Category: Oakland Raiders

Raiders begin second half push against Texans following bye week in Mexico City

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) raises arm in celebration after running back Latavius Murray’s touchdown run in the second half against the Denver Broncos on Nov 6th

OAKLAND, Calif — After a week off, the Raiders gear up for a tough second half with a trip down to Mexico City for a “home” game against the Houston Texans on ESPN’s Monday Night Football to wrap up Week 11 action at Estadio Azteca.

Oakland is riding a three-game winning streak and are tied with New England and Kansas City for the best record in the AFC at 7-2.

Kansas City leads Oakland by a half-game and Denver (7-3) by one game in the jam-packed AFC West.

The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 26-10 in Oakland in Week 6.

Derek Carr is having an MVP-type of season in Year 3, throwing for 2,505 yards, 17 touchdowns to just three interceptions. Carr is leading a Raider offense that ranks sixth in the league in passing yards per game, averaging 278.3 yards.

The passing game maybe engineered by Carr, but it is driven by the wide receiver tandem of Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper.

While Cooper leads Oakland in catches (58) and receiving yards (843) to go along with two touchdowns, Crabtree has been Carr’s go-to guy, leading the team with six touchdown catches on 49 catches for 596 receiving yards.

Oakland boasts one of the game better offensive lines, which has only surrendered a league-low 11 sacks to opposing defenses.

The Raiders could have their hands full against a Texans team that ranks fourth overall in defense this season allowing just 317.4 yards of total offense per game, while playing the majority of the season without defensive end J.J. Watt who is out for the season with a back injury.

Linebacker Benardrick McKinney racked up seven tackles to increase his team-leading 81 for the season on Sunday. Fellow linebacker Whitney Mercilus leads Houston with 4.5 sacks.

Houston (6-3) finally won on the road last week, upending the Jaguars 24-21 in Jacksonville Sunday. The Texans lead the AFC South and remain undefeated (3-0) following their fifth straight win over the Jaguars.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler threw two touchdowns (despite throwing for just 99 yards), and cornerback Kareem Jackson intercepted a Blake Bortles’ pass intended for wide receiver Allen Hurns 42 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter on Jacksonville’s fifth play from scrimmage.

Running back Lamar Miller has rushed for 720 yards and three touchdowns in his first season in Houston following four years in Miami.

Miller rumbled for 83 yards on 15 carries Sunday against Jacksonville.

Despite a down season statistically, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is still Houston’s dynamic play-maker.

After amassing recording six 100-yard receiving games that led to Hopkins’ breakout 2015 season in which he hauled in 111 catches for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns, Hopkins has just one 100-yard receiving game in 2016.

Hopkins leads Houston with 45 catches for 482 yards, and is tied with tight end C.J. Fierdorowicz for the team lead with three receiving touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Raiders-Texans restricted to stay indoors in Mexico City by NFL

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AP photo: Khalil Mack (52) of the Oakland Raiders is blocked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Demar Dotson (69) and Ali Marpet (74) as the Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston (3) throws the football in Sun Oct 30th’s game in Tampa Bay

On the Raiders podcast with J Hawkes:

The Raiders are in Mexico City Monday Night to kick it off with the Houston Texans there was some excitement surrounding this game but the NFL doesn’t want to take any chances due to high crime elements in the team’s hotels the league has asked the Raiders and Texans to stay inside at their hotel and barricade themselves until they have buses come and pick them up and take them to the stadium.

The NFL is taking all pre Cautions to avoid injuries or something happening to one of the players. In the meantime the Raiders running back Latavius Murray led the offense in the Raiders last game against the Broncos at the Coliseum and Murray is hoping to keep it going against the Texans this Sunday south of the border.

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

 

NFL podcast with Tony Renteria: Raiders had all their offensive weapons going for them last Sunday against Denver

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The Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had a very productive game last Sunday against the Denver Broncos and played just as well like in Tampa Bay, Carr became the third quarterback in league history to throw for over 500 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions joining former NY Giants quarterback YA Tittle and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger. Sebastian Janokowski had three field goals and he actually missed two field goal attempts in the first half which could have really put the Raiders out in front with the lead the offense stayed on top of he Broncos defense and the Raiders were able to execute the run for running back Latavius Murray.

Tony Renteria does the NFL podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Murray named the Fed Ex Ground Player of he Week

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cbssports.com photo: The Oakland Raiders Latavius Murray ran some spectacular plays like this one last Sunday against the Denver Broncos at the Oakland Coliseum

The Raiders have played as one last week and running back Latavius Murray led the offense and played aggressive didn’t make any bad decisions in the game against the Denver Broncos last Sunday and was named the Fed Ex Ground Player of the Week. The Raiders have a bye this week and they are going down to Mexico City on Monday Nov 21st it’ll be their second prime time game of the year last Sunday night they hosted the prime time game at the Coliseum. The game on the 21st will be a home game for them against the Houston Texans. They got Carolina and Buffalo after their game in Mexico City on the 21st essentially they have three home games coming up.

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

 

Raiders no longer flying under the radar

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — It’s been a renaissance season for the Silver and Black in 2016.

At 7-2 and getting a chance to get healthy during their by week, Oakland is looking to finish the season off strong in what the team is hoping will end in a playoff appearance for the first time since 2002, also, the team’s last Super Bowl appearance.

Oakland has the fifth-ranked offense led by a quarterback that plays more like a 10-year veteran in third-year pro Derek Carr, a running back with a knack for touchdowns in Latavius Murray, and a stud wide receiver combo headlined by Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper.

Carr is having a career-year as one of the elite passers in the league, ranking fifth in passing yards (2,505), tied for third in touchdowns (17),to go along with just three interceptions this season.

Oakland’s signal had a game for the ages in Week 8, throwing for a career-high 513 yards (breaking a franchise record held by Cotton Davidson, who threw for 427 yards in 1964), and four touchdowns in the Raiders wild 30-24 overtime victory of the Buccaneers in Tampa.

Carr became just the third quarterback in league history to pass for 500+ yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions joining Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle and Ben Roethlisberger according to the Elias Sports Bureau to accomplish that feat.

His 500-yard passing game was just the 20th such game in NFL history.

Carr’s performance earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, joining teammates in punter Marquette King (AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 7 against Jacksonville), and linebacker Khalil Mack (AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 9 against Denver) to garner player of the week honors.

King punted five times (for 273 yards) and placed four of those punts landed inside the Jacksonville 20-yard line. King also had a punt sail 60 yards in the air.

Coming into the game, Murray didn’t have a game in which he rushed for  at least 60 yards until the fourth-year running back from Central Florida saw the third-ranked Broncos defense, who rank 29th in the league against the run by allowing 128.6 yards to opposing offenses.

Murray ran rough and hard against Denver, rumbling for 114 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns while being named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week for his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.

Murray’s eight rushing touchdowns are tied for second with Arizona running back David Johnson for the league lead among running backs, only trailing New England’s LeGarrette Blount and San Diego’s Melvin Gordon, who have nine rushing scores a piece.

Oakland’s defense has played better in recent weeks, particularly the last two weeks holding Tampa Bay and Denver to 270 and 299 yards of total offense respectively after giving up nearly 400 yards of total offense per game through the first seven games of the season.

Now that Mack has found his groove at getting to the quarterback, Oakland’s pass rush has seen major improvement.

Mack was unstoppable against the Broncos, registering two sacks, a forced fumble and recovery (all on the same play) in Oakland’s 30-20 victory over Denver that vaulted the Raiders to the top of the AFC West.

Mack also earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors against the Broncos last year in Week 14, tying a franchise record held by Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long with five sacks (all in the second half) in the Raiders’ 15-12 win in Denver.

After a slow start in which Mack only had one sack through five games for Oakland, the ferocious linebacker from Buffalo has recorded six sacks in his last four games bringing his season total to seven sacks after finishing with 15 a season ago.

No longer are the Raiders flying under the radar with the home stretch of the season in the windshield.

With their next three games at home (with the exception of Week 11 matchup against the Houston Texans in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca, and in Oakland against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 and the Buffalo Bills in Week 13), the Raiders could strengthen their position in the AFC with more wins for a fan base that is hungry for a winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raiders in first place at bye week

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP file photo: Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski (11) doesn’t miss much here he misses a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct 30th game in Tampa Bay. It was still a happy ending for Jano and the Raiders who ended up winning the ball game.

OAKLAND-Who would have thought that the Oakland Raiders would be in first place at the bye week?

Sebastian Janikowski kicked three field goals, while Latavius Murray gained 114 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns and the Raiders defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos 30-20 before a crowd of 54,957 at a raucous Coliseum.

In what was probably the biggest Raiders game since the end of the 2011 season, when the Raiders lost in the season finale with a chance to go to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season; however the Raiders lost that game and ended their season with a record of 8-8.

Going back to this game, this was probably the biggest Raiders win in the regular season defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum in December of 2002.

With the victory, the Raiders are 7-2 and now lead the AFC West by one-half game over the Chiefs who are 6-2, while the Broncos are 5-3.

Derek Carr went 20-for-31 for 184 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions just one week after throwing for a team record 513 yards in a 40-34 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Amari Cooper led the wide receivers with six catches for 56 yards, while Seth Roberts caught three passes for 32 yards.

The Raiders got on the board on their first possession of the game, Janikowski nailed a chip shot 24-yard field goal.

After the Broncos went three-and-out on their initial series of the game, Janikowski gave the Raiders another three points, as he kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Once again, the Broncos could not muster a first down and were forced to punt to the Raiders for the second time in as many possessions.

This time, the Raiders did not settle for another Janikowski field goal, as Murray scored the first of his three one-yard touchdowns to give the Raiders a 13-point lead over their longtime rivals.

After back-to-back three and outs by both teams, the Broncos finally got on the board, when Trevor Siemian found Jordan Norwood for a 36-yard touchdown pass that saw Norwood tumble into the end zone.

Janikowski was unable to extend the Raiders lead on the ensuing possession, as he missed a 48-yard field goal wide to the right.

Keeping up with the theme of their nightmare first half, the Broncos once again went three and out against the Raiders suddenly vaunted offense.

Murray extended the Raiders lead up to 20-7, as he scored from one-yard out and were helped out when Bradley Roby was called for pass interference to give the Raiders a first down at the Broncos one-yard line.

Carr originally found Murray for a one-yard touchdown pass; however the touchdown pass was nullified by a holding penalty on Donald Penn. After another penalty that saw Lorenzo Doss get called for pass interference that moved the ball back to the one-yard line. Murray went over the left side and into the end zone for the touchdown.

Siemian then drove the Broncos down the field, and Brandon McManus nailed a 55-yard field goal to send the Broncos into the locker room trailing by 10 points instead of 13.

In the first half, the Raiders was able to hold the Broncos to five three and outs on their first seven possessions.

After the Raiders were unable to score on their first series of the third quarter, Marquette King came up huge, as his 37 yard punt pinned the Broncos on their own two-yard line.

Unfortunately, like in the first half, where the Broncos went three and out on five of their seven possessions, the Broncos were forced to punt after yet another three and out.

The Raiders were unable to get deep into Broncos territory and King once again pinned the Broncos deep into their own territory, as he hit a 40-yard punt that put the Broncos on the two-yard line.

Siemian was able to get the Broncos into field goal range, and McManus cut the Raiders lead down to 20-13, as he hit a 44-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Carr then drove down to the Broncos 17-yard line, where the drive stalled; however Janikowski was able to kick his third field goal of the night to give them a 10-point lead once again.

Khalil Mack then came up huge on the Broncos next series, as he sacked Siemian for a nine-yard loss and on the play, Siemian fumbled the run and it was recovered by Mack.

Murray scored his third and final touchdown of the night, as he scored from one-yard out to extend the Raiders lead up to 17.

Just 51 seconds after the Murray touchdown, Siemian found Kapri Bibbs for a 69-yard touchdown pass to cut the Raiders back down to 10 for the third time on the evening.

The Raiders were unable to close out the game, as King was forced to punt once again to the Broncos.

Reggie Nelson then put the finishing touches on the game, as he intercepted a Siemian pass with just under two minutes remaining in the game.

The Final Snap: Murray’s big night too much for Denver

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP photo: Acrobatic Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) takes a leap into the end zone against the Denver Broncos during the first half on Sunday Night Football at the Oakland Coliseum

OAKLAND, Calif — The talk surrounding the Raiders’ 6-2 start was that Oakland hadn’t played an NFL heavyweight this season.

On Sunday night, the Raiders stepped out on to the national stage and took down one of the league’s premiere teams in the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos 30-20 to move into sole possession of the AFC West.

This is the first time that the Broncos have not had a share of first place in the division since Week 10 of 2013, per Elias Sports Bureau.

“Its a start. There’s a lot of games left and we’re in a really tough division,”said running back Latavius Murray after the game.

Murray recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, rumbling for 114 yards on 20 carries and a career-high three touchdowns. Oakland’s bellcow anchored a rushing attack that thrashed the Broncos’ third-ranked defense for 223 yards, the most that Denver has allowed since Week 5 of 2012, per Elias Sports Bureau.

Coming into Sunday night’s prime time matchup with the Broncos, Murray hadn’t rushed for more than 60 yards in any game this season, which makes tonight’s performance that much sweeter.

Oakland played controlled football, controlling the time of possession 41:28 to 18:32, and out-gaining Denver 16 to 6 on first downs in the first half.

Much of that controlled football can be credited by the Raiders’ commitment to running the ball against the Broncos, and the offensive line that kept quarterback Derek Carr upright.

Carr completed 20-of-31 passes for 184 yards Sunday night, after throwing for a franchise record 513 yards in last week’s 30-24 gut-wrenching overtime victory in Tampa Bay.

Amari Cooper led Oakland with six catches for 56 yards, and Michael Crabtree had just two catches for 27 yards.

Crabtree didn’t record his first catch until the Raiders’ third drive of the second half.

But Oakland’s defense, who throughout the season have had trouble stopping teams and were missing cornerback Sean Smith (shoulder), played extremely well holding Denver to just 299 total yards.

Oakland forced Denver into four straight three-and-outs  to begin the game. The Broncos had five three-and-outs in the first half.

Quarterback Trevor Siemian completed 18-of-37 passes for 283 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception, but appeared rattled early after completing just 1-of-7 passes for four yards in the first quarter.

Denver didn’t record its first first down until the second quarter after already trailing 13-0.

Defensive end Khalil Mack was just a nightmare to deal with for Denver, finishing with two sacks, three tackles (1 solo), a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. After getting off to a slow start to the season in which Mack had recorded just one sack in his first five games, Mack has six sacks in his last four games.

Now at 7-2 for the first time since 2001 and heading into the bye week, Oakland is riding high with a half-game lead over 6-2 Kansas City and a one-game lead over now 6-3 Denver with three divisional games remaining, but there is still plenty of work ahead for the Silver and Black.

The Raiders’ will be in the national spotlight once again after the bye week, when they face the Houston Texans (5-3) in a “home” game in Mexico City  on Monday Night Football on Nov. 21.

 

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos game wrap: Raiders in first place with big win 30-20

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: The Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) attempts to get into the end zone is tackled by the Denver Broncos free safety Darian Stewart during the first half at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday Night Football

OAKLAND-Who would thought that the Oakland Raiders would be in first place at the bye week.

Sebastian Janikowski kicked three field goals, while Latavius Murray gained 114 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns and the Raiders defeated the defending Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos 30-20 before a crowd of 54,957 at a raucous Coliseum.

In what was probably the biggest Raiders game since the end of the 2011 season, when the Raiders lost in the season finale with a chance to go to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season; however the Raiders lost that game and ended their season with a record of 8-8.

Going back to this game, this was probably the biggest Raiders win in the regular season defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum in December of 2002.

With the victory, the Raiders are 7-2 and now lead the AFC West by one-half game over the Chiefs who are 6-2, while the Broncos are 5-3.

Derek Carr went 20-for-31 for 184 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions just one week after throwing for a team record 513 yards in a 40-34 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Amari Cooper led the wide receivers with six catches for 56 yards, while Seth Roberts caught three passes for 32 yards.

The Raiders got on the board on their first possession of the game, Janikowski nailed a chip shot 24-yard field goal.

After the Broncos went three-and-out on their initial series of the game, Janikowski gave the Raiders another three points, as he kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Once again, the Broncos could not muster a first down and were forced to punt to the Raiders for the second time in as many possessions.

This time, the Raiders did not settle for another Janikowski field goal, as Murray scored the first of his three one-yard touchdowns to give the Raiders a 13-point lead over their longtime rivals.

After back-to-back three and outs by both teams, the Broncos finally got on the board, when Trevor Siemian found Jordan Norwood for a 36-yard touchdown pass that saw Norwood tumble into the end zone.

Janikowski was unable to extend the Raiders lead on the ensuing possession, as he missed a 48-yard field goal wide to the right.

Keeping up with the theme of their nightmare first half, the Broncos once again went three and out against the Raiders suddenly vaunted offense.

Murray extended the Raiders lead up to 20-7, as he scored from one-yard out and were helped out when Bradley Roby was called for pass interference to give the Raiders a first down at the Broncos one-yard line.

Carr originally found Murray for a one-yard touchdown pass; however the touchdown pass was nullified by a holding penalty on Donald Penn. After another penalty that saw Lorenzo Doss get called for pass interference that moved the ball back to the one-yard line. Murray went over the left side and into the end zone for the touchdown.

Siemian then drove the Broncos down the field, and Brandon McManus nailed a 55-yard field goal to send the Broncos into the locker room trailing by 10 points instead of 13.

In the first half, the Raiders was able to hold the Broncos to five three and outs on their first seven possessions.

After the Raiders were unable to score on their first series of the third quarter, Marquette King came up huge, as his 37 yard punt pinned the Broncos on their own two-yard line.

Unfortunately, like in the first half, where the Broncos went three and out on five of their seven possessions, the Broncos were forced to punt after yet another three and out.

The Raiders were unable to get deep into Broncos territory and King once again pinned the Broncos deep into their own territory, as he hit a 40-yard punt that put the Broncos on the two-yard line.

Siemian was able to get the Broncos into field goal range, and McManus cut the Raiders lead down to 20-13, as he hit a 44-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Carr then drove down to the Broncos 17-yard line, where the drive stalled; however Janikowski was able to kick his third field goal of the night to give them a 10-point lead once again.

Khalil Mack then came up huge on the Broncos next series, as he sacked Siemian for a nine-yard loss and on the play, Siemian fumbled the run and it was recovered by Mack.

Murray scored his third and final touchdown of the night, as he scored from one-yard out to extend the Raiders lead up to 17.

Just 51 seconds after the Murray touchdown, Siemian found Kapri Bibbs for a 69-yard touchdown pass to cut the Raiders back down to 10 for the third time on the evening.

The Raiders were unable to close out the game, as King was forced to punt once again to the Broncos.

Reggie Nelson then put the finishing touches on the game, as he intercepted a Siemian pass with just under two minutes remaining in the game.

NFL podcast with Tony Renteria: Carr is on his way to earning MVP with the Raiders

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profootballfocus.com file photo: Oakland Raiders Derek Carr meeting with the media during a post game press confernce could very well be the NFL MVP if he can keep going at this pace

For Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr he had the advantage of learning from his brother David’s mistakes when breaking into the NFL and he took it to heart and learned before he can make the same mistakes himself. The game that he played against Jacksonville he played very well and it was a dominate performance by the Raiders. Carr has a great gunslinger mentality with 513 yards passing with four touchdowns no picks.

Carr grew up idolizing former Green Bay Packer quarterback great Brett Farve and he has that gunslinger mentality but he does it without throwing picks. He has 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions so far in the season and after eight games that’s unbelievable. Carr is on a pace to having 34 touchdowns and six interceptions

Tony Renteria does the NFL podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Carr having a break out two weeks for Raiders under center

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AP file photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr might have had a tough day on Oct 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs date of photo but has developed into one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL as he prepares to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football

Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in the last two games with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was just phenomenal.  Against Jacksonville he had a decent game. In the second half of last Sunday’s game against the Bucs he threw for four touchdowns and on interception. He’s the 18th quarterback to throw for 5oo yards in a game he broke a franchise record for the most passing yards.

Again Carr did this without throwing an interception, the Raiders are a fun team to watch and it also was fun to see that involved tight ends Clive Walford and Mychal Rivera had a great game. It was really refreshing to see that Carr does has no fear. Carr was recently named offensive player of the week for his performance in Tampa Bay.

Joe Hawkes does the Raiders preview and podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com game day coverage with Jeremy Kahn