Raiders rewind: How did team beat Browns with 2 stars injured?

The Raiders, despite some wild ups and downs through the first month of the season, are 2-2 after four games.

Their 20-16 victory over the Browns on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium wasn’t pretty, but no one expected a work of art with stars Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby injured. The Raiders instead strapped on their hard hats, got to work and established a running game for the first time all season.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy saw his team had trouble running between the tackles the first three weeks, so he got creative and spread the ball around. He challenged Cleveland on the edges rather than up the gut.

Five different Raiders had a run of at least 10 yards. The team hasn’t had that happen in a game since Week 8 of the 2010 season against Seattle.

The Raiders also became the first team to have multiple wide receivers score rushing touchdowns — DJ Turner and Tre Tucker each had one Sunday — since the Jets in 2010.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for three games and really even back to the preseason,” coach Antonio Pierce said. “Let’s get this running game going. Let’s get some positive yards, let’s get these chunk runs, these explosive runs. And that really showed up. Again, for a defense, you don’t want that. That’s one thing that plays in your mind. You can throw the ball for 500, 600 yards, but when a team is running the ball on you, that gets into your head mentally, emotionally and physically, and it just wears on you. So, the more you do that, it opens up our play-pass, our play action, our keepers and things of that nature.”

Putting it into perspective

If all’s well that ends well, then the Raiders had a fine week.

Pierce, as well as several players, said the days after the team’s 36-22 home loss to the Panthers on Sept. 22 were difficult. Pierce called out players who made “business” decisions after the defeat. Then the Raiders learned Adams and Crosby were hurt and tight end Michael Mayer was out against the Browns for personal reasons.

The fact that they overcame all that meant Sunday’s result felt bigger than just one win to those inside the team’s facility.

Star of the game

Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao gets the nod here over several other worthy candidates.

The third-year pro had the difficult task of taking over for veteran Marcus Epps, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Panthers. Epps’ leadership and communication skills were invaluable to the Raiders’ defense.

Pola-Mao filled those shoes admirably. He had a sack and a key pass deflection. But even more than that, he always appeared to be in the right place at the right time. His performance was impressive.

Play of the game

Safety Tre’von Moehrig’s interception of quarterback Deshaun Watson in the third quarter was massive, as it allowed the Raiders to extend their lead to 20-10.

But defensive end Charles Snowden’s game-clinching sack deserves mention as well.

Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham called several stunts Sunday to take advantage of the Browns’ inexperienced offensive line. He dialed up another one with the Cleveland facing a fourth-and-3 from the Raiders’ 9-yard line in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Snowden did an incredible job of looping around and finding a lane up the middle of the Browns’ offensive line. He then chased Watson down for the sack.

Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins helped set Snowden up by drawing attention from the interior of Cleveland’s offensive line. Wilkins also got pressure on Watson to prevent him from hitting wide receiver Jerry Jeudy over the middle.

Defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson then kept Watson from getting upfield as the quarterback tried to escape left. That bought enough time for Snowden to finish the play off.

Everything, from the play call to its execution, was perfect.

Drive of the game

The Raiders trailed 10-0 after the Browns’ first two possessions and were in danger of digging themselves another early hole.

They then put together a great touchdown drive to get back in the game.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers broke a tackle in the backfield and picked up 12 yards on an end around. Second-year wide receiver Tre Tucker had a 14-yard catch to convert a third down, then gained 14 yards on another reception two plays later.

Two back-to-back successful runs by running back Zamir White and wide receiver Tyreik McAllister then set the Raiders up with a first down at the Browns’ 8-yard line. Three players later Tucker took a reverse 3 yards for a touchdown.

It was one of the Raiders’ best drives of the season. They marched 70 yards in 11 plays over 5:45 and picked up five first downs on the possession.

What were they thinking?

Pierce’s game management has been criticized during his tenure, but the Raiders benefited from a horrible decision on the opposing sideline Sunday.

Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski botched the build up to Snowden’s sack.

The Brown should have gotten up to the line of scrimmage and run a play. Instead, Stefanski had his offense try to draw the Raiders offside and then used a timeout. That gave the defense the opportunity to substitute and set up the stunt. It also mean the Raiders were able to run out the clock after getting the stop.

Observations

■ Second-year defensive end Tyree Wilson might have had his best game as a pro. He generated a lot of pressure.

■ Rookie left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson added a new dimension to the offensive line. His energy showed up on film. The line still struggled a bit at the end of the game when right guard Dylan Parham got hurt and Powers-Johnson had to switch sides.

■ Bowers had a drop in the first quarter, but he did a good job blocking. He also made a smart read on one fourth-quarter reception, giving Minshew a quick target when the Browns blitzed two linebackers.

■ Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy made some good adjustments Sunday. He got the Raiders’ faster players the ball in space to make things difficult on Cleveland’s defense. He also made sure the team hurried up any time defensive end Myles Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year, came off the field for a breather.

Looking ahead

The Raiders (2-2) head back on the road in Week 5 to face the Broncos (2-2) in an AFC West showdown. Both teams have mixed some uneasy offensive performances with some impressive defensive showings.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.