AP file photo – In a Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016 file photo, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo. It could be a remarkable scene Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 when the Oakland Raiders, closing in on their first playoff berth since their Super Bowl season of 2002, face a fading Chargers franchise that could be in the death throes of its 56-season run in San Diego. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — One more step, and the Oakland Raiders can end 14 years of misery and disappointment.

With a win over the Chargers in San Diego, Oakland can punch their ticket to the playoffs since the team’s last playoff appearance in 2002. That season ended with a trip to Super Bowl XXXVII where they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego.

Oakland (10-3) is tied for first place in the AFC West and has a two-game lead in the wild-card race with three games to go.

Can you believe it? It was just two years ago that the Silver and Black were just an abysmal mess, sitting at 0-10.

The Raiders saw their six-game winning streak snap by the Chiefs 21-13 in Kansas City last Thursday night.

Quarterback Derek Carr continues to have his issues with Kansas City, but the loss wasn’t entirely on his shoulders.

Carr completed just 17-of-41 passes for 117 yards, but the third-year signal caller was victimized by drops from wide receiver Seth Roberts and a missing on a potential game-tying touchdown deep down the middle to Amari Cooper in the third quarter.

Cooper’s led all Oakland wide receivers with five catches for 29 yards. Cooper, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season, enters Sunday’s matchup with 1,010 receiving yards and ranks sixth in the league with 73 catches.

With San Diego decimated by injuries (the Chargers have 18 players on injured reserve), this is a game where Carr, Cooper, and fellow wide receiver Michael Crabtree (71 catches, 806 receiving yards, and 7 TDs) can do some damage and get Oakland’s offensive fluidity back on track.

Khalil Mack is the center of the universe in Oakland’s 30th ranked defense, and is no doubt the leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

Mack is tied for third with Washington defensive end Ryan Kerrigan with 11 sacks and has recorded one sack in eight consecutive games. Mack also has 61 tackles, five forced fumbles, and one interception (a pick-6) on the season.

San Diego (5-8) is mercifully looking for the season to end and maybe playing Oakland for the last time at Qualcomm Stadium.

After San Diego voters shot down a stadium proposal last month, the Chargers inch closer to moving to Los Angeles when the NFL owners unanimously approved a tenant-lease contract between the Chargers and Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday.

The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to exercise an option to relocate to Los Angeles.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is on pace for his eighth 4,000-yard passing season with 3,589 yards and fifth 30-touchdown passing season with 27 touchdowns, but Rivers has been a turnover machine with a league-high 17 interceptions.

Rivers was solely responsible for five turnovers — three interceptions and two strip-sack fumbles in San Diego’s 28-16 loss at Carolina in Week 14.

As a team, San Diego has a league-worse 30 turnovers this season.

Running back Melvin Gordon, who is on the brink of his first 1,000-yard rushing season with 997 yards on the ground, is out for Sunday’s game with a hip injury. Gordon was carted off the field against Carolina.

With top wide receiver Keenan Allen lost for the season in Week 1 with a torn ACL, Tyrell Williams has become Rivers’ favorite deep-threat.

The second-year undrafted wide receiver from Western Oregon has been one of the brighter spots for San Diego this season, leading the team in catches (55), receiving yards 905, and tied for touchdowns (6).

Williams has three 100-yard receiving games this season, one of them was a five-catch, 117 yards and a touchdown against Oakland in Week 5.

Wide receiver Travis Benjamin, who signed with San Diego in the offseason, also recorded 117 receiving yards on seven catches in Oakland.

The Raiders, who have had trouble this season covering the tight end, must account for future Hall of Famer in Antonio Gates and rookie Hunter Henry who both scored against the Raiders.

Oakland has won the last three meetings against San Diego, most recently a 34-31 affair at the Oakland Coliseum on Oct. 9. Carr threw for 317 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Rivers passed for 359 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.

 

 

 

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: Former Twin and Angel Rod Carew receiving heart surgery today; plus other top headlines

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pinterest.com photo: Rod Carew’s 1968 Topps card as a rookie, Carew is 71 years old this year

Former Minnesota Twin and California Angel Rod Carew received a new heart today during heart transplant surgery. Carew who led a group teaching players and the community about the heart condition. This surgery a very serious one that we hope is very successful and we hope he recovers and is back to teaching about taking care of  the heart. Carew also a hitting instructor and was wearing a device on his chest before the surgery.

Carew was a tremendous player as we know he won seven batting titles, he’s from Panama and he’s a very nice man. I wish him nothing but a lot of luck in surgery. He had a device on his chest I didn’t see it but it was bulging under his shirt and he told us that he had a heart condition and he’s advocating for a new heart this could be hereditary. We will see how Carew comes out in the surgery many players, fans, media and front office people at the Twins and Angels are praying for a successful surgery for Rod Carew.

Amaury has much more on the podcast today take a listen and each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Raiders after loss to KC looking to put it all together against San Diego Sunday

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AP photo: Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) runs on a reception against the Kansas City Chiefs during their NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Oct. 23

If the Oakland Raiders can go down to San Diego and pull out a win this Sunday their in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. It’s amazing where this team has come from since 2002 but really in the last two years. Under the direction of team general manager Reggie McKenzie. Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio is a quality coach who brought in the top talents of the Khalil Macks, Derek Carrs, the Amari Coopers, the Michael Crabtrees the quality football players. It’s really one of the huge reasons why their where their at on the way to making their first playoff appearance since 2002.

In that last loss on Thursday Night Football Crabtree and Cooper were not their usual elite level selves in that game the Kansas City Chiefs defense was extraordinary but the Raiders found their real success right before halftime when they scored and that really changed for them. Derrick Johnson the Chiefs linebacker who left the game with a torn Achilles he was a huge part of the Chiefs defense on Thursday.

Joe Hawkes Beamon does the Raiders podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

Hill helps Chiefs to victory 21-13

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AP photo: Tyreek Hill (10) wide receiver of the Kansas City Chiefs blows past Taiwan Jones (22) of the Oakland Raiders after a second half kick off at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Thursday Night Football

By Jeremy Kahn

You know when ever the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs meet on the football field you know that it is a big deal.

In the rivalry that had been going on since 1960, there is a now a new player involved in one of the NFL’s greatest rivalries and his name is Tyreek Hill.

The rookie returned a Marquette King punt 78 yards for a touchdown, and then caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, helping the Chiefs to a 21-13 victory over the Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium.

With the victory, the Chiefs moved into a first-place tie with the Raiders in the AFC West with three games to play; however with tiebreakers, the Chiefs are in first place, since they swept the season series from their longtime rivals from Oakland.

The Raiders, who entered the game as the number one seed in the AFC, ahead of the New England Patriots due to a tiebreaker have dropped to fifth and number one wild card seed along with another division rival in reigning Super Bowl Champion, the Denver Broncos.

On the evening, Smith threw for 261 yards, along with that one touchdown and an interception, as the Raiders committed three turnovers against the Chiefs.

Charcandrick West scored on a touchdown run, while tight end Travis Kelce caught five passes for 101 yards, as the Chiefs defeated the Raiders for the seventh time in their last eight meetings.

Despite the victory, the Chiefs did suffer one huge loss to their vaunted defense, as linebacker Derrick Johnson tore his left Achilles’ tendon in the second quarter and will be out for the remainder of the season.

Derek Carr went just 17-for-41 on the night, as he was unable to get into a groove on a cold Kansas City night, where with the wind chill factor, temperatures were down to the single digits on the Arrowhead Stadium field.

Latavius Murray led the Raiders in rushing with 103 yards and a touchdown.

Hill became the first rookie since Gale Sayers in 1965 with touchdowns on the ground, through the air, a kickoff and punt return in the same season.

Following the Johnson injury, the Raiders drove down the field in 13 plays for 92 yards in a drive that consumed over six minutes for their only touchdown of the game, when Murray scored from one yards with 14 seconds remaining in the first half.

With the Chiefs leading 21-10 coming into the third quarter, Smith literally gave the Raiders a chance to comeback on the third play from the scrimmage out of the locker room.

Smith threw an interception, but the Raiders were held to just a field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. On the Chiefs very play from offense, Smith was hit by Khalil Mack and was strip-sacked by the Raiders; however the Chiefs held the Raiders to a field goal attempt.

The usually reliable Marquette King was unable to get the hold down and the Chiefs staved off the Raiders rally to take over on downs.

With just over two minutes remaining in the game, the Raiders began what looked like it could be a possible game-tying drive ended when Carr’s fourth down pass was batted down on fourth-and-six after the Raiders were penalized for a illegal formation on the previous play.