Crabtree baffled by late removal
OAKLAND >> Receiver Michael Crabtree was still searching for an explanation after the Raiders’ 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday why he was being evaluated for a concussion as the biggest play of the season was beginning to unfold. Crabtree, the Raiders’ biggest playmaking receiver in goal-line situations, was in the tent on Oakland’s sideline as quarterback Derek Carr scrambled out of the pocket attempting to score a touchdown.
Carr lunged for the goalline pylon with the ball in his hand before he fumbled through the end zone for a touchback with 31 seconds to go.
Crabtree fell awkwardly to the ground just two plays before the fumble, as he was fighting to make a catch inside the Cowboys’ red zone on a deep ball thrown by Carr. Dallas cornerback Jourdan Lewis was called for pass interference, giving the Raiders the ball on the Cowboys’ 15 with 44 seconds left. Crabtree was still in the game for the next play, as Carr’s attempted throw to him in the end zone fell incomplete. At that point,
though, he was taken out of the game, even though he said he felt fine.
“I’m good, that’s why I was (ticked) off,” Crabtree said. “It was the last play of the game and I’m trying to win. It’s cool. I can’t doing nothing about it.
“I’m still trying to figure out why they took me out.” Crabtree’s removal from the game left Carr and the Raiders scrambling.
“We actually had a play called, a certain play called on the other side and then the refs made us take (Crabtree) out,” Carr said. “And then we had to change our call.”
• Defensive lineman Treyvon Hester was knocked out the game with an ankle injury and left tackle Donald Penn left with a foot injury.
Penn was seen leaving the Raiders’ locker room with a walking boot on his right foot.
With Penn out, Marshall Newhouse moved from right tackle to left tackle and Vadal Alexander took Newhouse’s spot. On an already thin defensive line with Mario Edwards Jr. out, Eddie Vanderdoes and Jihad Ward took most of the snaps in Hester’s spot.
Penn was injured with just over four minutes to go in the first quarter. Penn, 34, was making his 170th consecutive start, the longest active streak in the NFL among offensive linemen.
• Khalil Mack’s first-half sack of Prescott gave him a sack in five straight games and 8.5 for the season.