For most of Sunday, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was enjoying his day.
As the fourth quarter was winding down and the game with Baltimore tied 30-30 at O.co Coliseum, he had his team on the move. All day, he’d been efficient and effective, connecting time and again with wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper for big gains.
As he faced a first-and-10 from the Raiders’ 33, Carr already was 23-of-36 for 286 yards and no interceptions. Crabtree had eight catches for 97 yards and a score; Cooper had six for 100.
But when Carr faded back to go long towards Crabtree again, it proved costly. He watched the ball flutter off target and land in the hands of Ravens free safety Will Hill.
It was Carr’s first big mistake of the day, but it proved costly, as the Ravens promptly drove to a 31-yard field goal by Justin Tucker with 2:10 remaining, giving Baltimore a 33-30 lead.
But instead of letting one mistake spoil the game, Carr and the Raiders came roaring back for a 37-33 victory.
After taking over on their own 20, Carr guided his team to a game-winning touchdown, completing his sixth pass in eight attempts on the eight-play drive, to Seth Roberts for 12 yards and the score with 26 seconds left.
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When Neiko Thorpe intercepted Joe Flacco on the Ravens’ ensuing possession, the Raiders had their first victory of 2015 and an impressive one at that.
Oakland knocked off the favored Ravens after losing 33-13 to Cincinnati in the season opener. In that game, Carr had been knocked from the game with a hand injury.
But Carr came back to play Sunday, and then came back again from his interception to lead Oakland to its first victory under new head coach Jack Del Rio.
Carr finished 30-of-46 for 351 yards and three TDs, with that one interception. He completed passes to 10 different receivers, with Crabtree (nine for 111 yards) and Cooper (seven for 109) leading the way. Running back Latavius Murray led the running game with 15 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, while also catching three passes for 22 yards.
The Raiders had jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a 68-yard TD throw to Cooper and Sebastian Janikowski’s 23-yard field goal. But the Ravens came back to tie it 10-10. The teams then traded scores to go in tied 20-20 at the half. The Raiders again took a 10-point lead, 30-20, in the third quarter, before the Ravens bounced back, finally taking the lead on Tucker’s field goal after the interception of Carr – setting the stage for the Raiders’ comeback.
Said Del Rio, in a happy, postgame locker room: "We're just getting started, man."
At 1-1, the Raiders travel to Cleveland to play the Browns this Sunday at 10 a.m. (Pacific).
