Turnovers Key to Win Over Panthers
Oakland (6-3) 28 - Carolina (3-5) 23
Carolina, NC (Week 9, 2005) – With Randy Moss and Lamont Jordan back in the line-up after missing a game due to a freak accident, it was turnovers which allowed the Oakland Raiders to pull out a victory over the Carolina Panthers. It started early in the game as Carolina had their punt blocked by CB Renaldo Hill on the first possession of the game, giving the Raiders the ball on the Carolina 24 yard line.
Randy Moss, who missed last week’s game with team-mate Lamont Jordan by being trapped in an elevator, was anxious to get back on the field, and it showed as he quickly pulled in a 24 yard TD on the first Raiders offensive play of the game. “I was pumped up all week, ready for this game,” said Moss, after the game. “Missing that game last week was something I was not happy with, especially with the numbers I am putting up so far this year. When things are going good, you just want to keep playing as much as possible and take advantage of it.”
Moss finished the game with 76 yards receiving, well below his per-game average this year, but did have two touchdowns. Lamont Jordan also showed his anxiousness to play again, collecting 127 total yards and a touchdown reception. QB Kerry Collins also was strong, throwing for four touchdowns. Overall, the Raiders’ offence did not put up big numbers, collecting only 291 total yards for the game, but they did not need to put up strong numbers, as their average starting position for the game was their own 41 yard line.
That was thanks to the turnovers that the Oakland defence was able to generate. Collecting three fumbles and one interception at key moments in the game, as well as the special teams play, the Raiders were constantly in strong positions to come away with points. Despite the turnovers, the Oakland defence did struggle at times in the game, allowing DeShawn Foster and the rest of the Carolina run game to collect 168 yards. The Raider’s run defence suffered another blow as DT Ted Washington went down with an injury during the game and did not come back. After the game, Washington was examined and it was determined that he suffered a torn ankle ligament and will be out for the season.
“Losing Ted is going to hurt,” said DT Warren Sapp. “That is a big body in the middle of our line, and he is going to be missed. All we can do is try to pick up our play in his absence.”
Despite the performance of the defence against the run, the Raiders seem to be in a place where all they can do is win games, so long as their key players are in the game. However, with a bye week next week for the team, there is the worry that they will lose some momentum.
“What we have to do is stay focused over the next two weeks,” said Coach Shank. “The guys will get some time off to clear their minds and rest up, but then it is back to the practice field. We want to keep things going for us, because we are in a good place right now. Plus, we have our last game against San Diego when we get back, and that game is going to be huge. We are concentrating on one thing right now, and that is winning.”
Box Score
Attendance: 70,200 (73,300).
Weather: 51 degrees, fair.
1Q: 12:48 OAK - Randy Moss 24 pass from Kerry Collins.
1Q: 12:48 OAK - Steve Christie extra point.
1Q: 09:10 CAR - John Kasay 47 field goal.
1Q: 05:54 OAK - Rickey Dudley 11 pass from Kerry Collins.
1Q: 05:54 OAK - Steve Christie extra point.
1Q: 02:42 CAR - John Kasay 42 field goal.
1Q: 01:42 CAR - DeShaun Foster 15 run.
1Q: 01:42 CAR - John Kasay extra point.
2Q: 02:46 CAR - Ricky Proehl 3 pass from Jake Delhomme.
2Q: 02:46 CAR - John Kasay extra point.
2Q: 00:32 OAK - LaMont Jordan 45 pass from Kerry Collins.
2Q: 00:32 OAK - Steve Christie extra point.
3Q: 00:00 OAK - Randy Moss 25 pass from Kerry Collins.
3Q: 00:00 OAK - Steve Christie extra point.
4Q: 08:15 CAR - John Kasay 38 field goal.
Game MVP: OAK 5 Kerry Collins
Oakland 14 7 7 0 - 28
Carolina 13 7 0 3 - 23
Team Statistics OAK CAR
First Downs 15 24
Total Rushes 22 31
Rushing Yards 73 168
Yards Per Carry 3.3 5.4
Pass Attempts 28 45
Completions 16 26
Passing Yards 243 256
Yards Per Attempt 8.6 5.6
Sacked 4 1
Yards Lost 25 6
Interceptions 0 1
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 4/3
Total Plays 54 77
Total Yards 291 418
Yards Per Play 5.3 5.4
3rd Down Plays 2/11 7/14
Avg. YTG on 3rd 10.3 6.8
4th Down Plays 0/1 0/1
Penalties 6 3
Penalty Yards 60 30
Avg. Drive Start OWN 41 OWN 31
Time Of Possession 26:17 33:43
Oakland Individual Statistics
Rushing Att Yards Avg Long TD
34 Jordan 18 62 3.4 12 0
5 Collins 3 6 2.0 4 0
87 Whitted 1 5 5.0 5 0
Passing Att Comp Yards Yd/Att Long TD Int Sckd
5 Collins 28 16 243 8.6 45 4 0 4
Receiving Catch Yards Avg YAC Long TD
18 Moss 4 76 19.0 9 25 2
34 Jordan 4 65 16.2 23 45 1
87 Whitted 2 28 14.0 7 25 0
81 Curry 2 48 24.0 0 31 0
83 Anderson 2 15 7.5 9 9 0
88 Dudley 1 11 11.0 0 11 1
82 Ward 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
Punt Returns Att Yards Avg TD
Kick Returns Att Yards Avg TD
85 Gabriel 2 42 21.0 0
Punting Punts Yards Avg Long In20
9 Lechler 6 230 38.3 45 1
Kicking FG FGA Long PAT Att
6 Christie 0 1 0 4 4
Defense Tackle Assist Sack Int IntYds IntTD
55 Clark 8 7 0.0 0 0 0
25 Walker 8 3 0.0 0 0 0
22 Hill 6 0 0.0 0 0 0
36 Gibson 5 1 0.0 0 0 0
53 Foreman 5 0 0.0 0 0 0
30 Schweigert 4 1 0.0 0 0 0
45 Robinson 3 2 0.0 0 0 0
27 Washington 3 1 0.0 1 17 0
91 Burgess 3 1 0.0 0 0 0
59 Grant 3 1 0.0 0 0 0
51 Brayton 3 0 0.0 0 0 0
98 Hamilton 2 0 1.0 0 0 0
99 Sapp 2 2 0.0 0 0 0
95 Jasper 2 1 0.0 0 0 0
52 Morrison 2 0 0.0 0 0 0
54 Williams 1 1 0.0 0 0 0
43 Easy 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
26 Routt 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
92 Washington 0 1 0.0 0 0 0
96 Irons 0 1 0.0 0 0 0
Miscellaneous Fumb FForc Recov MiscTD KeyRBlk SckAlwd
76 Gallery 0 0 0 0 2 0
66 Walker 0 0 0 0 0 1
61 Seubert 0 0 0 0 1 1
62 Treu 0 0 0 0 1 1
65 Sims 0 0 0 0 2 0
70 Badger 0 0 0 0 0 1
99 Sapp 0 1 1 0 0 0
98 Hamilton 0 1 0 0 0 0
25 Walker 0 0 1 0 0 0
91 Burgess 0 0 1 0 0 0
59 Grant 0 1 0 0 0 0
34 Jordan 1 0 0 0 0 0
30 Schweigert 0 1 0 0 0 0
Carolina Individual Statistics
Rushing Att Yards Avg Long TD
26 Foster 22 110 5.0 20 1
35 Shelton 5 15 3.0 4 0
17 Delhomme 4 43 10.7 20 0
Passing Att Comp Yards Yd/Att Long TD Int Sckd
17 Delhomme 45 26 256 5.6 24 1 1 1
Receiving Catch Yards Avg YAC Long TD
89 Smith 7 109 15.5 14 24 0
26 Foster 7 34 4.8 15 16 0
86 Mangum 4 45 11.2 12 16 0
83 Colbert 4 43 10.7 6 19 0
81 Proehl 2 8 4.0 1 5 1
87 Gardner 2 17 8.5 2 12 0
Punt Returns Att Yards Avg TD
23 Lucas 1 -1 -1.0 0
Kick Returns Att Yards Avg TD
23 Lucas 4 92 23.0 0
32 Smart 1 21 21.0 0
Punting Punts Yards Avg Long In20
7 Baker 2 23 11.5 23 0
Kicking FG FGA Long PAT Att
4 Kasay 3 4 47 2 2
Defense Tackle Assist Sack Int IntYds IntTD
55 Morgan 6 3 1.0 0 0 0
54 Witherspoon 6 2 0.0 0 0 0
28 Branch 5 3 0.0 0 0 0
30 Minter 3 3 0.0 0 0 0
56 Kyle 3 0 0.0 0 0 0
23 Lucas 3 0 0.0 0 0 0
77 Jenkins 2 0 1.5 0 0 0
99 Buckner 2 1 0.5 0 0 0
93 Rucker 2 1 0.0 0 0 0
24 Manning 2 0 0.0 0 0 0
90 Peppers 1 2 1.0 0 0 0
81 Proehl 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
86 Mangum 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
84 Gaines 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
34 Jackson 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
92 Seward 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
63 Hangartner 1 0 0.0 0 0 0
Miscellaneous Fumb FForc Recov MiscTD KeyRBlk SckAlwd
68 Wahle 0 0 1 0 3 1
76 Reyes 0 0 0 0 3 0
26 Foster 2 0 0 0 0 0
56 Kyle 0 0 1 0 0 0
60 Mitchell 0 0 0 0 1 0
17 Delhomme 1 0 0 0 0 0
37 Goings 0 0 0 0 1 0
54 Witherspoon 0 1 0 0 0 0
69 Gross 0 0 0 0 1 0
35 Shelton 1 0 0 0 0 0