Raiders report: Wide receiver takes advantage of expanded role

The Raiders’ search for a playmaking wide receiver led them to sign veteran DeSean Jackson last week.

Instead, it was a second-year pro who was already in the starting lineup who stepped up with a solid performance in Sunday night’s 41-14 loss to the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.

Bryan Edwards caught three passes for a team-high 88 yards and a touchdown in one of his best games as a pro.

The numbers might have been disappointing in that they came in a blowout, but Edwards’ touchdown came on the opening drive of the second half and cut the Kansas City lead to 17-14.

He also had a 27-yard reception and drew a pass interference play on the Raiders’ first scoring drive that tied the game 7-7 in the second quarter.

The breakout effort came a week after Edwards failed to secure any of his four targets in a loss to the Giants in the first game the team played without former receiver Henry Ruggs.

Edwards said the team remains confident despite the two-game losing streak and a chaotic month off the field.

“I feel like even though we’ve had the two losses and off-the-field things, I don’t feel like we’re in a bad place because we have great leaders,” he said. “I feel like we will bounce back from this.”

He might have to play a big part in that.

Jackson caught his only target for 38 yards, but then fumbled the ball to the Chiefs.

His presence, along with the attention tight end Darren Waller and receivers Hunter Renfrow and to a lesser degree Zay Jones receive from the defense, should open things up for Edwards to be a playmaker.

“That opened up Bryan for some explosive plays, and he did a good job with those,” interim coach Rich Bisaccia said. “Some of what we did on the outside opened him up inside.”

Three-and-out

The Raiders were limited to one successful third-down conversion on nine attempts.

It was just the fourth time in the Derek Carr era that the team converted less than 20 percent of its attempts, including one game in 2017 when he left with an injury.

Bisaccia said the inability to keep drives alive not only affected the offense but also kept the defense on the field far too often.

“Just not enough plays to get ourselves going, and then we just didn’t do a very good job on third down,” Bisaccia said. “We played from behind most of the game and put ourselves in bad positions, then some penalties to put ourselves into third-and-longs.”

The Raiders were held to 82 yards in the first half, their fewest at home since a 2013 game against Denver.

Flag on the play

Rookie offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood was flagged for a false start in the first half, his NFL-leading sixth such penalty this season.

He has been called for nine enforced penalties this season, second in the league among offensive linemen.

Add injury to insult

Fullback Alec Ingold went down with an apparent knee injury as he covered a punt and did not return.

There was obvious concern about the severity of the injury, which will be updated by Bisaccia on Monday.

Cornerback Brandon Facyson left the field on two occasions, and fullback Jalen Richard left on a special teams play in the second half.

Cornerback Keisean Nixon had been listed as doubtful until he was upgraded to questionable Sunday morning. He playedbut didn’t finish the game.

Never forget

The Chiefs have made no secret of their displeasure about reports that former coach Jon Gruden ordered the team bus to do a celebratory lap around Arrowhead Stadium when the Raiders won in Kansas City last season.

Reserve safety Armani Watts wasted no time referencing the supposed incident on social media after the Chiefs returned the favor at Allegiant Stadium.

“We don’t need no victory lap,” he posted on Twitter shortly after the game. “On to the next.”

Watts included a flexing emoji with the post.

The teams play again Dec. 12 at Arrowhead.

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