Carr, Raiders Come Up Short in Green Bay
by Tom LaMarre
On a day the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers combined for 865 total yards, as often happens, the game turned on one play.
Of course, it was Derek Carr’s fumble that bounced out of the end zone just beyond the front pylon for a touchback as he tried to scramble for a go-ahead touchdown late in the second quarter, and that was all Aaron Rodgers and the Packers needed.
Rodgers, the sure-fire Hall of Fame quarterback fror Chico, Calif., who played college ball at Cal, had plenty of time to pass as the Raiders seldom pressured him and finished with only one sack. So he passed for 429 yards and five touchdowns in addition to running for a score as the Packers (6-1) pulled away for a 42-24 victory at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
“That was definitely the big play of the game,” Raiders Coach Jon Gruden said. “We’re going in for the go-ahead touchdown late in the first half, and the next time we get the ball, we’re behind, 28-10. He was just trying to make a play and if he scores, we feel pretty good.
“They played great after that and it’s a credit to them. (Rodgers) obviously is one of the best of all-time. He called a couple of great audibles and made some great throws. He did a great job, but we have to play better defensively.”
Said Carr of his fumble, on which he was reaching for the goal line with his right hand: “Gosh darn, it was a fumble. In hindsight, if I score, I’m getting high-fives. I’m competitive, so I’m not going to run out at the one- or two-yard-line. But I dropped the ball. Next time, I’ve got to have two hands on the ball. I have to do better. It’s completely my fault.”
Actually, the Raiders (3-3) came up empty three times in the Red Zone in a game they lost by 18 points.
Rookie running back Josh Jacobs rushed 124 yards on 21 carries, including a 42-yard burst, but the Packers stopped him on third and fourth down from inside the two-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
Jacobs has scored by leaping into the end zone this season, but on fourth down linebacker B.J. Goodson and cornerback Jaire Alexander where there to meet him inches short of the goal line.
“I didn’t want to jump this time because I knew their linebacker would jump, too,” said Jacobs, who left the game briefly in the first quarter with a bruised shoulder. “On the second one, I guess I could have stuck the ball out, but I didn’t want to take the chance of fumbling.
“They just made two great defensive stops. That’s how it goes sometimes.”
And with 8:09 left in the game after Carr hit wide receiver Marcell Ateman for 36 yards to the Green Bay 15-yard-line, his pass intended for tight end Darren Waller was tipped and intercepted in the end zone by cornerback Kevin King, who played at Bishop O’Dowd High in Oakland and the University of Washington.
That was the last play for Carr, who was replaced by Mike Glennon after completing 22-of-28 passes for 293 yards and touchdowns of 10 yards to rookie tight end Foster Moreau and seven yards to tight end Darren Waller.
Waller, who had seven catches for 126 yards, also caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Glennon in the final two minutes.
“We had a great offense today,” said Jacobs, but it didn’t matter because the Raiders couldn’t keep up with Rodgers, or even put much pressure on him.
Rookie defensive end Maxx Crosby had the only sack for the Raiders after they collected five while beating the Chicago Bears in London two weeks ago ahead of their bye week.
“We didn’t get enough pressure up front and didn’t get to the quarterback,” Crosby said. “(Rodgers) is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and he did a great job. We just didn’t get the job done, but we’ve got to learn from it and get better.”
The Raiders finish their grueling stretch of five straight games away from the Oakland Coliseum by visiting the Houston Texans before returning to play the first of three straight home games against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 3.
Said safety Erik Harris: “We just have to come back next week and try to get to 4-3.”
