Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) celebrates with Las Vegas Raiders tight end Foster Moreau (87) after making a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022.
Published Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Updated Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 | 3:51 p.m.
The Raiders’ second win of the season wasn’t too much unlike their first, with star running back Josh Jacobs leading the team to victory at Allegiant Stadium.
Jacobs had 143 yards and three touchdowns as Las Vegas outlasted Houston 38-20 at home in what was a close game until a decisive fourth quarter. The fourth-year running back out of Alabama capped back-to-back drives with scoring runs.
He took an inside handoff seven yards through traffic at the goal line on the first touchdown, and then a counter 15 yards on the second. That gave the Raiders touchdowns on four straight possessions, as Jacobs also had a 4-yard sweep score in the third quarter while receiver Mack Hollins caught a 26-yard pass from Derek Carr in the third quarter.
And then Las Vegas got another with Houston driving late desperately trying to get back in the game. Texans quarterback Davis Mills threw a ball into traffic in the middle of the field that veteran safety Duron Harmon picked off and returned 73 yards for a touchdown.
Mills had played well to that point and finished with 302 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 28 of 41 attempts. For a while, it looked like he may outduel Carr but the Raiders' veteran ended up putting together a strong stat line of his own with 241 yards and a touchdown on 21-for-27 passing.
Davante Adams was Carr's favorite target as he hauled in eight passes for 95 yards.
Las Vegas’ defense underperformed for most of the day, but started to play better in the fourth quarter. Maxx Crosby made a huge 3rd-and-1 run stuff on the possession before Jacobs’ final touchdown, and then also had a batted-down pass before Harmon’s virtual game-clinching interception.
Las Vegas now stands at 2-4 with four of its next five games on the road starting next week at New Orleans.
This is a developing story. Check back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage and read below for live updates from throughout the game.
Josh Jacobs has put the Raiders comfortably ahead for the first time this season with a 15-yard touchdown run, his third score of the day.
Las Vegas leads Houston 31-20 with seven minutes remaining at Allegiant Stadium. Jacobs now has 20 carries for 143 yards.
He wasn’t touched on his latest run as Thayer Munford and Alex Bars cleared a hole for him to run through up front.
Raiders back in front
A shootout is developing at Allegiant Stadium.
The Raiders just finished a third straight drive with a touchdown, this one a 7-yard run on a draw by Josh Jacobs. Las Vegas now leads Houston 24-20.
Despite the Raiders’ offensive breakout, they haven’t been able to pull away from the Texans because the visitors have scored on their last two drives as well. The first was a field goal, however, and that’s so far the difference in the game.
After a slow start, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has gotten into sync with 204 yards on 19-for-24 passing. Jacobs crossed the century mark with his touchdown and now has 103 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Texans answer Raiders’ touchdown
Davis Mills is not going to allow the Raiders to run away with a win.
The Texans’ quarterback just answered the Raiders’ scoring drive with a 25-yard touchdown strike to Phillip Dorsett to put Houston back on top 20-17 in Las Vegas. Mills has completed 17 of 23 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in Las Vegas.
Three Texans’ receivers have more than 40 yards — Jordan Akins, Brandin Cooks and Dorsett — as the Raiders appear to be struggling without top cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Raiders come out of halftime hot
The Raiders just showed a glimpse of the high-powered offense many hoped they’d field this season.
Quarterback Derek Carr led a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive to put the Raiders up 17-13 on the Texans. Josh Jacobs scored the touchdown, taking a sweep four yards into the end zone.
Las Vegas got inside the 5-yard line when Carr danced through a collapsing pocket and hit Foster Moreau for a 17-yard third-down completion.
The offense has come alive, but the Raiders will need their defense to join in to comfortably secure their second win of the season.
Texans kick field goal on opening drive of second half
The tie game lasted four minutes.
Houston broke the deadlock on its first drive out of halftime with a 35-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbarn, putting it back on top of Las Vegas 13-10 in the third quarter. Texans quarterback Davis Mills had his team going right down the field before stalling just inside the red zone.
Mills completed back-to-back long passes to Jordan Akins and Phillip Dorsett to get the Texans into scoring range.
Raiders tie the game
It felt like the Raiders badly needed a touchdown going into halftime, and they got one with 25 seconds remaining on the clock.
Derek Carr zipped a pass down the middle of the field that Mack Hollins caught for a 26-yard score. It’s 10-10 going into halftime.
Las Vegas hasn’t looked great the majority of the day but a 10-play, 82-yard scoring drive to end the first half gives it some momentum going forward.
Texans add a field goal
Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbarn missed a 39-yard attempt earlier, but just converted a 55-yarder to put the Raiders at a touchdown deficit at Allegiant Stadium.
Houston leads Las Vegas 10-3 after the field goal. The Texans opted for the field goal instead of going for it on a 4th-and-2 play from the Raiders’ 37-yard line.
Las Vegas hasn’t been able to stop rookie running back Dameon Pierce, who’s already racked up 64 yards on 12 carries.
Texans score game's first touchdown
The Raiders have looked sloppy coming back from their bye and the Texans appear improved.
Houston now has a 7-3 lead to show for it at Allegiant Stadium as second-year quarterback Davis Mills just hit veteran receiver Chris Moore for a 13-yard touchdown. The score capped a 13-play drive that took 6:22 off the clock.
Bishop Gorman graduate Brevin Jordan had a shot at a touchdown catch for the Texans but came down out of bounds. Las Vegas went three-and-out on offense to give Houston the ball back quickly and set up the scoring drive.
Derek Carr comes back to lead Raiders to opening-drive field goal
Everyone in Allegiant Stadium collectively held their breath when Raiders quarterback Derek Carr went down after his first completed pass.
It turned out to be a false alarm as Carr only missed one play before continuing to lead the Raiders on their opening drive, which they turned into a 50-yard field goal from Daniel Carlson. Las Vegas leads Houston 3-0 early at Allegiant Stadium.
Davante Adams had three catches for 41 yards on the first drive including a third-down conversion on the play where Carr got hurt.
Inactives announced
A hamstring injury will weaken the Raiders on both sides of the ball for this afternoon’s game against the Texans.
Both tight end Darren Waller and linebacker Jayon Brown will miss Las Vegas’ Week 7 game against Houston coming out of its bye week. Neither absence is a total surprise but it was just made official by the official release of inactive players.
Waller had already been ruled out, but Brown was limited in the final two practices of the week. The Raiders’ other inactive players are running back Brittain Brown, wide receiver Keelan Cole, defensive tackle Matthew Butler and defensive end Tashawn Bower.
Cole is the only minor surprise as the Raiders had used the veteran regularly but he’s relegated off the gameday roster with the return of second-year receiver D.J. Turner, who’s coming off of injured reserve after an ankle injury. Cornerback Anthony Averett is also set to come off IR after breaking his thumb in Week 1.
They aren’t 100% but the Raiders should be healthy enough to look sharp in their return to the field.
WEEK 7
• Who: Texans (1-3-1) at Raiders (1-4)
• When:1:05 p.m.
• Where: Allegiant Stadium
• TV: KLAS Channel 8, CBS
• Radio: Raider Nation Radio 920 AM, KOMP 92.3
• Betting line: Raiders -7, over/under: 45.5
Pregame
The Raiders and Texans, the teams with the two worst records in the AFC, return from their bye week desperate to get back in the postseason race over the final three months of the season.
Many expected the visiting Texans to be in this position, but the Raiders have underachieved to this point in their first season under coach Josh McDaniels. Luckily for Las Vegas, it’s only 2.5 games out of the lead for the AFC West, which was perceived to be the best division in the NFL coming into the season.
That’s partly a product of how tough the Texans’ AFC South, expected to be the worst division, has played the West. The AFC South is 4-2 against the AFC West so far this year, including the Raiders’ 24-22 loss to Tennessee in Week 3.
Las Vegas failed to convert a two-point conversion to force overtime in that game, similar to the way things have broken against it all season. The Raiders’ four losses have come by a total of 14 points.
Favorable matchup: Raiders’ star power vs. Texans’ middling personnel
Houston has a total of two former Pro Bowlers on its roster — tackle Laremy Tunsil and long snapper Jon Weeks. Las Vegas has nine former Pro Bowlers including five at the offensive skills positions alone (quarterback Derek Carr, running back Josh Jacobs, wide receiver Davante Adams, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller). Waller is unlikely to play due to a hamstring injury, but the point remains: The talent discrepancy is wide. Las Vegas upgraded its roster this season with visions of being able overwhelm opponents more focused on developing young players. The Texans aren’t totally outmanned and have gotten solid contributions from recent veteran arrivals such as former Raiders defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who has nine pressures, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits on the season. But, on paper, they’re a team the Raiders should be able to handle.
THEY SAID IT
“It was a good time to hang out with the kids, hang out with my wife. We had a good date night, which she needs that especially with four kids…but then as I’m doing that, my mind is like, ‘Alright Houston, the coverage, the front.’ I’m already playing the game. It’s hard to get away from.” -Quarterback Derek Carr on how he spent his bye week
•••
“I literally try to manifest everything going on, speak things into existence by my work ethic and things like that. The baby was the same way. Everyone was asking me, ‘Are you going to play?’ I was like, ‘It’s going to work out the way it’s supposed to work out,’ and it literally worked out perfect.” -Edge rusher Maxx Crosby on the birth of his first child, daughter Ella Rose, who arrived 10 days past her due date on Wednesday Oct. 13 to coincide with the Raiders’ bye week
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“I’ve tried to recruit my mom and dad to silver and black for sure this week, and I think I’m winning that war right now.” -Coach Josh McDaniels on his divided family as he goes into a game squaring off against his younger brother, Ben McDaniels, the Texans’ wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator
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“I’m not going to lie, all my life, I ate whatever — donuts, burgers, whatever. This is the first time I will say that I went more lean, more towards fish and chicken. I don’t eat too much heavy, not even on my cheat days.” -Running back Josh Jacobs on how he feels hiring a personal nutritionist this offseason has helped his on-field success
Problematic matchup: Texans tight end Brevin Jordan vs. Raiders’ defense
The Raiders could have done a lot of small things differently to flip a 30-29 loss to Kansas City in their last game, but at the top of list is their coverage of Travis Kelce. The star tight end tore Las Vegas apart in the red zone with four touchdown catches. The rough outing dropped the Raiders to 24th in the NFL in defending tight ends, per Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings. Kelce is in a class of his own, but there was a lot of buzz coming into the year on the second-year Brevin Jordan, who starred locally as part of Bishop Gorman High’s national championship teams from 2014-17. His potential breakout was delayed, however, as he suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 that’s sidelined him for the past three games. But Jordan is back practicing after the bye week and expected to return for what he told the Texans’ team website would be a “special” and “awesome” opportunity to play in his hometown.
Gamebreaker: Running back Josh Jacobs
Picking anyone other than Jacobs would be disrespectful after the way the fourth-year running back has played the past two games. He’s set career highs in rushing yards in back-to-back contests, first pounding the Broncos for 144 yards in a 32-23 win before gaining 154 yards against the Chiefs. Despite playing one fewer game than most NFL teams, Jacobs ranks third with 490 rushing yards and first with 327 yards after contact. McDaniels had been known for preferring a running-back-by-committee approach, but Jacobs has been too efficient not to earn the lion’s share of carries this season. The coach hasn’t been cagey about his intention to feature Jacobs prominently in the game plan, either. Quarterback Derek Carr won’t voice any dissent, as he said it’s been “really fun to watch” Jacobs this season. “He’s running extremely violent, and not just the physicality, but his cuts are violent, his mentality is violent,” Carr said of Jacobs.
Big Number: 5
That’s how many consecutive losses the Raiders have suffered after bye weeks. The last time they won was in 2016 when they edged Houston 27-20 behind Carr’s 295 passing yards and three touchdowns. The losing streak is a strange trend, as teams traditionally see an uptick in performance after the week off, but the Raiders have regularly gotten blown out in the situation. Two of the franchise’s worst losses since relocating to Las Vegas have come post-bye — a 45-20 showing against Tampa Bay in 2020 and an upset 23-16 defeat at the New York Giants last year. Notably, last year’s loss was largely due to a scheme designed by then-Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham that forced the Raiders into three turnovers. Graham is with the Raiders now, so maybe he can help the team move past their recent struggles by helping stymie an inconsistent Houston offense.
Best Bet (1-4): Dameon Pierce under 66.5 rushing yards
Houston’s standout rookie running back has blown past this total in four straight games, but he’s played mostly mediocre run defenses in that stretch. Las Vegas’ defense is a bigger task considering it ranks fifth in the NFL in giving up just 4 yards per carry. Maxx Crosby a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, has been as impactful against the run this season as he has rushing the passer. Houston would be wise to throw more, as the Raiders will be without top cornerback Nate Hobbs (broken hand). Houston may also be playing from behind and straying from the run game.
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or
