Photo by Tony Gonzales
The Raiders (1-10) earned their first victory of the season with a 24-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs (7-4), snapping the team's franchise-long 16-game losing streak and an eight-game slide at O.co Coliseum.
The win marks the Raiders' first victory in a Thursday night contest at home since 1979 when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 45-22 on Oct. 25. The Raiders are now 2-1 in Thursday night home games and even at 5-5 altogether on Thursday nights. Including Thanksgiving Day games, the Raiders are now 8-9 in games played on a Thursday.
Oakland's last win in a primetime game was last season's 27-17 win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football. The Raiders are now 59-50-1 all-time in primetime games.
The win improves the Raiders to 1-3 in divisional play this season, ending a six-game losing skid against AFC West opposition dating back to last year's 27-17 win vs. San Diego (10/6/13).
The victory narrows the gap in the all-time series between the Raiders and Chiefs, lifting the Raiders' record to 51-55-2 (1-2 in postseason). Oakland's last win over Kansas City was a 15-0 shutout on Dec. 16, 2012.
The win gives Raiders' Interim Head Coach Tony Sparano his first win in his current position and improves his record to 30-38 (.411) as an NFL head coach.
The Raiders' 11-point lead at halftime is the team's largest lead at halftime since an 18-point advantage on Oct. 27, 2013 vs. Pittsburgh. Furthermore, Oakland's 14 points in the half tie the team's best first-half mark this season (10/12 vs. SD).
The Raiders held the Chiefs to zero points in the opening quarter, the second time this season the Raiders held an opponent scoreless in the opening frame (9/21 at NE).
The Raiders' second-ranked red-zone offense reached the end zone on both of its trips inside Kansas City's 20-yard line, improving to 14-of-18 on the season.
The Raiders' NFL-leading fourth-down offense converted on its sole attempt of the game, a fourth-and-1 quarterback sneak by QB Derek Carr late in the fourth quarter.
The Raiders' put together their best rushing performance of the season, with their 179 total rushing yards being the team's most since Nov. 3, 2013, when they rushed for 210 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles.
RB Latavius Murray is the first player in NFL history to gain at least 110 rushing yards on five or fewer carries, posting four rushes for 112 yards (28.0 avg.) and two touchdowns, all in the first half.
Murray's 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the first rushing touchdown allowed by the Kansas City Chiefs in their last 12 games (12/22/13 vs. Ind.). It was also the Raiders' third rushing touchdown of the season and the first since 10/19 vs. Arizona.
Murray's 90-yard touchdown was the longest offensive scoring play in the NFL this season and the fourth rushing touchdown of 90-plus yards in Raiders history (last: Terrelle Pryor's 93-yard score vs. Pit., 10/27/13).
Alex Smith's 48 passing yards in the first half mark the lowest allowed by the Raiders in an opening half since giving up 35 yards to the Chiefs on Dec. 16, 2012.
The Raiders forced five consecutive punts to open the game, the team's most since Oct. 31, 2010 when the Seahawks punted six times to start the contest. The Chiefs' seven punts are the most by any team against the Raiders since Shane Lechler of the Houston Texans punted nine times in the Raiders' last win, at Houston on Nov. 17, 2013.
The Raiders forced two consecutive Chiefs three-and-outs to open the game. On the Chiefs' opening possession CB DJ Hayden deflected a pass and S Charles Woodson dropped Jamaal Charles in the backfield for a loss. On the next drive, third-down pressure from DL Antonio Smith forced an incompletion.
The Raiders' seventh-ranked red-zone defense again held strong inside its own 20-yard line, holding the Chiefs to a field goal after a muffed punt started their drive at the Raiders' 11-yard line.
Individual Notes: Offense
QB Derek Carr is the first rookie in franchise history to complete a game-winning drive and the third Raider to do so in his first season of action (Tom Flores, twice: 9/25/60 at Houston Oilers. And 10/28/60 at NYT; Steve Beurelein, 11/6/88 at SD).
Carr is also the first Raider rookie with a fourth-quarter comeback and just the second Raider to do it in his first season of action (Flores, 9/25/60 @Houston Oilers. And 10/28/60 at NYT).
RB Latavius Murray scored his first career touchdown on an 11-yard run around the left end in the first quarter and added a 90-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Murray finished with four carries for 112 yards (28.0 avg.) and two touchdowns, making him the Raiders' first 100-yard rusher since Marcel Reece ran for 123 yards at NYJ on 12/8/13.
Murray finished the first half with four carries for 112 yards (28.0 avg.) and two touchdowns. According to records dating back to 1991, Murray's 112 first-half rushing yards are the fifth most in franchise history.
Murray rushed for over 100 yards in the first half for just the 12th time since 1991. The last time a Raider exceeded 100 yards rushing in the first half or scored two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game was Rashad Jennings on Dec. 15, 2013 vs. KC.
Murray's 90-yard touchdown run was the Raiders' second rushing touchdown of 90-plus yards since 1998 and the longest by a Raider since Terrelle Pryor's 93-yard score against the Steelers on Oct. 27, 2013.
Murray's 11-yard score and his 90-yard touchdown run mark the second straight game in which he has had two runs of 10-plus yards.
RB Darren McFadden totaled 34 yards from scrimmage in the game, moving him ahead of Todd Christensen (5,866) for seventh in franchise history.
WR Vincent Brown took a first-down pass from Carr and picked up 19 yards, a season long.
WR Andre Holmes posted a 37-yard reception with a leaping catch on the right sideline on a critical third-down play with the Raiders backed up deep in their own territory. Holmes finished with five receptions for 55 yards (11.0 avg.), setting a new career high with 474 yards on the season.
WR James Jones' first reception of the game went for 19 yards, giving him at least 50 receptions for the third straight season and 500 yards for the fifth straight season.
Jones scored the game-winning touchdown, his first as a Raider, on a 9-yard reception from Carr, his 21st touchdown since 2012.
FB Marcel Reece had his best performance of the season, finishing the game with 8 carries for 37 yards. He posted 30 rushing yards on Oakland's game-winning drive.
Individual Notes: Defense
S Charles Woodson sacked Alex Smith for a 10-yard loss in the third quarter, becoming the first player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 with 50 career interceptions and 20 career sacks.
Woodson's sack is number 7.5 as a Raider, moving him into seventh place on the Raiders' active players list. Woodson remains the leader among active defensive backs with 20 career sacks.
CB DJ Hayden knocked down a pass on the second play of the game, helping force a three-and-out drive on the Chiefs' opening possession.
Hayden later dragged down Junior Hemingway short of the first-down marker on a third-and-8 play in the first quarter, forcing Kansas City's third punt of the game.
LB Sio Moore chased down Jamaal Charles in the backfield on second-and-long for a 12-yard loss, tying the second-most yards lost on a single play this season (Moore's 12-yard sack of Geno Smith, 9/7 at NYJ).
Moore dropped RB Knile Davis for a 1-yard loss on a third-and-1 play at the end of the first half, forcing the Chiefs' sixth punt of the first half.
DE Justin Tuck recorded the 26th pass defensed of his career when he batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage,.
Individual Notes: Special Teams
S Charles Woodson became the second oldest player in NFL history to return a punt at 38-years and 44-days-old. Tim Brown is the oldest player in history to return a punt at 38-years and 94-days on Oct. 24, 2004.
Woodson last returned a punt as a member of the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18, 2009 vs. Detroit. His last return as a Raider came on Oct. 16, 2005 vs. San Diego.
K Sebastian Janikowski connected on a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter to give the Raiders a 14-point lead. That conversion puts Janikowski ahead of Olindo Mare (356) for 14th all-time in made field goals.
Janikowski extended his streak of consecutive extra points made to 184.
P Marquette King booted the 150th punt of his career in the first quarter. King finished with 6 punts for an average of 49.3 yards per punt.
