Raiders self-destruct again in loss to Steelers
PITTSBURGH — Considering the winter storm that drove the temperature to a 33-year low for a Steelers game, the emotions of the sudden death of Pittsburgh icon Franco Harris and the nostalgia of the 50-year anniversary of one of the most iconic moments in NFL history, the Raiders were fending things off on all fronts Saturday night.
But in the end, their biggest enemy was themselves in a 13-10 loss at Acrisure Stadium that left them kicking themselves over self-inflicted wounds that ran the gamut from turnovers to costly penalties to blown opportunities.
In that way, it was a microcosm of their disappointing season that will almost certainly leave them out of the playoffs.
The final nail in that coffin was delivered by Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett throwing to fellow rookie George Pickens for a 14-yard touchdown with 46 seconds left.
To be frank, though, the Raiders (6-9) lost this one before it got to that point, and as usual, it was by their own hands.
It came to a close when quarterback Derek Carr overthrew wide receiver Hunter Renfrow with 29 seconds remaining for his third interception.
“Too many mistakes, too many self-inflicted errors,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “Not good enough football in critical situations.”
Carr’s record in cold weather situations is well known. Entering Saturday’s game, which began with a temperature of 9 degrees but fell to minus 14 with the wind chill, Carr was 0-6 when the temperature was 37 degrees or colder. And Saturday’s conditions were by far the coldest he’s played in.
In five sub-37-degree games before last season’s wild-card playoff game at Cincinnati, Carr has one touchdown throw in each game and surpassed 222 yards once. He also threw five interceptions.
It would prove to be his undoing again Saturday.
“Everyone had to play in them,” Carr said of the conditions. “No matter what, you got to do your job as best you can, and for me, I’m just trying to do my best to hit my guys and find the open receiver.”
Carr finished with 174 yards on 16 of 30 passing with a touchdown and the three interceptions.
“It’s tough to overcome,” McDaniels said of the interceptions. “If you lose the turnover battle in this league, most the time you lose the game.”
And to think it started so well for the Raiders.
They won the opening coin toss for only the second time this season, but rather than defer to the second half, which most teams tend to do, they opted to take the opening kickoff.
It proved to be a wise decision. They drove 72 yards on 14 plays, shaving off more than eight minutes and cashing in when Carr and Renfrow hooked up on a 14-yard touchdown pass on third and 7.
It set the stage for a weather-affected first half in which both teams tried to scheme and game plan around the conditions, which in addition to the cold featured periods of gusty wind.
In doing so, the onus was on the Raiders’ defense to hold up. And it did exactly that by surrendering just three first-half points for the third straight game.
It included two big stands deep in Raiders territory in which they turned the Steelers away by forcing field-goal attempts. The first sailed right to preserve their 7-0 lead. The second kept their lead intact at 7-3 after Chris Boswell’s 44-yard field goal.
The Raiders got the three points right back, though, by driving 53 yards in nine plays to set up Daniel Carlson’s 40-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half to push the advantage to 10-3.
It should have been more, but two Carr throws to wide receiver Davante Adams sailed wide and high for incompletions. On the second, Adams lost his defender and was wide open for what could have been an easy touchdown.
Carr and the offense squandered another big opportunity early in the third quarter after the Raiders’ pass rush got to Pickett, forcing him to rush a throw that ended up in Denzel Perryman’s hands for an interception.
Set up at the Steelers’ 47, Carr’s throw to tight end Foster Moreau was picked off by cornerback Arthur Maulet.
Carr’s second interception soon followed, and this one was squarely on his shoulders, as he threw behind Renfrow and into safety Minkah Fitzpatrick’s hands.
The good news for the Raiders? Their defense again answered the bell, tightening up at their 34-yard line to force another field-goal attempt by Boswell. This one sailed wide left, and the Raiders still led 10-3.
But Carr and the offense did not take advantage again. The culprit this time was a face-mask penalty on Moreau that wiped out a 36-yard run by Josh Jacobs. Instead of a first down at the Steelers’ 23, the Raiders were backed up to their 26. Two plays later, Carr was sacked for a 13-yard loss, and the Raiders punted.
Pittsburgh followed with a nine-play, 33-yard drive, capped by a 40-yard field goal from Boswell to make the score 10-6.
Perhaps the ending was fitting on a night when the Steelers celebrated the 50-year anniversary of “The Immaculate Reception” and retired the No. 32 of Harris, who died Tuesday at age 72.
“We dedicated this to Franco,” Pickett said. “Felt like he was with us tonight.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.
