Dominant Lions punish Raiders as frustrated Adams loses cool on sideline
Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs ran for a seasonhigh 152 yards and a touchdown, Jared Goff threw for 272 yards with a score, and the Detroit Lions beat the Las Vegas Raiders 26-14 on Monday night.
The NFC North-leading Lions (6-2) stalled on three early drives, setting for field goals, before Goff threw an 18-yard strike to rookie Sam LaPorta to put them ahead 16-7 late in the first half.
Goff threw an interception that Marcus Peters returned 75 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter, allowing Las Vegas (3-5) to pull within two points. Detroit’s next drive ended when Craig Reynolds fumbled at the Raiders’ three-yard line.
The Lions kept the ball and scored on their third drive of the second half, taking a two-score lead on Gibbs’ 27yard touchdown run. Riley Patterson made a 52-yard field goal to give Detroit a 12-point lead.
That was a comfortable cushion against the offensively challenged Raiders.
Las Vegas welcomed the return of Jimmy Garoppolo, but lamented that he threw a league-leading ninth interception one play after the Raiders recovered a fumble in the first quarter. Kerby Joseph picked off Garoppolo’s lofted pass into double coverage toward
Davante Adams in the end zone.
Midway through the fourth, trying to rally, the Raiders gave up sacks on three of four snaps and turned it over on downs at their 28. In all, Las Vegas allowed their beat-up quarterback to get sacked six times.
Garoppolo, who has been struggling with a back injury, was 10 of 21 for 126 yards. Even when Garoppolo had time to throw and an open receiver, he misfired – as he did when Adams was all alone deep down field late in the game. When that series ended, the standout receiver slammed his helmet to the ground on the sideline and sat in apparent disgust on the Raiders’ bench.
“I don’t know what to say at this moment,” Adams said after the game. “I wish I had the words to say something that’s not going to be blown up in the media and taken out of context.”
The six-time Pro Bowler added: “It’s hard to curb your frustration when you can’t put it together when you know you should.”
Josh Jacobs’ lackluster season continued. He finished with 15 carries for 61 yards and a three-yard touchdown late in the first half that cut the Raiders’ deficit to 9-7. That was their only score on offense.
Goff completed 26 of 37 passes, connecting six times for 108 with AmonRa St Brown, who played through an illness. Detroit also had a dynamic running game to keep the Raiders on their heels. Gibbs, the No 12 pick overall in this year’s draft, had a season-high 26 carries and five receptions for 37 yards.