The Dallas Cowboys (8-6) can still dream about the playoffs! The Cowboys beat the Oakland Raiders (6-8) in the Week 15 Sunday Night Game in the most dramatic way – a desperate and reckless fumble from Derek Carr finished the game. And all the raiders’ playoff hopes.
From the very beginning it was a game characterized by offensive mistakes and limitations. Dak Prescott (18/27,212 YDS, 2 INT; 6 ATT, 32 YDS, TD) threw an early interception when he fired the ball from a clean pocket just clearly above Dez Bryant and on the other hand Derek Carr (21/38,171 YDS, 2 TD; 4 ATT, 47 YDS) had several big interceptions. It took a while for Dallas to use the gaps in Oaklands Defense in the front and also the Secondary to finally use and march into the Red Zone, where Rod Smith provided the first touchdown of the game.
At the Raiders the erratic appearance continued at first. Another interception luck for Carr, then a Michael Crabtree fumble that jumped back to the hosts and finally a field goal miss seconds before the half-time break. There was some evidence that Dallas might be able to beat a once again very limited, sometimes frustrating Raiders team, but Oakland, who had to play without Amari Cooper, temporarily turned the tables after the half-time break.
Carr completed the 90-yard drive with a good mix of passes and runs for the start of the third quarter with a short touchdown pass to Crabtree, and a few plays later Prescott threw his second pick – because Khalil Mack touched the ball at the moment of the throw. But the problems remained. Oakland’s offense was once again too one-dimensional over long distances, and the raiders defensively helped a similarly problematic cowboy’s offense with punishments again and again.
With all the visible problems on both sides, this turned out to be an extremely exciting second half: The cowboys showed courage when they successfully pulled through a fake punt at 4th&11, and Prescott ran into the final zone via scramble at the end of this drive. But Oakland made up for it with Crabtree’s second touchdown before the cowboys marched again. Dez Bryant provided a great catch for 1st&Goal, but it was only enough for the field goal 1:44 before the end. So the hosts got one more chance: Carr had another big interception luck with a bad pass, at Fourth Down a Cowboys-Pass-Interference gave Oakland 55 yards and new life.
But that was just the way to a bitter, bitter end: When Carr desperately tried to create the game winner at 3rd&Goal via Scramble, Heath caught him while Carr flew through the air towards the end zone – and Carr dropped the ball into the end zone! Touchback, turnover, cowboys win!
Oakland Raiders (6-8) – Dallas Cowboys (8-6)17:20 (0:3,0:7,10:7,7:3) BOXSCORE
Two scenes in total remain in the head, from a game that could have been completely different in view of the numerous dropped exceptions on both sides. On the one hand there was a critical Fourth-Down-Conversion at the last drive of the cowboys, which was so close that the impartial people used a piece of paper to measure it. The decision was made in favour of the guests, who took the lead a few times later via Field Goal. In return, it was Carr’s dramatic touchback fumble, of course, which meant the decision.
A look at the boxing score would hardly suggest this conclusion, after all the cowboys ended the game without a bag. And yet Dallas’s front was a constant disruptive factor for the Raiders-Offense, finishing or slowing down numerous runs on or even before the line of scrimmage and putting Carr under pressure. Eight pressures, for instance, were on DeMarcus Lawrence’s account.
Ten tackles end up on Lee’s work record – but this doesn’t do justice to his performance. Dallas’ linebacker had four run-stops, was as usual not only the clear leader of the defense but also to be found everywhere around the line of scrimmage. At 41 (!) coverage snaps he did not allow for a single reception.
The fumble was one thing: Carr has to better assess the situation and know the rules. Heath catches him well, but Carr had his arm outstretched so that he hardly had a chance to control the ball. Generally speaking, no one can criticise the victory, but – similar to Pittsburgh against the patriots a few hours earlier – the risk was disproportionate. However, this decisive scene was in a series of bad actions by Carr: He could not have complained about two or three exceptions, and there were clear inaccuracies and again no downfield element at all. Carr finished the game with 4.5 yards per pass.