Photo by Tony Gonzales
TEAM
The Raiders racked up 474 yards of total offense, out-gaining the Falcons by nearly 200 yards (474-286).
After failing to register an interception through the first four games of the season, the Oakland defense exploded for three picks in the first half at Atlanta. CB Joselio Hanson, DB Michael Huff and S Tyvon Branch each snagged interceptions, picking off QB Matt Ryan, who had only thrown three total interceptions through five games leading into Sunday's contest. The Raiders defense intercepted Ryan on two of the Falcons' first three offensive possessions of the game.
Oakland's three interceptions in the first half marked the first time since Nov. 27, 2011 against Chicago that the Raiders have posted three picks in a half.
The Raiders evened the score at 20-20 with an impressive 8-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run by RB Darren McFadden.
The Raiders totaled 149 rushing yards, marking the second time this season that the Silver and Black have totaled more than 100 yards on the ground as a team.
Oakland earned the advantage in time of possession for the first time this season, holding the ball for 36:26 compared to 23:34 for the Falcons.
Photo by Tony Gonzales
INDIVIDUAL
QB Carson Palmer completed 23-of-33 pass attempts for 353 yards and one touchdown. It marked the second time this season that Palmer has passed for over 300 yards in a game (373 at Miami in Week 2). It was his sixth 300-yard passing game in 14 starts with the Silver and Black.
Palmer engineered an 8-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 20-20 with :40 left in regulation. On the game-tying drive, Palmer connected with WR Derek Hagan on a 38-yard reception to help set up a 2-yard touchdown run by RB Darren McFadden.
Palmer threw a fourth-quarter interception that was returned for a touchdown, snapping a streak of 93 passes without an interception. His last interception came on the first offensive play against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 23, a play in which WR Denarius Moore slipped on the infield dirt at O.co Coliseum.
WR Denarius Moore posted his first 100-yard receiving game of the season, hauling in five passes for 104 yards and one touchdown. It marked the fourth 100-yard game of the second-year player's career and the first since a 101-yard performance in the 2011 season finale on Jan. 1 against San Diego.
Moore posted a 49-yard reception on a first-quarter pass from Palmer, helping set up a Raiders field goal. It was the longest reception of the season for Moore and the fourth longest of his career.
Moore's 25-yard touchdown reception from Palmer in the second quarter marked his second of the season and the seventh of his career.
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey returned to action after missing one game and posted a 20-yard rush on an end around in the first quarter to help set up a Raiders field goal. It was his first rushing attempt since Jan. 1, 2011 at Kansas City and marked the second-longest of his career (30 - Oct. 31, 2010 vs. Seattle).
WR Derek Hagan totaled four receptions for 85 yards, including three catches for 64 yards on the Raiders' final scoring drive (17, 9, 38). His 38-yard catch to help set up RB Darren McFadden's 2-yard touchdown run marked a career long for Hagan, who also added a 21-yard catch on the day.
RB Darren McFadden rushed for 70 yards and one touchdown on a season-high 27 carries. His workload marked the second most of his career, ranking just behind his career-high 30 carries against St. Louis on Sept. 19, 2010.
McFadden's 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter marked his second rushing touchdown of the season and the 18th of his career, moving him two touchdowns away from 10th place in Raiders history.
RB Mike Goodson totaled 59 yards on four rushing attempts, including a season-long 43-yard run in the fourth quarter that marked the second longest of his career. Goodson's career-long 45-yard run came with the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 21, 2010 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Goodson added a 37-yard reception, his second longest of the season behind a 64-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on Sept. 16 at Miami.
CB Joselio Hanson recorded the Raiders' first interception of the season, picking off a pass from QB Matt Ryan in the first quarter and returning it for 21 yards. It was Hanson's first interception since a 17-yard interception against Green Bay on Sept. 12, 2010 when Hanson played for the Philadelphia Eagles.
DB Michael Huff recorded his first interception of the season in the first quarter, picking off a pass on the Oakland 39-yard line. It marked the 10th interception of Huff's career.
S Tyvon Branch recorded his fourth career interception and first since Sept. 25, 2011 against the New York Jets. Branch's pick set up an eventual 25-yard touchdown pass from QB Carson Palmer to WR Denarius Moore.
DE Matt Shaughnessy recorded an 8-yard sack, marking his first full sack of the season. Shaughnessy was credited with a half-sack in the season opener against San Diego on Sept. 10.
Shaughnessy was credited with three tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries according to unofficial press box stats.
LB Philip Wheeler continued his outstanding play, recording a game-high 10 tackles (nine solo) and two quarterback hurries according to unofficial press box stats. He also helped limit TE Tony Gonzalez, the NFL's leading receiver coming into the game, to just four catches.
DT Richard Seymour played in his 50th game as a Raider on Sunday. Seymour, who joined the Raiders prior to the 2009 season, has now played in 50 games with 49 starts since coming to Oakland from the New England Patriots.
OL Tony Bergstrom, the Raiders' top pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, made his NFL debut on special teams at Atlanta. Bergstrom, who was inactive for the first two games of the season and dressed but did not play in the Raiders' last two contests, saw time on the Silver and Black's field goal and PAT units.
LB Vic So'oto saw his first action as a Raider, playing on the kick return unit. So'oto, who dressed but did not play at Denver on Sept. 30, played in seven games for the Packers last season.
Head Coach Dennis Allen successfully challenged a Falcon completion to force a punt in the fourth quarter on Sunday. Allen has now thrown the challenge flag three times in the regular season, winning all three. Including the preseason, Allen has successfully challenged six straight plays.
