Raiders' keep their playoff hopes alive with a huge win over the Colts, 23-20

All year adversity has been the Las Vegas Raiders middle name. This season has been an uphill fight all year long. Sunday, the Raiders had the pressure of winning for their hall of fame coach and legend John Madden. In the infamous words of the all time great Madden. “The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else."

The Raiders played like champions today keeping their playoff hopes alive for another week, essentially setting up a winner take all scenario against their rivals the Chargers next week. Derek Carr engineered the 29th game-winning drive of his career in the fourth quarter or overtime, drove the Raiders 58 yards nine plays in the last 1:56 to set up another Daniel Carlson game-winning kick.

Carr hit a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow with 48 seconds left in regulation. Renfrow beat cornerback Kenny Moore II, and the play was initially ruled a touchdown, but Renfrow went down on the 24-yard-line and didn’t appear to be touched, so he got up and ran the rest of the way to the end zone. Renfrow broke 1000 yards for the season in this game after his seven catches for 76 yards and a TD. Zay Jones added eight catches for 120 yards to go over the 100-yard mark in a game for the first time in his career.

This game had a playoff feel on both sides. Colts running back Johnathan Taylor had 108 rushing yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. Yet, it was the first time in 10 games this season that Taylor (who leads the NFL with 1,734 rushing yards) rushed for, at least, 100 yards and the Colts lost. They are 0-6 in games he didn’t rush for 100 yards. Indianapolis would have clinched a playoff berth with a win and will now try to win in Jacksonville next weekend with the playoffs still on the line. They’ll get a full week of practice for Wentz after he missed this week following a positive COVID-19. Both teams are headed into must win scenarios next week if they want to make the playoffs. .