Raiders offense comes alive in comeback win over Steelers

A week ago about this time, the talk among many fans had shifted to who the Raiders would take with their top five 2013 draft pick. The pitchforks and torches were out and the angry mob was after the Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and the head coach who hired him, Dennis Allen. That tune might just change this week.

The mob will have to put out the torches and turn back for him for now as the Raiders offense said "It's ALIVE!" and the monster Knapp created looked pretty good.

After scoring just 27 total points in weeks one and two, they scored 34 points in this game.

The Raiders came from behind all day. They came back three times to tie it in this game. They began down 7-0 then 7-7, 14-7 then 14-14, and 31-28 then 31-31. The first time they led in this game was the kick Janikowski made to win the game as time expired. Simply incredible after what we saw from this team through the first two weeks.

Things got started off much the same as they had the first two weeks-with a Raiders mishap. This time it was Denarius Moore slipping on the infield dirt causing an interception. Steelers would take the short field and drive for a touchdown. And it would start the hole the Raiders were forced to dig out of all day.

That hole was filled as fast as it was dug when on the second play of the next drive, Darren McFadden burst through a huge gap in the line for 64-yard touchdown run.

Then that tie game didn't last long either as the Steelers took the lead right back after a long touchdown drive of their own.

Later in the first half, the Raiders got their first turnover of the season on a forced fumble by Desmond Bryant which was recovered by Joselio Hanson at the Steelers' 30 yard line. It was now the Raiders turn to take advantage of a turnover and short field. They did just that as they drove for another touchdown on a perfect fade route connection from Palmer to Darrius Heyward-Bey.

But the Steelers weren't about to make it that easy and they drove right down the field and into scoring position in just five plays to kick a field goal and send them into the locker room ahead 17-14.

The second half had been where the Raiders crumbled the first two games. This week it would be no different. The Steelers picked up where they left off and scored a touchdown to start the third quarter. They would score two touchdowns in the second half. But the Raiders hung around and late in the fourth quarter, they found their clutch and completed the improbable comeback win.

There was a real scary moment early in the fourth quarter when Steelers safety Ryan Mundy hit Darrius Heyward-Bey with a helmet to helmet (though it was not flagged), knocking him out of the game. Heyward-Bey was knocked unconscious and laid on the field go several minutes before being carted off on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. He is in stable condition but will be staying in the hospital overnight with neck injury.

After many tense moments, the Raiders came back out and finished off the drive with a touchdown to come within three 31-28.

Then on the third play of the Steelers drive, they fumbled and the Raiders recovered it and drove for the game tying field goal. The Raiders defense held the Steelers on their next drive and the Raider drove back into scoring position to take the game on a 43 yard Janikowski field goal as time expired.

It was Dennis Allen's first win as a head coach. Raiders and Steelers are now both 1-2 on the season and the Raiders have won three of the last four meeting between the two teams.

Darren McFadden had 113 yards rushing after running for just 58 total yards in weeks one and two.

The Raiders had no penalties in the first half and finished with three penalties for 25 yards. The Steelers were flagged ten times for 81 yards.

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Box Score

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2-0) Oakland Raiders (1-2-0)

Steelers

Passing CP/AT YDS TD INT

B. Roethlisberger 36/49 384 4 0

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

I. Redman 9 27 0 7

B. Batch 4 12 0 5

B. Roethlisberger 1 8 0 8

C. Rainey 2 7 0 5

M. Wallace 1 1 0 1

J. Dwyer 3 -1 0 3

Receiving REC YDS TD LG

M. Wallace 8 123 1 22T

A. Brown 7 87 1 20

H. Miller 8 60 2 16

E. Sanders 3 33 0 21

I. Redman 3 24 0 11

C. Rainey 2 23 0 14

B. Batch 2 20 0 15

J. Cotchery 1 9 0 9

W. Johnson 1 4 0 4

J. Dwyer 1 1 0 1

Fumbles FUM LOST REC YDS

A. Brown 2 1 1 0

J. Dwyer 1 1 0 0

M. Wallace 1 0 1 0

Kicking FG LG XP PTS

S. Suisham 1/1 33 4/4 7

Punting NO AVG I20 LG

D. Butler 3 34.3 1 44

Kickoff Returns NO AVG TD LG

C. Rainey 2 22 0 24

Punt Returns NO AVG TD LG

A. Brown 2 11 0 22

Defense T-A SCK INT FF

R. Clark 6-1 0.0 1 0

L. Foote 5-2 0.0 0 0

I. Taylor 5-1 0.0 0 0

C. Allen 4-1 0.0 0 0

R. Mundy 4-0 0.0 0 0

L. Woodley 4-0 1.0 0 0

L. Timmons 3-0 0.0 0 0

K. Lewis 2-1 0.0 0 0

J. Worilds 2-0 0.0 0 0

C. Carter 1-2 0.0 0 0

E. Hood 1-0 0.0 0 0

W. Allen 0-1 0.0 0 0

C. Hampton 0-1 0.0 0 0

Raiders

Passing CP/AT YDS TD INT

C. Palmer 24/34 209 3 1

Rushing ATT YDS TD LG

D. McFadden 18 113 1 64T

C. Palmer 2 5 0 6

M. Goodson 1 1 0 1

Receiving REC YDS TD LG

B. Myers 4 55 0 17

D. Moore 5 45 1 18

D. Hagan 3 30 0 17

M. Reece 4 27 0 10

R. Streater 2 22 0 17

D. Heyward-Bey 2 14 1 11

D. Ausberry 1 13 0 13

D. McFadden 2 2 0 5

R. Gordon 1 1 1 1T

Fumbles FUM LOST REC YDS

D. Bryant 0 0 0 0

J. Hanson 0 0 1 1

P. Lee 0 0 0 0

P. Wheeler 0 0 1 0

Kicking FG LG XP PTS

S. Janikowski 2/2 43 4/4 10

Punting NO AVG I20 LG

S. Lechler 3 44.3 1 60

Kickoff Returns NO AVG TD LG

M. Goodson 1 51 0 51

M. Reece 1 36 0 36

Punt Returns NO AVG TD LG

P. Adams 1 5 0 5

Defense T-A SCK INT FF

P. Wheeler 7-4 0.0 0 2

T. Branch 5-5 0.0 0 0

J. Hanson 5-3 0.0 0 0

M. Giordano 4-2 0.0 0 0

L. Houston 4-1 0.0 0 0

M. Huff 3-1 0.0 0 0

P. Lee 3-1 0.0 0 1

R. McClain 3-6 0.0 0 0

D. Bryant 2-1 0.0 0 1

M. Burris 2-1 0.0 0 0

R. Seymour 2-0 1.0 0 0

D. Tollefson 2-0 0.0 0 0

M. Mitchell 1-0 0.0 0 0

T. Kelly 0-1 0.0 0 0