In a thrilling upset, the Las Vegas Raiders marched into Baltimore and upset the Ravens. Nobody gave the Raiders much of a shot but they won 26-23.
After a boring first half that ended with a 9-6 Baltimore lead, the second half saw both teams explode. The Raiders mustered only 73 yards combined passing and rushing, along with a brutal interception in the first half. The second half saw the Las Vegas Raiders come back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for the first time since week one in 2016.
Defense Wins Championships
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The key to this victory was the defense’s effort. The Las Vegas Raiders defense snapped the Ravens’ streak of 24 straight games with a touchdown in the first half, which was the longest in the NFL. Maxx Crosby and Robert Spillane had remarkable games, and a key pass breakup by Jack Jones was a key contributor to the win.
Crosby had two sacks, five tackles, and one tackle for loss, which saw him take Derrick Henry one-on-one to the ground. Not many NFL players can say they’ve been able to tackle “King Henry” one on one. Spillane had an impressive interception off of a deflection. Given the fight that the defense showed last week, it’s another sign that the defense will be key for the team moving forward.
Brock Bowers is ‘Special’
It’s safe to say that the Las Vegas Raiders might’ve gotten the steal of the NFL Draft. Brock Bowers broke the team record for most receiving yards by a tight end in their first two games(previously held by Raymond Chester). He also broke the team record for the most catches by a rookie in their first two games(previously held by Amari Cooper).
In this game, Bowers exploded for 98 yards off of nine catches. His clutch catches as well as his yards after catch have proven crucial for the Las Vegas Raiders. He has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL, an idea that some people scoffed at on his draft day only because he was drafted by the Raiders.
Davante Adams is Still the Best
Every week, it seems like Davante Adams is either told he needs to leave the Raiders or that he’s washed up. Once again, Adams came through with a great performance that briefly silenced the critics. This amazing performance should do a lot to quiet the trade talk for the next week as well.
Adams went off for 110 yards and a touchdown off of nine catches. Adams and Bowers combined for 18 catches for 220 yards each. They are the first teammates in team history with nine catches and at least 90 yards receiving in the same game.
‘The Iceman’ Put the Ravens On Ice
As always, it serves the fans well to remember that football is a team game. The special teams unit came through for the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson knocked home four point-after attempts and knocked home two field goals out of two attempts.
The final field goal that “The Iceman” knocked home happened to be the game-winner. After missing a kick last week, Carlson got himself back on track this week. What helps his standing is that Justin Tucker missed a rare field goal for the Ravens on the other side of things.
The Fourth Quarter was Pure ‘Minshew Mania’
For three quarters, “Raider Nation” wanted Gardner Minshew on the bench. It was even worse for the Las Vegas Raiders Raiders fans seeing Derek Carr shred the Dallas Cowboys at the same time. Luckily for the gunslinger, football games are four quarters in length.
In the fourth quarter, Minshew led three scoring drives to comeback and win. He became the first Las Vegas Raiders quarterback since Carr did so in New Orleans in 2016 to come back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. While the performance wasn’t pretty he did what Al Davis used to always preach; “Just Win Baby!”
‘Quote the Raven Nevermore’
Nobody predicted that the Las Vegas Raiders would win this week. Even I’m guilty of having picked against the Raiders. It was truly a great game and another great sign that it’s not time to panic. The Ravens fall to 0-2 after playing in the AFC Championship last season. The Las Vegas Raiders move to 1-1 and finally get to head home. They take on the Carolina Panthers in their home opener next week.
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