For the first three weeks of this NFL season, Matt McCrane was just a fan like everyone else, watching games from his couch.
In Week 4, he had a much closer view: On the field with the Raiders.
It was quite a turnaround, but the rookie kicker came through, kicking the game-winning field goal for Oakland in overtime to give his team a 45-42 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The victory broke a three-game losing streak for the Raiders to start the season and gave head coach Jon Gruden his first victory in his return to the franchise.
McCrane, from Kansas State, was signed by the Raiders after a workout Tuesday when it was learned veteran kicker Mike Nugent was injured. McCrane had been in training camp for the Arizona Cardinals but had been out of a job since the start of the regular season.
He made all 12 of his kicks in his tryout, then made the best of his regular-season debut with the Raiders Sunday.
It wasn’t a perfect day for McCrane, who missed attempts from 47 and 50 yards to go with his earlier makes from 29 and 44. But with 1:50 left in the overtime period, his 29-yarder was perfect, sealing an 11-play, 70-yard drive to set up the kick.
“One kick at a time,” McCrane told reporters. “I just re-set. No matter if I made the last kick or missed the last kick, I go out and pretend that didn’t ever happen.
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“My agent told me that, and (Baltimore Ravens kicker) Justin Tucker was saying that the other day, so that’s something he’s been preaching to me the whole time, is just re-set. No matter what happens, just re-set … and go on to the next one.”
McCrane had a strong four-year career at Kansas State, making 57 of his 66 field-goal tries (86.4 percent) and 133 of 134 extra points. His longest field goal was 54 yards.
The Raiders will go for their second straight victory this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers in Carson. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m.
