Photo credit: @Raiders
By Joe Hawkes
SRS Contributor
ALAMEDA–Following their bye week in Week 6, the Oakland Raiders return to the football field in Week 7 as they travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers. The Raiders (3-2) are riding a two-game winning streak after starting the season 1-2.
Kickoff for this matchup is at 10:00 a.m. PT.
This will be the third meeting for Oakland against an NFC North opponent this season, having splitting games against the Minnesota Vikings (lost) and the Chicago Bears (won).
As the Raiders continue their 49-day stretch from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the Silver and Black will look to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Packers.
The last time the Raiders defeated the Packers: Sept. 13, 1987 when the franchise was still in Los Angeles. The Raiders defeated the Packers, 20-0, in Green Bay.
Prior to their Week 6 bye, the Raiders rallied past the Chicago Bears, 24-21, in Week 5 in London. The matchup between Chicago and Oakland was the NFL’s first game at the newly built Totteham Hotspur Stadium.
The Raiders started fast against the Bears, jumping out to a 17-0 lead before heading into halftime before Chicago scored 21 unanswered points. Late in the fourth quarter, Oakland would utilize a 13-play, 97-yard drive that would be punctuated by running back Josh Jacobs’ second rushing touchdown of the game.
Jacobs finished the game with 26 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while becoming the first running back in Raiders history to post a 100-yard rushing game against Chicago.
The running back leads all rookies rushers in carries (88), yards (430), and touchdowns (4). His 430 rushing yards are the most in franchise history by a running back through the team’s first five games.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide is the early favorite to win AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year and possibly, the NFL’s Rookie of the Year if he continues to have a great season.
Quarterback Derek Carr, who earned his 17th-career fourth quarter comeback, played remarkably against the Bears. Carr completed 78.1 percent of his passes (25-of-32) for 229 yards. His 73.3 completion rating leads the NFL, and is challenging Drew Brees’s all-time mark of 74.4 set last season.
On the season, Carr has thrown for 1,117 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions with a 96.7 passer rating.
More importantly, the offensive line kept Carr upright by not allowing a sack by Chicago’s defense for only the second time since 2017.
Former Raiders linebacker/defensive end Khalil Mack, who was traded to Chicago prior to the start of last season from Oakland, was a non factor. Mack’s biggest play of the game was when he recovered a fumble after Jacobs went the wrong way on a pitch in the third quarter that ignited Chicago’s comeback.
Oakland’s defense turned in a stellar performance, racking up four sacks and two interceptions for the first time since 2014.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst had his first career multi-sack game and cornerback Gareon Conley and linebacker Nicholas Murrow each notched an interception off Bears backup quarterback, Chase Daniel.
Conley’s interception with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter would seal the win for the Silver and Black heading into their bye week.
Green Bay (5-1) is entering Week 7 coming off a 23-22 victory over their division rival, the Detroit Lions in the final seconds on Monday Night Football to close out Week 6.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 24-of-39 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Jamaal Williams chipped in with 14 carries for 104 yards.
Following Sunday’s game, the Raiders will travel to the Lone Star State to face the Houston Texans in Week 8 for their fifth-straight game away from Oakland before returning home to close out their NFC North schedule against the Lions on Nov. 3.
The Packers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 9.
Sports Radio Service 