Every week this season, Michael Crabtree has made a clutch catch for the Raiders. In the opener, he made the catch for the 2-point conversion to win the game over the Saints. Week two against the Falcons, on fourth and two, he caught the game-tying touchdown to start the fourth quarter. Last week he led the team with 8 catches for 102 yards including a big 31-yard catch and big catch to convert on third down late.
But none of those performances were on part with what he did in this game when he caught three of Derek Carr’s four touchdown passes to help lead the Raiders to a 28-27 win over the Ravens in Baltimore.
In so doing, Crabtree and Carr have connected for more touchdowns in 20 games together than Crabtree had from any one quarterback in his first 79 games of his career with the 49ers.
The two have now hooked up on 13 touchdown passes which passes the previous career high he had with Alex Smith (11). It’s also the first time in Crabtree’s career he’s had three touchdown catches in a game.
When asked if whether he’s ever had such good rapport with another quarterback before Derek Carr, Crabtree said simply; “What do you think?”
“Yeah. It’s no secret,” Crabtree continued. “I’m just grateful to be in this situation. Thankful, blessed, and I’m gonna keep working.”
Crabtree went on to say “it’s no comparison” to the situation he was in during his first six seasons while with the 49ers. And he was talking coaches, coordinators, and most definitely his quarterback, saying “I let DC be DC.”
“He’s taking control,” Crabtree said of Carr. “He’s competitive. So’s the rest of the team. And I feel like we [don’t] blink in the huddle.”
They proved that on their final drive which culminated in a 23-yard catch by Crabtree in the back of the end zone, who dragged his feet inbounds to take the final lead of the game at 28-27. It was Crabtree’s team leading fourth touchdown.
Other superlatives:
- The Raiders’ victory gives the team their first 3-0 start on the road since 2000 when they started 4-0 away from home.
- Derek Carr has six game-winning drives since the start of last season which is most in the NFL; passing Sunday opponent Joe Flacco and week two opponent Matt Ryan.
- Carr threw four touchdown passes in a game for the third time in his career.
- Carr’s three touchdown passes to Crabtree are the most in a game to any one player of his career.
- Michael Crabtree became the first Raiders receiver to catch three touchdown passes in a game since Jerry Porter did it on Dec. 19, 2004.
- Crabtree finished with seven receptions for 88 yards (12.6 avg.) to extend his streak of consecutive games with at least three receptions to 21.
- Jalen Richard’s 47-yard punt return is the longest punt return by a Raider since Phillip Adams’ 47-yard return in Week 2 of 2012.
- At the start of the fourth quarter, Bruce Irvin strip sacked Joe Flacco becoming the first Raider to record three forced fumbles in the first four weeks of a season since Charles Woodson in 2002.
- In just his second career NFL start, Cory James led both teams with 15 tackles (12 solo). He also recorded his first career forced fumble.
- Marquette King now leads the league with seven punts downed inside the 10-yard line.
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