Raiders vs Packers recap, final score: Late 22-21 comeback win in Winnipeg gives Raiders 3-0 preseason

Even before this one began, this one was shaping up to be a rough one to watch. And it was most of the way. Both teams opted to keep their starters on the sideline. The Packers didn’t dress 33 players and some 24 Raiders players didn’t even make the flight to Winnipeg.

Then, due to some faulty turf patchwork in the end zone, the played on an 80-yard field. And in a stadium that had more empty seats than filled ones. Whose hair brained idea was this anyway?

A game still had to be played. Neither team was getting anything going for most of the first quarter. Twice, Mike Glennon was nearly intercepted by a defender.

The Raiders were still able to get on the board first with Glennon still in at QB on a Daniel Carlson 42-yard field goal.

That was Glennon’s last drive of the game, finished going 3 for 9 for 38 yards. He was replaced to begin the second quarter by Nathan Peterman who played the final three quarters.

With the Packers scoring a touchdown to begin the quarter, the Raiders were down 7-3. Peterman would lead the Raiders down the field with the help of a Packers pass interference. A Keelan Doss 18-yard catch on a cross put the Raiders in scoring range at the Green Bay 26. A short pass to Keith Smith got the Raiders in the end zone from five yards out for a 10-7 lead.

A 9-play 75-yard drive by the Packers would grab them the lead back. Nick Nelson was victimized for a 20-yard catch and the 16-yard touchdown.

A 19-yard catch and run by Marcell Ateman on first down didn’t lead to much more and the Raiders punted the ball back to the Packers who would go on their third consecutive touchdown drive of the first half. And once again it was Nick Nelson giving up the longest catch (22 yards). Following a personal foul penalty on Erik Harris for lowering his helmet, the Packers punched it in from two yards out.

The two teams would head to the half with the Packers leading 21-10.

A 40-yard Carlson field goal would pull the Raiders to within one score, down 21-13.

The ensuing possession, the Raiders would get some pass rush, with PJ Hall bull rushing up the middle for a sack and then James Cowser chasing down Deshone Kizer trying to escape the pocket.

The Packers’ next drive resulted in a turnover on downs when on 4th down, Nicholas Morrow went up the middle on the blitz off a cross stunt to give the Raiders their third sack in two drives.

To get this going again for the Raiders, it was again Peterman looking to undrafted rookie Keelan Doss. They got into Packers’ territory on an 11-yard catch to the 40. But a couple bad passes by Peterman and a drop by Rico Gafford stalled the drive.

Neither team could get anything going for a while. A nifty adjustment on a pass along the right sideline by Keelan Doss on a back shoulder throw picked up 17 and put the Raiders in Packers territory. A few plays later, Peterman had probably his best thrown to find DeMornay Pierson-El in the back of the end zone to bring it to within two at 21-19. Peterson escaped pressure up the middle on the blitz and his throw was picked off in the end zone to keep the score at 21-19 with just over five minutes remaining.

More push from PJ Hall yields his man a second holding penalty in consecutive drives and helps to give the Raiders the ball back with just under three minutes left in the game and a shot to win it with a field goal.

A 10-yard connection with Keon Hatcher and the Raiders were moving. Later on the drive, Hatcher would make the big catch on 4th 7 to pick up 25 yards. But it was Rico Gafford who saved the day, when Hatcher opted not to go out of bounds and had the ball knocked out. Gafford came running over to dive on the ball to give the Raiders first and goal at the ten.

With :12 remaining, Daniel Carlson came out and hit the 33-yard field goal to give the Raiders the lead at 22-21 with :08 left. And after getting beaten up all game long, it was Nick Nelson who made the game sealing interception on the Packers’ Hail Mary attempt in the final seconds.

Nathan Peterman finished the game 22 of 37 for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. Keelan Doss led the team in receiving with 4 catches for 52 yards.