Raiders' Gutsy Play Calls Paid Off Against Jets
To reach success, you sometimes need to take risks.
That was the mindset the Las Vegas Raiders had on Sunday night, when they defeated the New York Jets, 16-12, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
One of the biggest plays of the game came with a little over eight and a half minutes remaining, when the Raiders were faced with a fourth-and-1 situation just short of midfield.
Las Vegas went for it and converted with a 15-yard run by wide receiver DeAndre Carter. While the drive would ultimately result in a turnover, the play granted the Raiders' offense more time and kept the ball out of New York's hands at a critical point in the game.
"I thought at that point, we had the momentum," Raiders Interim Coach Antonio Pierce told our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. after the game. "It was a play we worked in practice. It got our defense a couple times.
"It's kind of hard to see little D.C. [DeAndre Carter] right there. And obviously, there was a great block by Josh Jacobs. But that's just believing in your team.
"Like, we're right there at the 50-yard line and our defense was playing really good football. I felt we were controlling the game defensively and I kind of went with my gut."
![The Las Vegas Raiders' gutsy play calling paid off against the New York Jets.](https://www.si.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MjAyMTgwNzAzNDIzNTcwOTU2/usatsi_21887712_168390101_lowres.jpg)
The Las Vegas Raiders' gutsy play calling paid off against the New York Jets.
© Gary A. Vasquez | 2023 Nov 12
Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell was all for the bold play calling.
"It's aggressive; there's a sense where there's just no fear and you have to play the game in order to win," O'Connell said. "You don't try to just keep from losing. And I think -- I loved the call from Bo [Hardegree].
"Honestly, I loved the third-down call on the last drive, too. Where you're throwing the ball, I know it's -- you think to run the ball and run the clock out, but it's a tipped ball away from ending the game there. So it's a fine line of being dumb and being aggressive, and I think I just trust what the coaches call and try to do my job the best I can."
The Raiders converted on each of the two fourth-down plays they went for on in Sunday night's game.
The Silver and Black will head out on the road to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m. PST.
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