Quarterback Derek Carr came out of the gate sharp and completed his first six passes for 82 yards. Then, the offense went into conservative mode for about two quarters, which allowed the Saints to swing the momentum in their favor.
Quarterback Drew Brees led his team to 21 unanswered points; he threw three consecutive touchdown passes between the second and third quarters.
With a double-digit deficit, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave dug into his playbook, which allowed Carr to connect with wideouts Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper on several must-have first downs. Running back Jalen Richard added a 75-yard dash right through the Saints defense to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
After Brees marched down the field against Oakland's poor pass defense for a fourth touchdown, the Raiders’ coaching staff made the decision to win the game or go home.
Despite two miscues for tight end Clive Walford on poor footwork to stay in bounds and Seth Roberts on a dropped pass, the Raiders scored after a costly pass interference penalty on Saints linebacker Craig Robertson. The coaching staff possessed the unmitigated gall to go for two points, and the offense converted on corner pass to Crabtree.
With 47 seconds left in the game, Brees failed to drive the team into field-goal range. Saints rookie placekicker Wil Lutz missed a 61-yard attempt to end a 60-minute thriller.
Final Score: Raiders 35, Saints 34
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
