Buy or Sell: Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans
By Austin Gayle
The Oakland Raiders (8-2) secured a one-game lead in the AFC West with their controversial win in Mexico City on Monday night, as they rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Houston Texans (6-4), 27-20.
With green lasers and unfavorable calls looming over the Raiders’ victory, some still doubt the validity of Oakland’s record and their playoff push this season.
To add clarity to the Raiders’ historic run, we discuss some of the thoughts and opinions stirring in the media after Oakland’s fourth consecutive win.
A statement will be given, and the answer will be given in a Buy/Sell format.
Derek Carr Can Lead Oakland Deep into the Playoffs.
Buy.
Facing early adversity, Raiders third-year quarterback Derek Carr was again leaned on to rally the Silver and Black back from a fourth quarter deficit, and almost like clockwork, the former Fresno State stud took home the victory with the team clinging onto his back.
To start the contest, dropped passes and poor efforts in the run game plagued Carr and the Raiders offense, and as a result, the gunslinger couldn’t pull himself out of the holster. However, Oakland’s Smith and Wesson under center gleamed beneath the Mexico moonlight when it mattered most — in the fourth quarter.
In the final 11 minutes of the game, Carr completed four of five passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns to ultimately secure the win. Prior to those heroic efforts, he had just 109 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Nearing the final stages of their first postseason birth since 2002, the Raiders will continue to lean on Carr to defy the odds and string together fourth quarter comebacks because his surrounding cast hasn’t appeared consistent in their respective roles.
Fortunately for Oakland, having an Academy Award winner at the quarterback position will help the Raiders write a storybook ending at the bottom of the script.