Raiders top Eagles in second game under interim Bisaccia
LAS VEGAS » Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr found inactive tight end Darren Waller on the sideline during Sunday’s game against the Eagles to let him know “how weird” it was not having his top target on the field.
“I joked around, ‘that’s 20 targets I gotta disburse to some other targets now,’” Carr told Waller.
Not a problem.
Carr threw for 323 yards, completing 31 of 34 pass attempts with one touchdown as Las Vegas defeated the Eagles, 33-22.
Carr’s 91.1 completion percentage was a career best and the second-best singlegame percentage in NFL history behind Drew Brees (96.7), on a minimum of 30 attempts.
“We can all see the relationship that him and (offensive coordinator) Greg Olson have running this offense, it’s just really coming to fruition,” interim coach Rich Bisaccia said. “Off the field, Derek is the voice of the Raiders right now. The players always want to listen to him . ... He’s a tremendous leader both on and off the field.”
The Raiders (5-2) outgained the Eagles 443-358 in a performance that saw Las Vegas score on five straight possessions after its first series ended with Carr intercepted inside the 5.
It was Las Vegas’ second straight win with Olson calling plays, and since Jon Gruden resigned Oct. 11 because of offensive emails sent before being hired in 2018.
Under Bisaccia, the Raiders have outscored Denver
and Philadelphia, 67-46.
The Eagles (2-5) lost their second straight and for the fifth time in six games.
Joining Waller on the sideline after running for 29 yards on six attempts including one touchdown, was running back Josh Jacobs, who suffered a chest injury.
Stepping up in the Pro Bowlers’ places were tight end Foster Moreau, who had a career-high six receptions for 60 yards, and running back Kenyan Drake, who rushed for 69 yards on 14 attempts, including one touchdown.
Prior to Carr’s second redzone interception of the season, the Eagles marched 62 yards in eight plays on the game’s opening drive. Jalen Hurts found rookie Kenneth Gainwell over the middle for a 13-yard score.
Four different Raiders scored touchdowns as Drake and Bryan Edwards found the end zone in the third quarter.
And while the Raiders’ offensive line was carving out its best performance of the season, Las Vegas’ pass rush
continued to haunt quarterbacks. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue had two sacks, the 12th multi-sack game of his career and second this season.
After its touchdown, the Eagles’ next six possessions ended with a punt, punt, fumble, end of the half, punt and a fumble. Las Vegas had takeaways in backto-back games for the first time since doing it in three straight in 2019.
“We ran the ball on these guys,” tight end Dallas Goedert said. “We knew what they were going to do defensively. We started the game with a great drive. We just got to convert and keep drives going throughout the game.”
BAMA FIVE
It was a reunion of former national champions, as Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith and offensive lineman Landon Dickerson were teammates at Alabama with Jacobs, wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood. The quintet has seven national championship rings, with
Smith and Leatherwood earning two each.
CENTER OF ATTENTION
Jason Kelce has started 112 consecutive regular-season games, the longest active streak among NFL centers. Kelce was called for a critical unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a third down. The Eagles punted one down later, and the Raiders extended their lead to 23 points on their next drive.