/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1565799/154120370.0.jpg)
The best GIF of the day may not be one many Raider fans want to replay time and time again. But it was a pretty crazy play. Raiders cornerback Joselio Hanson was attempting to catch up with Falcons' receiver Harry Douglas but Hanson didn't turn around and the pass bounced off the back of his helmet, up in the air, where Douglas alertly caught it on his back.
Here is that moment from two different viewpoints.
Overall, however, the Raiders defensive backs were making great plays on the ball-and Hanson was the one who got it all started. This team hadn't had an interception coming into the game. They had three in the first half. Here are those three interceptions.
But while the Raiders were taking the ball away from the Falcons, they also gave it back. Darren McFadden had a fumble immediately following the Raiders' first interception when Stefen Wisniewski was beaten by Jonathan Babineaux on the bull rush. Falcons defensive back Robert McClain recovered the ball and Carson Palmer made the tackle on the return. The Falcons were held scoreless after a missed field goal by Matt Bryant.
The running backs had a good day overall, though. Mike Goodson touched the ball just five times and racked up 96 yards. Most of those yards came on two plays-a screen pass for 37 yards and a run of 43 yards.
The receiving game was functioning well too-- led by Denarius Moore. He had a catch of 49 yards in this game but his most impressive catch was a 25-yard touchdown in which he took a short pass and ducked under what looked to be a very sure tackle and sprinted for the endzone.
John Abraham strip sacked Carson Palmer (sorry I don't have a GIF of that) and the Falcons recovered the ball at the Raiders' two yard line. The Falcons would get no closer thanks to three defensive stops. The field goal tied the game at 13-13 as opposed to a 17-13 deficit.
That fumble by Palmer wasn't his worst moment, however. The fumble wasn't even his fault. And the result was a field goal. His big mistake was the interception he threw to Asante Samuel which was returned for a touchdown.
The pass defense was playing well too. That effort was led by Michael Huff. He started off with an interception and finished the remainder of the game with four passes defended.
The Raiders won the battle on special teams overall with Sebastian Janikowski hitting a 52-yard field goal and Falcons kicker Matt Bryant missing a field goal. But it wasn't all good. On this return, Raiders return man Philip Adams was hit hard... by Coye Francies. As we say on the basketball court, Coye, "Same team! Same team!"
This post is sponsored by Jack in the Box.
Loading comments...