Big-Play Raiders Roll Over Lions

For the first time this season, the Oakland Raiders scored on their opening drive, and they didn’t stop there.

With Jeff Hostetler throwing for four touchdowns, including passes of 58 yards to James Jett and 62 yards to Rickey Dudley, the Raiders defeated the Detroit Lions, 37-21, Sunday to put together back-to-back victories for the first time since last November.

All of the Lions’ points came in the third quarter after they fell behind, 34-0.

“We came into this game knowing they have a potent offense and if we got behind, with the way Scott Mitchell throws and Barry Sanders runs, it would’ve been a long day for us,” Raider receiver Tim Brown said. “We knew we had to go out and play well early and that’s what we did. Offensively, if we can play like this every week, we’re going to be tough to beat.”

Oakland (3-4), scoreless in the first quarter in six previous games this season, finished its opening series with Hostetler’s four-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Jett. Hostetler, who sat out the first two games because of a knee injury, kept the opening drive alive by recovering Joe Aska’s fumble and with a third-down scramble for 17 yards.

“Offensively, we did some real nice things and put a lot of points on the board,” Hostetler said. “It was a good way to start. But we all learned . . . no matter how far up you are, you still have to go out and execute.”

With the Lions trailing, 20-0, at halftime, Sanders was rendered a non-factor, and Mitchell--whose streak without an interception ended at 96 passes--didn’t get the Lions going until it was too late. Detroit (4-3) came in averaging 30 points in winning its previous three games.

“They won the first half and they also won the second,” Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes said. “Defensively, it was our worst effort. They threw the ball against one-on-one coverage and we just didn’t cover it. They whipped us. There are no excuses.”

Sanders was held to 36 yards in nine carries and Mitchell completed 31 of 50 passes for 343 yards, three scores and two interceptions. Hostetler threw for 295 yards, completing 28 of 37 passes.

“That’s as good as I’ve seen him play,” Oakland Coach Mike White said of Hostetler. “Obviously, it’s a team effort, but this was his day.”

Cole Ford kicked second-quarter field goals of 23 and 29 yards, the first of which was set up by James Trapp’s second-quarter interception of Mitchell.

Hostetler capped a 51-yard drive with a 10-yard scoring pass to Napoleon Kaufman in the final moments of the first half.

Oakland turned to the long ball in the second half. Jett sprinted past two defenders and hauled in Hostetler’s 58-yard strike and tumbled into the end zone.

On the ensuing series, Hostetler passed to Dudley in the middle of the field and the rookie tight end turned it into a 62-yard catch and run for the score and a 34-0 Raider lead.