LAS VEGAS (AP)— The Raiders faced the Browns with the NFL’s weakest running offence and without stars Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams.
Plus, Las Vegas was coming off a loss to the previously winless Panthers, which enraged coach Antonio Pierce.
But the Raiders developed a balanced running assault and defeated Cleveland 20-16 on Sunday.
“Yeah, a lot of adversity this week, no doubt about it,” Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew admitted. “I was pleased to see how we responded. Coming into Friday’s practice, we sort of turned a corner, and the overall attitude of the squad changed, and everyone was feeling it again.”
Cleveland moved to the Raiders’ 9-yard line with a chance to win, but Charles Snowden sacked Deshaun Watson on fourth down with 35 seconds remaining.
The Raiders (2-2) found enough offence without star wide receiver Adams (hamstring) and limited the Browns to 241 yards without Crosby (ankle).
“We all had to take a step up,” Snowden explained. “I need to thank Maxx. He coached us all week and was a very present figure.
Alexander Mattison carried for 60 yards for the Raiders, who had 152 yards on the ground and five players with runs of at least 10 yards, the most since the 2010 game against the Seahawks. Tre Tucker and DJ Turner scored rushing touchdowns for the Raiders, making them the first team since the Jets in 2010 to have two touchdown runs from wide receivers.
Las Vegas had not ran for more than 55 yards in a game all season.
“It felt really good to be able to operate on all cylinders like that to get the run game going,” Mattison told the crowd. “The offensive line performed an incredible job. We must keep it going because we know what we are capable of.
Minshew was 14 of 24 for 130 yards. Myles Garrett, the reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year, sacked him twice despite suffering from a variety of injuries.
Watson completed all eight passes in guiding the Browns to a touchdown in the first 9:22 of the game, but he ended 24 for 32 with 176 yards.
He came into the game having taken a league-high 16 sacks, and the Raiders took him down three times. Cleveland’s offensive line was without four starters for the majority of the contest.
Although it is not quite October, the Browns (1-3) suffered a setback to their playoff aspirations. Since the 1970 merger, only 42 clubs have reached the playoffs after starting 1-3.
A week ago, Las Vegas fell 36-22 against the Panthers, prompting Pierce to question several players’ performance. The Raiders fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter.
Las Vegas scored the next 20 points, appearing to seize control.
“I knew what group I had,” Pierce remarked. “That wasn’t the team we expected to see last week. It was a hard week. It most likely began with my comments, for which I apologised to the players. I do not want to be a distraction in that way.”
Zamir White fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Browns safety Rodney McLeod returned it for a 25-yard touchdown, giving Cleveland life. Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point, leaving the Browns behind 20-16.
“They had the momentum at that point and we really needed to step up and get a takeaway,” Garrett told me. “That’s what we asked for in the huddle, and we answered the bell.” That was a blast of adrenaline.
Cleveland appeared to have taken the lead with an 82-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Amari Cooper, but backup centre Nick Harris was flagged for holding, and the Browns punted.
On their last drive, with the Browns forced to go for the touchdown, Watson was unable to attempt a pass on the crucial play.
Injuries
Browns: C. Ethan Pocic (ankle) entered the locker room in the first quarter, returned in the third, then left again. …. Cleveland was already missing right guard Wyatt Teller (knee) and offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and Jack Conklin (hamstring). … LB Jordan Hicks (elbow) departed during the second quarter. … TE David Njoku (ankle) did not play.
Raiders: linebacker Divine Deablo (oblique), T Thayer Munford (knee/ankle), CB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring), and TE Michael Mayer (personal reasons) did not participate. … Tyreek McAllister (shoulder) got injured in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Next Sunday, the Browns travel to Washington for the second of three games.
The Raiders play in Denver next Sunday.
Read more at: https://sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply