Raiders report: ‘Mr. Closer’ gets crucial late-game sack to beat Browns
Defensive end Charles Snowden made two of the biggest plays of his career to close out the Raiders’ 20-16 win over the Browns at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
He may have earned himself a new nickname in the process.
Snowden’s teammates were calling him “Mr. Closer” in the locker room after he wrecked Cleveland’s final possession. He deflected a pass on a second-and-16 from the Raiders’ 22-yard line with 1:22 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Browns looking for a go-ahead touchdown. Snowden then recorded the first solo sack of his NFL career two plays later on fourth down to end things.
“Before this, they’ve been calling me, ‘Blizzard,’” Snowden said, laughing. “So, we’ll see which name wins.”
Snowden was given the “Blizzard” nickname by special teams coach Tom McMahon, who thought “Snow” made the 26-year-old sound too soft.
Snowden’s performance that final drive was certainly more reminiscent of a raging storm than peaceful precipitation.
The game was special for Snowden, who entered this season with six career snaps on defense. He was largely just a practice squad player the first three years of his career after going undrafted in 2021. He was waived again out of training camp this season, but found his way into the lineup thanks to injuries to defensive ends Malcolm Koonce and Maxx Crosby.
Snowden, who has also played for the Bears and Buccaneers, is starting to take advantage of his opportunity.
“It’s interesting how certain guys’ careers work, right?” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “Here is a guy that goes undrafted, practice squad. We pick him up last year, and to be honest you saw it in the spring. He’s making some flash plays. Injuries happen, and he gets pulled up and we’ve asked him to do a lot, from special teams, to playing linebacker, to playing defensive end.
“That last play, full-blown, we needed to have it. Fourth-and-3, game on the line, and he did everything he could.”
Charles Snowden called game for the @Raiders! pic.twitter.com/kHI5HKQ1cZ
— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
Snowden has appeared in all four of the Raiders’ games so far and shared a sack last week. He was all smiles in the locker room Sunday after the biggest performance of his career.
“I’m feeling very emotional and grateful for my teammates and coaches and myself and all the sacrifices I’ve made,” Snowden said. “The ups and downs of the NFL aren’t easy, but on a day like today, it makes it all worth it.
“The faith the coaches had in me to trust me to go out and make a play in that moment, with the game on the line, really means the world to me. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
‘Business decision’
Raiders starting cornerback Jack Jones did not play during the first quarter Sunday.
Pierce did not make the reasoning for the benching explicit.
“That was my decision,” Pierce said. “That’s between me and Jack.”
Jones was sidelined a week after Pierce called out some players on the team for making “business decisions” in an embarrassing 36-22 home loss to the Panthers.
The Browns scored on both drives Jones missed to take a 10-0 lead. Cleveland didn’t score on offense the rest of the game.
“It’s not tough to watch,” Jones said. “That’s ball. If I’m not up, I’m not up. And when I’m up, I’ve got to play.”
Playmakers
Seven Raiders had rushing attempts Sunday.
Wide receivers Tre Tucker and DJ Turner both ran for touchdowns.
Tight end Brock Bowers got a carry and picked up 12 yards.
“That goes all the way back to training camp,” Tucker said. “We know all the playmakers we have on this offense. Sometimes I’m in awe when I see Brock run. He’s a tight end and he runs like a receiver. Obviously, we know what DJ can do. Even Jakobi (Meyers), too. We have a plethora of playmakers, and I think we’re going to continue to try to get everyone involved throughout the season.”
Tucker had no doubt he would find the end zone on his touchdown, a 3-yard run on a reverse.
“We call it in the huddle and in my head it’s a touchdown already because nobody is running me down,” Tucker said. “It’s three yards. I’ll bet my life savings I can get three yards down there. So, that’s what I did.”
Finding a rhythm
The Raiders ran for 152 yards Sunday after totaling 153 yards on the ground their first three games.
Rookie left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson said the team just built on each successful rushing attempt to find a groove for the first time this season.
“It’s definitely a domino effect,” Powers-Johnson said. “It’s just about gaining confidence. Like the pitcher that keeps missing with his curveball until he finally finds that perfect flick of the wrist and it breaks right over the plate and now he’s got it. That’s how it is. You just need that one play where pads are popping and you feel that roar of the crowd and it’s like, ‘OK, there it is. Let’s go.’
Fellow rookie DJ Glaze, who started at right tackle Sunday, said the offensive line was enjoying the success.
“You push a defensive lineman down the field, see the back go by and then you can chase the ball and celebrate with your guys,” Glaze said. “That’s pretty fun.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.