Texans at Raiders: Highlights, score and recap

The Oakland Raiders got their offense going in the fourth quarter, as they came back from a seven-point deficit to beat the Houston Texans on Monday night.

The Oakland Raiders came into their Monday Night Football matchup with the Houston Texans in need of a win to stay in first place in the AFC West, and they were able to rally back to get it.

Quarterback Derek Carr led the Raiders to 14 fourth quarter points, as they struggled to move the ball for most of the first three quarters. In the end, the third-year signal-caller showed why he is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Houston dominated play through the first three quarters, as they held the Raiders’ high-octane offense at bay. Quarterback Brock Osweiler actually looked more comfortable under center, but still has not shown he can play consistently for four quarters. Despite having one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, Osweiler struggled to make the big play on Monday night, and eventually let the Texans’ lead slip away.

The Texans knew they would have to match the Raiders’ offense for four quarters, but Oakland proved to be too much in Mexico City. Carr and the Raiders went to the air in the fourth quarter, and were able to move the ball against a Texans defense that has played very well against the pass this season. Oakland got nothing from their run game against the Texans, but Carr showed that he can carry the team on his back despite that.

Down 20-13 in the fourth quarter, Carr hit fullback Jamize Olawale for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage after Nick Novak put the Texans up seven. On their next possession, Carr connected with Amari Cooper for a 35-yard touchdown, capping a five-play, 85-yard drive. It was the fourth comeback from Carr on the year, as the Raiders left Mexico City entrenched in first place in the AFC West.

Highlights

Three Stars

1. Derek Carr

Captain Clutch struck again for Oakland on Monday night, as Derek Carr shook off three quarters of bad football to lead the Raiders to their eighth win of the season. Carr led Oakland to two fourth quarter touchdown drives, erasing a 20-13 deficit in the quarter. For the game, Carr threw for nearly 300 yards against the Texans, while connecting for three touchdowns.

The Raiders did not get anything going on the ground against the Texans defense, but that mattered little to the third-year quarterback. Carr was able to find some soft spots in Houston’s defense during the final frame, sealing another comeback victory for the Raiders. With Carr under center, the Raiders appear poised to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

2. Lamar Miller

The Houston Texans needed to run the ball effectively if they were to hang in with the Oakland Raiders on Monday night, and Lamar Miller did just that. Houston spent some good money in the offseason to bring Miller in, and he ran all over the Raiders in this one. In total, Miller rushed for over 100 yards against the Silver and Black, scoring a touchdown in the process.

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Miller has definitely been the better signing for the Texans, as Brock Osweiler has not looked good all season long. He carried the ball 24 times in total, while also catching two balls in the game. If Osweiler can get it going eventually, the Texans should have a pretty solid core on offense for the foreseeable future.

3. Jamize Olawale/Jalen Richard

The winners of Gruden’s Grinders, Jamize Olawale and Jalen Richard played huge roles in the Raiders win on Monday night. Despite the team not being able to do much on the ground, both running backs caught huge touchdowns against the Texans. Olawale tied the game with a 75-yard catch early in the fourth quarter, while Richard scored the team’s first touchdown of the game on a 17-yard reception.

Houston played extremely well against the run on Monday night, and actually held the Raiders offense in check for most of the game. Throughout the 2016 season, the Raiders have been able to feature multiple players in the backfield, and they showed once again on Monday that it does not matter whose number is called. Richard has played very well in his rookie season, and Olawale is beginning to make Raiders fans forget about Marcel Reece.

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Next Week

The Houston Texans will take on another AFC West team in Week 12, as they head home to take on the San Diego Chargers. Oakland will return to the Coliseum to do battle against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.