Derek Carr finally got his first victory of the season. (USATSI)
Derek Carr has arguably been the best rookie quarterback this season.
Yeah, he hadn't led the Raiders to a victory, and the 0-10 start to his career was the fourth-worst mark for a rookie quarterback since at least 1970 -- and only two from the record. But Carr had played better than his record would indicate.
And with the clock winding down Thursday and his team behind and that 0-11 record looming, Carr was the main reason Oakland finally got its first win of the season.
"I've been through a lot of hard times," Carr told Tracy Wolfson in the moments after the Raiders secured their 24-20 win. "These losses have been hard."
Which made the win that much sweeter.
In the first half, Latavius Murray was the reason the Raiders took a 14-0 lead. But after he left with a possible concussion in the second quarter, it seemed as if Oakland's hopes for a win went with him.
But Carr wouldn't let his team lose. Even after Alex Smith drove Kansas City to a 20-17 lead with 9:03 to play, Carr didn't panic. Instead, he led the Raiders on a 17-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:21 off the clock, included first-down conversions on fourth-and-one and third-and-one quarterback sneaks, and ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass to James Jones.
And Carr was EXCITED about the winning touchdown.
For good reason. Yes, the Raiders finally have a victory -- their first in 368 days -- and much of the credit must be heaped onto the rookie quarterback who's deserved a win for so very long.
Alex Smith should be commended
There are those who believe Smith is simply a game manager, that he does nothing but check down while allowing Jamaal Charles and a tough defense to win the games for Kansas City. And there are those who think that the Chiefs offense isn't built to come back from a double-digit deficit -- and that Smith and his unremarkable skill-set are a big reason why.
Yes, the Chiefs fell to the Raiders on Thursday but that shouldn't be blamed on Smith, because the Chiefs success ran through Smith, who proved that he's not a game manager while showing that the Chiefs offense can come back from two-touchdown deficit.
That's where Kansas City found itself early in the second quarter after Murray's 90-yard touchdown run gave the Raiders a 14-0 lead. Slowly, the Chiefs chipped away at the lead, getting a field goal before halftime.
And then, Smith went to work in the second half, completing 12 of 18 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the final 30 minutes of the game.
At one point in the second half, Smith completed four consecutive passes of more than 20 yards. Check it out ...
Ultimately, the Chiefs lost anyway. But Smith still managed to impress in the second half, and that will be important for the last five weeks of the season as Kansas City fights for a playoff spot.
World, meet Latavius Murray
Before he left the game near the end of the first half with a concussion, Latavius Murray was the most impressive running back you've never heard of since Jonas Gray. While that's a bit of a joke, Murray -- a 2013 sixth-round pick -- actually was awfully effective, recording 112 yards and two touchdowns on only four carries.
Unfortunately for Oakland, he also took this hit from Chiefs safety Kurt Coleman -- which knocked Murray out of the game.
Still, Murray -- who entered the game with 54 career yards and 10 carries -- scored an 11-yard touchdown on Oakland's second drive of the game. Then, he did this, blasting through Kansas City's defense for a 90-yard touchdown.
Said Sparano at halftime: "It was outstanding."
Just how outstanding was Murray?
Latavius Murray tops 100 yards with 2 TDs on 4 carries. No one had ever done that on fewer than 6 carries before. http://t.co/qfvRzbT6q8
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) November 21, 2014
Latavius Murray: 90-yd TD run, longest TD run by Raiders RUNNING BACK since Bo Jackson's 92-yarder vs Bengals in 1989
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 21, 2014
Please form an orderly procession onto the Latavius Murray bandwagon.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) November 21, 2014He also was slightly more successful than Darren McFadden has been this year.
Murray's TD run went for more yards than McFadden has rushed for in any game since Week 2 of the 2013 season.
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) November 21, 2014
Oh, and Murray also popped an impressive Chiefs streak ...
Chiefs finally give up rushing TD
One of the most impressive stats of the season for the Chiefs heading into Thursday's game was that their defense hadn't allowed a rushing touchdown all season. That streak is now gone thanks to Murray.
Here's how it all went down ...
As the NFL Network pointed out during the game, Kansas City's 12-game streak of not allowing that rushing touchdown included 318 rushing opportunities.
How'd the rest of the Raiders running backs do ....
... After Murray left the game? After all, the Raiders were the worst rushing team in the league coming into the game.
Until, Marcel Reece started getting carries in the fourth quarter, the answers is: not well. At one point, the Raiders without Murray rushed 15 times for 28 yards.
But Reece gained 37 yards on eight carries and was effective on the Raiders' winning drive.
Hopefully for the Raiders, they won't lose Murray for much time, because he showed Thursday he can be electric.
Charles in Charge
This is Jamaal Charles at his best, scoring the game-tying touchdown early in the fourth quarter. This came after the Chiefs were called for offensive holding and were facing a second-and-16.
No problem when Charles is on your team.
The conclusion?
Where's Jamaal Charles rank among players in the NFL who are the most fun to watch? Gotta be top five for me.
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurke_SI) November 21, 2014Woodson an INT/sack monster
Charles Woodson has played in the NFL for 17 seasons, and he's an eight-time Pro Bowler who likely will get strong consideration for the Hall of Fame after he retires.
On Thursday, he broke new ground for the league.
Charles Woodson is now the first player in NFL history to record 50 INTs and 20 sacks. #TNF #KCvsOAK http://ift.tt/1uGr4Dw
— NFL (@nfl) November 21, 2014Dawkins breaks it down
With the Raiders defense holding the Chiefs to three points in the first 30 minutes, former NFL safety Brian Dawkins had some strong analysis from the first half.
Maaan With all that rain, Raiders look like Gremlins multiplying on Defense, & they have to many on the field they swarming so much!!
— Brian Dawkins (@BrianDawkins) November 21, 2014The rain didn't only multiply the Raiders defenders. It also made their fans crazier.
Raiders honor a Guy
During Thursday's game, class of 2014 Hall of Famer Ray Guy was honored in front of the Raiders faithful. A number of his HOF buddies joined him for a pregame photo.
Ray Guy, fifth from the right, and some of his Hall of Fame buddies. (Raiders) As for the other men in the photo ...
HOFers R. Guy, J. Madden, R. Woodson, M. Haynes, A. Shell, D. Casper, F. Biletnikoff, J. Otto, W. Brown, J. Lofton, R. Mix, T. Hendricks
— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) November 21, 2014Throwing the pigskin indoors
It was rainy in Oakland on Monday. So, the tarp stayed on while the players warmed up in the bowels of the stadium. That's why this photo was taken.
This: @nflnetwork: Derek Carr warming up... In the Tunnel. #KCvsOAK #TNF http://ift.tt/1F72yy3
— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) November 20, 2014And you could see why in the first quarter. Check out the mud spray.
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