Raiders to Go: What we learned in the 23-21 win on the road against the Cardinals



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THE SCORE OF THE BOX

GLENDALE, Arizona – The Raiders led Sunday in the fourth quarter, before disappearing. But this time, Derek Carr and Co. have led a comeback for a thrilling victory on the road.

The game against the Arizona Cardinals was tight, a meeting between two mediocre but equal teams. The Raiders had a lead, had lost it and could not get it back before their third attempt.

[RELATED: Derek Carr, Jon Gruden argue on Raiders’ sideline vs. Cardinals]

The third time, it seemed, was the charm.

Carr threw a 32-yard pass to Marcell Ateman, then found Seth Roberts for 20 more over time, scoring Daniel Carlson's 35-yard goal at the end of the allotted time.

And just like that, the Raiders had won their second game of the season. They beat the Arizona Cardinals 23-21 at State Farm Stadium with a spectacular comeback, as the game made them feel like they were losing the Raiders once again.

Here are three points to remember about the Raiders' win:

The big games allowed are a killer (again)

The Raiders' defense played well Sunday, but two big games allowed the Cardinals to stay in the game and help them set a lead.

Bad tackles and bad angles allowed Christian Kirk to make a small pass and reach 59 yards for a touchdown to give Arizona a 14-7 lead in the first period. Oakland's defense held firm for two and a half quarters, then the dikes broke again.

David Johnson ran in front of the Raiders seven at the end of the fourth quarter for a 53-yard gain that put the Cardinals in the red zone. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen found veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald a few games later for a decisive touchdown five minutes from time.

The ground game turns very hard

The Raiders found a way to get stable rushing yards against the NFL's 29th run defense, balancing the offensive and providing a vital source of production.

The silver and black medals averaged 4.6 yards per race in this competition. Doug Martin and Jalen Richard were particularly productive. Martin had 52 yards in 10 runs and Richard had 61 of 11 attempts. Even DeAndre Washington intervened late in this result.

This eased the Oakland Air Attack, an option allowed because the match was tight and the Raiders often had a lead. This has been unusual in the last five games, where the Raiders have lost at least 14 points.

It is a positive sign that the game of the race is fast moving, even if the opponent has to be taken into account in this evaluation. If the Raiders can continue to run well, it will be a field on which to build as the season progresses and the calendar turns to 2019.

Takeaway play a big role

The Silver and Black struggled to take the ball, but Rosen's wandering attack made life a little easier.

Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph have had interceptions, establishing an excellent field position that the Raiders offense rarely gets. Derek Carr turned both takeaways into touchdowns.

Conley took Rosen's first pass and Carr found Jared Cook with a long throw a few games later for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Joseph corrected Carrer's attack on Brandon LaFell.

This provided most Raiders offensives in a game where points had a bonus.

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