The Oakland Raiders notched the first win of the 2015 season on Sunday with a 37-33 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. It ends a four game winning streak by the Ravens over the Raiders.
Derek Carr had what many called a breakout performance against a Ravens defense that struggled – just the Raiders defense did – all day to stop (just four punts total in the game – two each). Carr distributed the ball to ten different receivers including three for touchdowns – the gaming winning TD to Seth Roberts and one each for the Raiders top wideouts (Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper).
Both Cooper and Crabtree ended the day with over one hundred yards receiving (9 for 111 for Crabtree and 7 for 109 for Cooper).
This might also prove to be the game that changed the Raiders fortunes and it was the game winning drive that will be it’s catalyst. The Ravens had tied the game up at 30-30 and then picked off Carr and then thanks to a little luck the Raiders defense held the Ravens to just a field goal and their first lead in the game. It’s at this point in games that the Raiders of the past decade have folded and started to look forward to next year but not these Raiders.
Carr then marched the Raiders down the field and capped off the drive with a touchdown pass to Seth Roberts on a very well executed play that left the Wideout sitting in a massive hole in the Ravens defense. It was Carr’s second game winning drive and possibly the point in which the Raiders offense turned the corner. Time will tell but it sure felt good.