Play-action pass to figure in game plan against Saints

Derek Carr dropped back on a first-and-10 play late in the third quarter against the Texans and faked a handoff to Josh Jacobs before spotting a wide open Davante Adams for an easy pitch- and-catch gain of 16 yards.

The rare opportunity to throw to Adams without multiple defenders keeping tabs on him was created by a successful run game and the ability of Carr to effectively maximize his ability on play fakes.

Jacobs had been wearing out the Texans defense all game, which brought them out of their preferred two-deep safety look. The defense had eight players in the box and fully expected run because the Raiders had handed the ball off on three straight first-and-10 plays when they had fullback Jakob Johnson on the field in front of Jacobs.

So when the entire defense bit on the play-action fake, Adams ran a simple in-route 10 yards down the field and the completion was elementary.

The Raiders are likely to look to continue utilizing that formula when they hit the road to play the Saints in a 10 a.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome in the first of back-to-back road games in the Southeast that could either propel them right back into the thick of the playoff race or put them squarely behind the eight ball.

The Raiders will head to Florida after the game and conduct practice there throughout the week before playing the Jaguars in Jacksonville next week.

They hit the road this weekend after a game in which the play-action passing game was as efficient and productive as it has been all season.

“Play action takes all 11 guys,” offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi said. “But when you run the ball as effectively as we have the past few weeks, then obviously it’s a benefit to do that.”

Depending on the grading system, Carr went either 9-for-10 or 11-for-12 when throwing after a play fake. The difference is likely because on two occasions he faked handoffs to an area where there was no running back.

Either way, it was a big leap from the 19.1 percent of dropbacks the Raiders had utilized play fakes over the course of the full season.

Sportradar had Carr’s nine completions as being tied for his most on play-action over the last four years.

It has been an effective tool throughout the season. Carr completes 76.9 percent of his passes after a play fake and 60.5 percent on straight dropbacks. He also averages 10.2 yards per attempt as compared to just 6.5 when there is no fake.

But the big step up in usage could be a direct result of Jacobs running for more than 140 yards in three consecutive games and opponents being forced to stack the box.

“I think it all starts with how we run the football,” Carr said. “When I turn my back and stick the ball out to Josh’s stomach, people have to believe it.”

While the Raiders will look to replicate that formula when they take the field against the Saints, it’s not always that easy. Coach Josh McDaniels takes a more holistic approach to whether the run sets up the pass or vice versa.

“Sometimes there’s games where you need to throw it first and back them off a little bit to be able to maybe make it a little easier, create a little bit more space in the running game,” he said. “Certainly, if you run it well and they feel obligated to get down there and do more things defensively to stop the run, then that can present opportunities.”

He said the various defensive looks the Saints present under coach Dennis Allen presents a particular challenge.

“They do a lot of different things so we’re going to have to be able to handle whatever the look is that we get,” McDaniels said. “And it’s great to say, ‘Well, we throw it versus this and run it versus that.’ But that’s not real life. I think more important is the execution of whatever the play is that’s called.”

The plan was working and the players were executing it last week. The result was the biggest win of the season. Now the challenge becomes sustaining that success, starting Sunday in New Orleans.

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