Gruden: Raiders’ loss to Falcons’ inexcusable ‘

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After moving forward for several weeks, the Las Vegas Raiders took two steps back, and it was a big one.

Matt Ryan threw two touchdown passes and Younghoe Koo scored five field goals as the Atlanta Falcons claimed a 43-6 victory over the lackluster Raiders on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

It was nothing like the Silver and Black team that nearly beat defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs for the second time this season last week at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas before losing in the last minute.

“When we get hit in the mouth and stopped on the fourth down, then groping the next play, we have to get out of the mat and fight better,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden told reporters after the game. “As a coaching staff and as a football team, this is something that we have to look at. It’s a reflection on me and I apologize to the Raider fans.

“Congratulate the Atlanta Falcons. They played a hell of a game of football, and we didn’t. … It is inexcusable.

The specter of last season is suddenly looming for the Raiders (6-5), who were also 6-4 before losing five of their last six games and missing the 2019 playoffs.

Turnovers were the story of it, plus the Raiders were unable to exploit the supposedly fleeing Falcons secondary, as Derek Carr lost three fumbles in the pocket and threw a 67-yard pick-six. to linebacker Deion Jones while running back Josh Jacobs lost another fumble.

“We had a great rush that made him throw a bad ball,” Jones said. “It was behind the ball carrier. I secured it. Once I got into the clear and put the ball on, I knew he was coming home.

“As a defense, as a team, we put it all together. We played well together. We finally put one on film. We have one to grow.

“(The five turnovers) it was just chasing the ball away. We haven’t had a prom in a few weeks. The guys were hungry this week. We talked about it and it came to life.”

The Falcons (4-7) scored 20 points on turnovers, including an eight-yard scoreline by Ito Smith for the last touchdown with 10:48 left in the game after Carr’s last fumble.

Coach Dan Quinn was fired by the Falcons after a 0-5 start, but Atlanta has won four of its last six games under interim head coach Raheem Morris, who was an assistant under Gruden there. has several years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ryan, who appears destined for the Professional Football Hall of Fame, made 22 39-for 185 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, throwing four-yard scoring passes to wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Brandon Powell.

That puts Ryan on 174 touchdown passes in his 13-year career.

“(Defense) was the story of the day,” Ryan said. “I thought our defense played really well. Gave us a lot of opportunities on the short court. Overall it was great teamwork.

Smith had 65 rushing yards on 12 carries and Brian Hill added 55 in 13 carries as the Falcons controlled the ball for 34 minutes and 27 seconds.

Ridley had six catches for 50 yards and the touchdown on the fourth down, while Hayden Hurst caught four balls for 48 yards as the Falcons outscored the Raiders without two of their best players – wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Todd Gurley .

“I thought it was huge and a great call from Raheem (fourth), an aggressive call to move forward in this situation,” Ryan said. “You’re going to leave them saved if you don’t get it. We felt like we had a good game called there.

“It took a little while to develop. Excellent body control by Calvin at the back of the end zone to stop before he goes for a touchdown. It was a great piece of her.

While the raw numbers don’t necessarily show it, Carr probably had his worst game of the season completing 22 of 34 passes for 215 yards without a touchdown and throwing his third interception of the season. His three lost fumbles have given him six this season.

Carr was replaced by Nathan Peterman with 10:48 to go.

“Very frustrating,” said Carr, who said he saw some bad signs during the week. “Our week of practice was not up to the standard we set.”

Jacobs led the Raiders with 27 yards on seven carries, but 17 came on the play he fumbled on late in the third quarter and he left the game with a right leg injury he suffered. suffered on the game.

Hunter Renfrow led the Raiders with seven receptions for 73 yards, while Nelson Agholor had five for 54 and Henry Ruggs caught five for 54. The Falcons limited tight end Darren Waller, Carr’s favorite receiver, to four receptions. for 23 yards.

“We have a chance to go out there and fight and really have this opportunity to get better next week,” Renfrow said. “And I think it’s a good opportunity to go to (New York), they kind of derailed our season last year, and so what an opportunity for us to be able to go there and go looking for redemption. , in itself. “

Linebacker Nicholas Morrow and goaltender Jeff Heath both made 10 total tackles for the Raiders, while linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski made six tackles, two for a loss and the Raiders’ lone sack in addition to having a canceled interception. by a penalty.

The Raiders were also penalized 11 times for 141 yards.

“We had a few games where we were penalized,” said Gruden. “We mistreated the passer, brutalized the kicker, we had calls on hold, illegal hands in the face. You fall behind at the bottom of the distance, you give free shots to the teams, that’s the recipe for disaster and that’s what you saw today.

The Raiders scored both the first and the inside goal of Atlanta’s 5-yard line, but had to settle for their only points on 24- and 29-yard field goals by Daniel Carlson.

Koo’s field goals came from 38, 39, 40, 29 and 54 yards, and he made his last 21 clear goals. Koo actually missed a 40-yard wide left with 4:30 left in the first half, but the Raiders’ Dallin Levitt was penalized for roughing the kicker.

The never-lagging Falcons turned that breakthrough into a four-yard pass from Ryan to Ridley for a 13-3 lead with 2:17 left in the half.

However, the crusher came when Carr threw a short pass over the middle aimed at running back Devonte Booker, only for Jones to cut ahead for the interception he led home for a lead of 23-3 with 11:36 left. in the third trimester.

The Raiders tried to rally but could only manage three more points, and things only got worse.

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