Raiders: 4 offensive players who have been crucial down the stretch
Daniel Carlson, Kicker
We know that Daniel Carlson is officially a member of the Special Teams unit on the Raiders but because he scores points we’re going to lump him in with the rest of the offense. Earlier this year the Raiders were awarded Carlson’s Excellence with a big-money extension and he has already paid that back with some incredible performances in recent weeks.
In Cleveland with the offense struggling, Carlson went 3-3 on field goals, nailed an extra point, and hit the 48-yard game-winner as time expired. Against Denver, with the offense struggling yet again, Carlson hit his extra points and kicked a 41-yard field goal halfway through the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach for the Denver Broncos.
Most recently against the Indianapolis Colts, whiskey comment theme of the offense not fully clicking, Carlson went 3-3 on his field goals including a 47-yarder in the first quarter. His biggest kick of the day was just 33 yards but it came as time expired for the second time in three weeks as he clinched the Raiders a 23-20 victory on the road.
This season Carlson has gone 35-38 on field goals, 28-31 on extra points, and has been the most reliable and consistent scoring threat on the team. He is an incredible weapon to have and gives the Raiders such confidence every time he steps on the field, especially with the game on the line.