Busters
Michael Crabtree
What. Was. That? The most improbable performance by Crabtree we’ve seen in a Raiders’ uniform. It was like we were watching an imposter out there. He caught the first pass to him… for a five yard loss.
Then on third and four in the second quarter he dropped it. Carr went back to him to begin the next series, as Carr is want to do in order to show faith and engender confidence, but Crabtree slipped, fell down, fumbled it, and recovered it for no gain. The next series, Carr tried to force a ball to Crabtree on fourth and one but Crabtree couldn’t break open. It was the Raiders’ final offensive play of the first half.
Midway through the third, Crabtree caught one! It went for six yards on third and four. Later in the same drive, Carr threw a good ball to Crabtree in the end zone and he caught it… then decided to let go of the ball with one hand and it came out on his way to the ground. That touchdown would have tied it at 17-17, but instead they settled for a field goal.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the score tied at 20-20, Carr went back to Crabtree. And guess what happened? If you said he dropped it, you win a cookie. Luckily the next two plays went for 39 yards and 35 yards to score the game winner. Crabtree’s best contributions were being on the receiving end of a couple of pass interference calls on his defender. S0, there’s that.
DJ Hayden
It wasn’t all bad from Hayden. Only mostly bad. And when it was bad, it was really bad. Three times the Texans converted a third down on their opening drive. The second was in third and 7 and Hayden got completely turned around on an inside out move by DeAndre Hopkins. The play went for 24 yards and would have gone for a long touchdown had it not been for Hopkins just barely getting the heel of his right foot on the sideline. It may as well have been for a touchdown for Hayden’s part in it. Luckily the drive was held to a field goal.
Early in the second quarter, the Texans were driving again. And once again they found themselves in third and 7. And once again Hayden gave it up by getting worked by Hopkins. Hayden just decided it best to hold him this time. The drive led to a touchdown and tied the game at 10-10.
But I did mention it wasn’t all bad for Hayden. He had a nice looking pass defended on third down to end the next drive.
Come the third quarter, the Texans were again knocking on the door, and AGAIN in third and 7. Braxton Miller went on an out route in the end zone and Hayden grabbed ahold of him. It looked as if Miller may have cut off his route when Osweiler thought he would keep going, but it didn’t matter. Hayden was flagged for pass interference to put the Texans in first and goal at the one. They scored the go ahead touchdown on the next play.
On the next series, the Texans had once again driven into the red zone. On 2nd and 9, Hayden showed his intention to blitz too early. With that tip, Osweiler threw to Hayden’s now open receiver on a cross for eight yards. The Texans would add another field goal to take a touchdown lead at 20-13.
After tying the game back up at 20-20, the Texans looked to take the lead back midway through the fourth quarter. They had driven to the Oakland 38-yard-line in third and six. A stop would have meant a 56-yard field goal try or a punt. But Hayden gave up a 9-yard catch, so nevermind.
Due to the Texans going for it on fourth and one and falling short, they were held without a score. The Raiders took the lead on the Amari Cooper touchdown which meant the Texans would essentially have one good chance left to tie the game back up late. In three plays, they were in third and six… and Hayden gave up an 8-yard catch. Three plays later, following the Bruce Irvin sack, they were in third down and 9. Osweiler looked for old reliable Hayden, who gave up the catch, but this time, made the tackle short of the first down – his second positive play of the game. The Texans decided (probably unwisely) to punt.
Shilique Calhoun
He played just 10 snaps in the game on defense and there is more and more evidence for his limited time. His first mistake should have been a great play. Khalil Mack came around the left edge and was bearing down on Osweiler who in a panic threw the ball right at Calhoun. It was right at his chest. There was no reason that shouldn’t have been an interception and yet it fell incomplete. The drive continued, and led to the Texans first touchdown to tie it at 10-10.
The next Texans touchdown drive in the third quarter, they were at the 20-yard-line and Calhoun was called for holding. It was declined in favor of a catch. On the next play, he gave up a three-yard run that set the Texans up in first and goal at the 9. They scored a few plays later to take a 17-10 lead.
Early in the fourth, after the Raiders tied it up at 20-20, the Texans got a big kick return. Calhoun seemed to have a legit shot at stopping the return man, only to watch him run right by and set the Texans up at the 44-yard-line looking to take back the lead.
Seth Roberts
Crabtree may have had the most drops in the game, but Roberts had some serious butterfingers of his own. He had two flat out drops in the game. One on a nice looking pass up the left sideline late in the second quarter that would have either led to a field goal or even could have been a touchdown catch had he not left his feet and then had it bounce off his hands.
Yet again, Carr went right back to Roberts to begin the next series and Roberts dropped that one too. Roberts caught just one pass for 6 yards in the game.
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