Last-Second Crabtree Touchdown Lifts Raiders Over Rival Chiefs
A last-second Michael Crabtree touchdown ended the Oakland Raiders' four-game losing streak in a 31-30 defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs.
OMNISPORT
Michael Crabtree caught a game-winning touchdown to lift the Oakland Raiders to a 31-30 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL on Thursday.
After a touchdown with three seconds remaining was negated because of his offensive pass interference penalty, Crabtree caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr.
The touchdown came on the second of two untimed plays as a pair of Chiefs defensive holding penalties extended the game.
The Raiders thought they had a touchdown when Crabtree caught a one-yard pass from Carr, but he was flagged for offensive interference after pushing off a Chiefs defender.
The Raiders were backed up to the 11 and Carr's pass to Jared Cook was tipped, but a defensive holding call gave the Raiders an untimed down. That was followed by a pass to Cordarrelle Patterson, who caught the ball out of bounds but another defensive holding penalty led to Carr's game-winner to Crabtree.
The touchdown capped an 11-play, 85-yard drive in the final two minutes, 25 seconds after Alex Smith had engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive to give the Chiefs a six-point advantage.
Defenses have usually dominated Thursday games, but Smith and Carr each put up video-game numbers. Carr, who is two weeks removed from a back fracture, completed 29 of his 52 pass attempts for 417 yards and three touchdowns. Smith was 25 of 36 for 342 yards and three scores.
There were seven lead changes Thursday as the offenses combined for 930 yards.
COOPER FINALLY HAS BREAKOUT GAME
Cooper had over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, but had yet to get on track this campaign. He entered Thursday's game with 18 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. He had 11 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs. He had a clutch 40-yard reception to keep the game-winning drive alive and put him over 200 yards for the first time in his career.
Cooper had 33 yards or fewer in each of the last five games, including being held under 10 yards three times. Thursday was his first 100-yard game since catching 12 passes for 173 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 30, 2016. It was also his second career multi-touchdown game since scoring twice in a loss to the Green Bay Packers on December 20, 2015.
KAREEM HUNT IS A COMPLETE BACK
Hunt had 87 rushing yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 30 yards, but his best play of night may have come on a 64-yard pass from Alex Smith to Tyreek Hill. Hunt picked up a blitzing NaVorro Bowman in the second quarter, giving Smith enough time to find Hill in stride up the right sideline. The Chiefs began the drive from their own one-yard line and the three-play drive was Kansas City's first 99-yard scoring drive since 2006.
RAIDERS SAVED THEIR SEASON
Oakland (3-4) could not have afforded to fall four games back of the Chiefs (5-2) in the division. The Raiders lost just four times last season and, while Thursday's win was not pretty for a defensive coordinator, the game-winning drive could propel them as they hit the road for two straight against the Bills and Dolphins before taking on the Patriots in Mexico City.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have to solve their defensive woes. A unit that has playmakers at every level entered Thursday's game ranked 29th in total defense and could fall even further after the Raiders put up 505 yards of total offense. If they are going to make a deep play-off run, they have to find a way to fix their defense.