Raiders outlast Geno Smith-led Giants, 24-17

The Geno Smith-led New York Giants went into Oakland on Sunday looking for win No. 3, and they instead left with loss No. 10.

Heading into their Week 13 matchup against the Oakland Raiders, the New York Giants decided to turn to Geno Smith at quarterback. The move ended Eli Manning’s streak of 210 straight games starting for the Giants, and was a desperate try by head coach Ben McAdoo to try to get his team rolling. Well, Smith did not fair well against a Raiders defense that made it their point to make his life miserable the entire game.

Oakland got on the board early, as Marshawn Lynch took three handoffs from Derek Carr and scored on a 51-yard rush to give the Raiders and early 7-0 lead. That would be the only touchdown they would score until the fourth quarter, when DeAndre Washington ran one in himself to make the score 17-7. New York got a touchdown in the second quarter on a Orleans Darkwa one-yard run, and they pulled within three with under six minutes remaining, when Smith hit Evan Engram on a 10-yard strike.

However, the Raiders would strike right back, as Carr hit Johnny Holton for a nine-yard touchdown. It was Carr’s first touchdown pass of the game, though he threw the ball well despite not having his top two options available in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. The story all week long was how would the Giants play without Manning, but the real story ended up being how would the Raiders score points with so many weapons missing in the passing game.

Oakland made enough plays to win, as their defense really played well up front. The Giants just do not  have enough talent to be a legitimate contender this season, and they may end up firing McAdoo when they get back to New York on Monday. It has been a lost season for the G-Men, who will now set their focus on who they will be picking early in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Raiders moved to 6-6 with the win, and now find themselves suddenly tied with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers atop the AFC West.

Highlights

Betting Odds

The Raiders came into this game as huge home favorites, as they were giving 8.5 points to the Giants. They were able to win the game, but they were not able to cover. The over/under was set at 41.5, and that proved to be almost on the money, as the two teams combined for 41 points. All odds were available throughout the week on OddsShark.com.

Three Stars

1. Marshawn Lynch, Oakland Raiders

Marshawn Lynch certainly came into this game ready to play, as was evident by him controlling the entire first possession of the game. Lynch rushed the ball three times, capping the drive with a 51-yard touchdown run. He was a beast all through the game, getting tough yardage up the middle, while also making some nice plays in the passing game.

2. Cordarrelle Patterson, Oakland Raiders

It seemed every time the Raiders needed a big play, there was Cordarrelle Patterson making it in the passing game. Patterson hauled in four catches for 97 yards, but it was when he made the catches that mattered. He also had a big tackle in the punting game, as he really stepped up for the Raiders with both Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree out.

3. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders

Derek Carr came into this game without Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, so he was going to have to make due with his second unit. Those players definitely stepped up, but it was Carr’s leadership that really led the Silver and Black in this one. He continued to make plays against a banged up Giants defense, and finished with 287 yards and a touchdown to bring his team to the .500 mark.

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Next Week

The Oakland Raiders will hit the road in Week 14, as they go to Kansas City in a huge AFC West matchup with the Chiefs. The New York Giants will also take on a divisional foe next weekend, as they travel West to take on the Dallas Cowboys inside AT&T Stadium.