Daniel Carlson’s Perfect Day Couldn't Get Raiders Over the Hump

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson went 5/5 on field goals and accounted for all points in a 20-15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders place kicker Daniel Carlson (2) kicks a second field goal against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images / Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

For the third Sunday in a row, the Las Vegas Raiders and Raider Nation will lay to rest reflecting on another loss.

Entering Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Raiders had claimed more season success. With the Rams entering the game with just one win on the season, they were able to use a bend-not-break approach to force field goals instead of touchdowns against the Raiders. 

The Raiders have been victorious in just two games this season, and Sunday could have easily been their third. However, the Raiders' offense failed to produce touchdown-scoring plays, which is a very hard formula to win in the National Football League. 

With the Raiders' low-scoring actions, the game was still in reach late in the fourth quarter based on kicker Daniel Carlson's performance. Carlson gave the Raiders an early 3-0 lead with a 38-yard field goal that was one of the few scoring plays in the game for the first quarter and then some.

As the game progressed towards halftime, Carlson then nailed a 47-yarder to keep the game within one possession heading into halftime. 

The second half included three more successful tries in as many attempts as he connected from 38, 27 and another 27-yarder late in the game. It is nice to see a Raiders player with some confidence, especially how the last three weeks have gone, but Raider Nation and Raiders players know they need to start executing in crucial moments. It is great to have a leg like Carlson, but late in the game, down a touchdown with a first-and-goal opportunity, even he knows he wants to jog out there for a point-after attempt instead of a field goal. 

Even though the game resulted in a 20-15 deficit, it was great to see the field goal unit converting on scoring plays and doing enough to give the team a chance to be in a game as time was dwindling. Carlson is used to outperforming the opposing team's kickers, but he especially did that Sunday against Rams Joshua Karty.

Carlson looks to continue his 2024 success as the Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs next week. 

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