Winning streak reaches four
Heinicke throws 2 TD passes, leads late drive for go-ahead field goal
Taylor Heinicke threw two touchdown passes and set up new kicker Brian Johnson’s game-winning 48-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining to lead Washington to its fourth straight victory, 17-15 over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Heinicke, who starred for Old Dominion, threw a 7-yard TD pass to Logan Thomas on the opening drive and a 4-yarder to Antonio Gibson early in the fourth quarter after extending the drive with a key third-down scramble.
But Washington (6-6) then allowed the Raiders (6-6) to score on successive drives to take a 15-14 lead on Daniel Carlson’s 37-yard field goal that was set up by Nate Hobbs’ interception of Heinicke.
But Heinicke responded and drove Washington down the field to set up the kick by Johnson. who was signed earlier this week after Joey Slye went down with an injury. Johnson, a rookie who grew up in Washington and kicked in four games for the Saints this season, is from Virginia Tech, as are Slye and Thomas.
Washington coordinator Jack Del Rio’s defense then gave him a win in his first game against the Raiders since being fired as head coach by that team following the 2017 season. On the last play, Derek Carr’s desperation heave from the Raiders’ 43 fell incomplete, short of the goal line.
The Raiders were unable to build on a Thanksgiving overtime win at Dallas and lost for the fourth time in five games. Their offense has stalled after a strong start to the season.
They were held to just two field goals in the first three quarters as Carr seemed to miss injured tight end Darren Waller and couldn’t connect on the big plays with DeSean Jackson that helped fuel last week’s win.
Las Vegas finally got into the end zone when Josh Jacobs capped a 75-yard drive aided by three defensive penalties with a 1-yard run. Carr missed Bryan Edwards in the back of the end zone on the 2-point try to keep Washington ahead 14-12.
Slow start
The Raiders punted on their first three drives before getting a 52-yard field goal from Carlson in the closing seconds of the first half to cut the deficit to 7-3. It was the fifth time this season Las Vegas failed to score a touchdown in the first half.
Carr struggled to push the ball downfield, with his first 18 passes traveling a combined 36 yards downfield, according to NFL NextGen stats.
Key injuries
Washington: Thomas left the game in the second half with a knee injury and didn’t return . ... Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (ankle) also left the game.
Raiders: Running back Kenyan Drake (ankle) and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski (ankle) left the game in the first half and didn’t return. ... Linebacker Denzel Perryman (ankle) left in the second half.
Next
Washington: Hosts Dallas on Sunday.
Raiders: Visit Kansas City on Sunday.