The Oakland Raiders finally returned home after a grueling 5-week road trip and hosted the Detroit Lions in Week 9. It appears that coming home is all the team needed to get back on track as the Raiders played a solid overall game, coming away with a 31-24 victory to move to 4-4.
First Quarter
After recovering a fumble on the Lions’ opening drive, Oakland took over at their own 32-yard line. Despite dealing with an ongoing shoulder issue, the Raiders started off with rookie sensation Josh Jacobs. He eventually ran it in for Oakland’s first touchdown of the day after being responsible for 46 of their 68 yards on the opening drive.
Unfortunately, right tackle Trent Brown was injured on during that same drive. Brown attempted to return to the game with a knee brace but would leave again during the Raiders’ second drive and would not come back.
The Lions looked bothered by the Raiders defense but Matthew Stafford was able to convert on a number of huge passes. He eventually found Marvin Jones for a touchdown to tie the game at seven.
The Raiders were quick to answer back with a big pass of their own, though. After Trevor Davis returned the kickoff to the 36-yard line, Derek Carr connected with Darren Waller for a 31-yard pass. Once again, Jacobs had some important first-down carries. After a penalty on the Lions and a few more rushes, the Raiders ended the first quarter just 19 yards from the endzone.
Second Quarter
It seemed like the Raiders were primed to find the end zone again to begin the second quarter, however, on third-and-five, rookie center Andre James snapped the ball too low and caused a scramble. Carr was able to recover it and throw it away, allowing Daniel Carlson to convert on the 32-yard field goal, bringing the score to 10-7.
The Raiders continued to have trouble getting pressure on Stafford. He had plenty of time to pass and continued to convert on a number of huge throws. One of those passes wound up being a 59-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Golladay. The Lions took a four-point lead after the extra point. Stafford converted on over 200 yards in the first half while Jones totaled over 100 receiving yards.
The Raiders turned it over on downs before taking possession again thanks to a Daryl Worley circus interception. A number of flags set the Raiders back multiple times, but Carr still found success with Waller and Tyrell Williams. Jacobs also had a number of big plays, including a 3-yard rush for a touchdown to regain the lead. Jacobs’ 88 first-half yards pushed his season total to 708 yards, breaking Marcus Allen’s Raiders rookie record. The Raiders went to the locker room with a 20-14 lead.
Third Quarter
The Raiders’ opening drive to start the third quarter was an interesting one. After the Lions forced a fourth-and-three, the Raiders gained a first down and much more on the fake punt. After three more plays though, the Raiders ended at the Lions 27-yard line after Carlson missed the 45-yard field goal.
Although Stafford had success getting down the field, once again he had trouble converting in the red zone and the Lions eventually settled for a field goal to tie the game up.
To end the third quarter, the Raiders relied on Carr to help get the ball downfield. Carr had two throws of 20-yards or more, getting up to the Lions 6-yard line. Jacobs attempted to punch it in, but got to about the 2-yard line before being brought down at the end of the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Oakland began the fourth quarter by finding paydirt on a pass from Carr to rookie tight end Foster Moreau to take a 24-17 lead. The defense followed that by forcing the Lions to punt for the first time all day, giving the offense an opportunity to take a two-score lead late.
The offense was not able to do that though, going three-and-out and giving the ball back to Stafford and Co. After back-to-back punts, the Lions broke through for another touchdown to tie it at 24 with 5:16 remaining in the game.
Carr was finally able to put a touchdown drive together though as Jalen Richard did a bulk of the work moving the ball down the field. Carr then connected with Hunter Renfrow from nine yards out to give Oakland a 31-24 lead with just over two minutes left.
Stafford put a solid drive together and got his team to the 1-yard line with eight seconds left, but the Raiders got a big fourth-down stop on an incomplete pass to Golladay to seal the victory.
