Raiders vs Lions final score: Oakland drops third straight with 18-13 loss

Coming off two-straight losses, the Raiders faced the Lions with their playoff hopes in the balance. A win keeps them very much alive, while a loss makes it very difficult the rest of the way. For the Raiders it would be the latter.

Early in the game, the Raiders' defensive mantra of ‘bend but don't break' was on full display. They bent a LOT on the Lions first two drives, letting them get into the red zone both time, but they managed to make the stop just in time to hold the Lions to a field goal both times.

Even with the stops, it wasn't pretty from the Raiders perspective. The Lions were picking up yards in chunks and taking anything they wanted. Though they had just six points to show for it.

On the Raiders' second series, they looked to have picked up the first down on a third and 9 pass to Michael Crabtree, but it was inexplicably ruled incomplete on the field. Crabtree had both feet inbounds with possession, then went out of bounds, taking three steps, stumbling and used the ball to catch his balance and it came out. That's a catch. And yet it was ruled incomplete. And the Raiders didn't challenge it.

Literally NO ONE knows what a catch actually is in the NFL anymore. But I digress.

The Raiders couldn't dwell on the terrible call on the catch. After the defense finally held to force a Lions punt, the offense went on their best drive of the day. Unfortunately, that was just to the Lions' 39-yard-line and could get no farther, forced to punt the ball away.

On the final drive of the first half, the Lions would get into field goal range and Matt Prater lined up and hit a 51-yarder to send the two teams into the locker room with a 9-0 Lions lead.

After the Raiders offense was dormant in the first half, they woke up on the first drive of the third quarter. The drive lasted 11 plays and was finished off by a touchdown run form one yard out by Latavius Murray. It brought the Raiders to within two points at 9-7.

The Raiders pass rush came alive on the next drive and ultimately it was a sack that ended the Lions' drive. After the punt the Raiders offense would take the field to being their drive at midfield. They use that short field to drive into field goal range and took a 10-9 lead on a 48-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski.

While the offense for the Raiders woke up, the defense got a shot of adrenaline and held the Lions deep in their own territory throughout the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Raiders put more points on the board with a 56-yard Janikowski field goal.

The Raiders' defensive domination ended when the third quarter did. On their first drive of the fourth quarter, the Lions scored their first touchdown of the game. The final two plays were Matt Stafford scrambles, including the touchdown from five yards out. It was the first rushing touchdown by the Lions since week three and it gave the Lions the lead at 16-13.

While trying to answer, the Raiders were backed up to their own end zone. Lions defensive end Ezekial Ansah got around Donald Penn who was called for holding in the end zone which resulted in a safety and an 18-13 Lions lead.

Off the safety, the Raiders kicked to the Lions who drove to the 2-yard-line, running out the clock to end it.

The Raiders drop their third straight game to fall to 4-6 on the season. The Lions improve to 3-7 on the season and have won two-straight.