Defensive End Khalil Mack & Colts Quarterback Andrew Luck
The Oakland Raiders Christmas Eve showdown against the Indianapolis Colts was filled with holiday cheer, but also came with a little humbug. The Silver and Black defeated Indy 33-25 in what felt like a blowout up until the final quarter of regulation. The Raiders put on an offensive showcase, featuring three touchdowns through the air and two on the ground.
With the win, the team continued its journey towards the division title and will have an opportunity to clinch it next Sunday against the Denver Broncos. The loss of MVP candidate Derek Carr is an unfortunate blow to a young Raiders group with championship aspirations. Following the loss, members of the Colts discussed the game and expressed their support for the Raiders signal-caller.
**Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano
**
Pagano praised the Raiders for their effort Sunday afternoon and said they earned the victory.
"Credit the Raiders, congratulations to them. They played a heck of a game today [Sunday]. Pretty much beat us soundly in all three phases. We fought back, gave ourselves a chance at the end to try and pull this thing off and couldn't make a play at the end. You can't turn the ball over if you can't stop the run. You're not going to win if you don't play good in the red zone. You're not going to win if you don't get off to a good start."
He also commented on Carr's leg injury and stated he hopes for a swift recovery.
"They did a hell of a job and I hope and pray. You don't want to see anyone get injured in this game on either side. Derek Carr is one hell of a quarterback, he's one hell of a competitor and one hell of a man. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. I don't know the severity of his injury, but I hope to God he's ok."
Running Back Robert Turbin
Turbin broke down what the Raiders were able to do in order to capitalize on the Colts' mistakes.
"They just got some pressure on the quarterback I think. To be honest with you, I think it was more us. We made some mistakes out there, especially early in the game. They were able to capitalize on those mistakes, and it really put us into a hole going into the second half. But the good thing about this team is we have a lot of grit to battle back, and we just came up short."
Linebacker Erik Walden
Walden shared his thoughts on why the Raiders offense was able to be successful against them.
"I think they established a run. They were able to get some runs on us. They capitalized on some opportunities where we missed tackles and where we might have had a gap. They made the plays that we didn't, you have to give them credit."
Linebacker Robert Mathis
Mathis talked about the Colts' inability to prevent the Raiders from making plays.
"We weren't able to put a cork in that. They had a great game plan and we came in with a great game plan. They made the adjustments, and we didn't make enough. We didn't make the plays that we needed to make."
He spoke about Carr's performance, and made his comment plain and simple.
"It starts with their quarterback. He's a top-notch quarterback in this league, and has a bright future, so he led them to a victory today."
