NFL Week 13: 5 takeaways from the Las Vegas Raiders' Week 13 win over the New York Jets
The Las Vegas Raiders waited until practically the last second to beat the New York Jets on Sunday. The Raiders won 31-28 thanks to a controversial call by the Jets defense. The winless Jets played their hearts out. They even looked like they could end their losing streak.
Late in the fourth quarter, New York took a narrow lead. With not much time left on the clock, the game looked like it was a done deal. But with just seconds remaining on the clock, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr broke the Jets' hearts when he connected with rookie wideout Henry Ruggs lll for the game-winning score.
With the win, the Raiders move to 7-5 for the year. They remain in second place the AFC West. But they're still chasing the division leaders, the 11-1 Kansas City Chiefs. Still, Las Vegas is right in the thick of the playoff race.
For all their efforts, the Jets are still yet to pick up their first win. They remain in fourth place in the AFC East with an 0-12 record. Now, the only question is how far this team will fall on the NFL's all-time list of worst teams.
Let's take a look at five key takeaways from Sunday's stunning game:
1. Devontae Booker failed to fill Josh Jacobs' shoes at RB
For all their failings this season (and there are many), the rush defense isn't the Jets' worst trait. They actually rank in the top quarter on this list, allowing just 107.8 yards per game. Raiders running back Devontae Booker learned that lesson the hard way on Sunday.
Booker struggled for space all afternoon and made tough work of his 50-yards on the ground. He averaged just 3.1 yards per attempt. The former Utah star also struggled to convert on third down and failed to find the endzone.
With stats like that, coach Gruden will hope he can call again on his regular first-choice RB, Josh Jacobs, in time for next week's tough test against the Colts.
2. Tight end Darren Waller had a big afternoon for the Raiders
It's no longer open to debate: Darren Waller is one of the NFL's elite tight ends.
Against the Jets, Waller posted 200 yards on 13 receptions. He caught two touchdowns, too. On the season, Waller now has 742 yards to his name; only TE Travis Kelce of the Chiefs (1,114 yards) boasts better figures.
Waller still needs to add a little more consistency to his game if he hopes to hang with Kelce and Kittle at the pinnacle of the TE rankings. But the numbers don't lie. Waller is right up there with the best of them.
3. The Jets' backup RBs showed promise after Frank Gore got hurt
When Frank Gore left the game due to a concussion after his first snap, it looked like New York's ground game was in trouble. Fortunately, nobody seemed to communicate that to Ty Johnson (104 yards; 1 touchdown) and Josh Adams (74 yards.) These backups did all they could to help the Jets on offense.
If Adams and Johnson can carry this strong performance with them into next week, the Jets might just be able to finish the job this time.
2. Based on Sunday's performance, the Jets stand a chance against Seattle
The Jets' next opportunity to end their losing streak is against the Seattle Seahawks next weekend. Because New York came so close to victory on Sunday, it's easy to think they can defeat Seattle. But let's not overreact.
Derek Carr racked up 381 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Jets. So you can't help but worry about Russell Wilson, D.K Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett. Even though the Seahawks (32nd) are the only team in the league with shoddier pass-coverage, the Jets (31st) might not be able to keep up with Wilson and the Seattle offense. New York might just fall to 0-13 after all.
1. Carr and Ruggs combined for one of the highlights of the season for the Raiders
Few will forget Carr's game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass. Even non-Raiders fans have to admire the beauty of this pass. Carr executed a terrific throw, and Ruggs III caught the ball in a miraculous play.