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Raiders rally in final drive, upset Ravens, 37-33

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The Oakland Tribune

OAKLAND, Calif. The Raiders coughed up a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, but that only set the stage for Derek Carr and Oakland’s dramatic game-winning drive.

Carr hit Seth Roberts for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds to go and the Raiders earned the first win of the Jack Del Rio coaching era by stunning the Baltimore Ravens, 37-33.

The Raiders (1-1) had the Coliseum rocking for three quarters Sunday before watching Baltimore (0-2) storm back and take a 33-30 lead with 2:10 to go. The tiebreaking field goal was set up by a Carr interception.

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But Carr moved the Raiders 80 yards in nine plays, completing 5 of 7 passes on the drive to earn redemption. A critical holding penalty a play before the touchdown wiped out a Baltimore interception and gave Carr a second life that he seized.

Neiko Thorpe sealed the win when he intercepted Joe Flacco on the Ravens’ ensuing possession.

Carr finished the day 30 of 46 for 351 yards and three touchdowns. Michael Crabtree caught nine passes for 111 yards and a score and Amari Cooper had seven catches for 109 yards and caught a 68-yard touchdown pass on the game’s first drive.

The game was tied at 20 at halftime and Oakland charged ahead in the third quarter. The Raiders kicked a field goal on their first drive and went up 30-20 with a touchdown on the next possession.

Carr raced up the left sideline 24 yards on a keeper to surprise the Ravens defense, then hit Crabtree for a 29-yard score on the next play that made it a 10-point game.

Baltimore came back, kicking a field goal early in the fourth quarter to get within a touchdown. The Raiders followed with a quick three-and-out and punter Marquette King pinned the Ravens at their own 7-yard line with a career-long 70-yard punt.

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That didn’t matter as Flacco marched his troops down and Lorenzo Taliaferro scored on a 7-yard run to tie the game.

Carr couldn’t lead the clutch go-ahead drive that time. After picking up a first down, Carr tried to go deep again. But his pass to Crabtree was a floater that Will Hill III picked off and returned 25 yards to Oakland’s 37-yard line.

After Flacco misfired to an open Steve Smith on third down, Justin Tucker kicked the go-ahead 31-yard field goal.

(c)2015 The Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Calif.)

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