This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
What a crazy game. The Raiders seemingly had the game-winning TD in overtime, but Bryan Edwards was down at the one-yard line, and of course they got stuffed on the sneak, committed a false start, then turned it over! An unbelievably bad sequence, even by Raiders standards, with the game on the line.
It was even odder for me because I was watching the 40-minute condensed version, and while I didn't know the result, I could see there was still way too much time left on the recording for the Raiders to score on Edwards' catch or Derek Carr's subsequent QB sneak. Once the Ravens got the ball, I assumed they scored a long TD (too little time in the recording for a long drive and a FG), but was hoping for a pick six. As it turned out Lamar Jackson fumbled for the second time, and the Raiders got the quick TD.
- It was hard to watch this game and not regret passing on Darren Waller (19-10-105-1) in all my drafts. The most important number is the 19. He also dropped a ball that could have been a big play, and he was wide open for a would-be huge play, but Derek Carr didn't see him and checked it down instead. The Raiders finally got Edwards, Hunter Renfrow and Henry Ruggs involved late, but for the first three quarters Waller had such a massive target share, he looked peak Andre Johnson, only bigger.
- Carr (435 yards, 2TD, 1 INT, 7.8 YPA) played soundly. The overthrown ball to Willie Snead that was tipped for the pick was bad, but otherwise he avoided mistakes and was mostly accurate. The Raiders gave him decent protection, too.
- Edwards looks like the top outside wideout, and Renfrow is a solid slot guy. Ruggs made one huge play on the final regulation drive, but it's hard to see him getting the necessary volume.
- Josh Jacobs (10-34-2, 2-1-6) is strictly the early-down/goal-line guy, but he looked healthy and ran hard into a tough front. Kenyan Drake (6-11-0, 5-5-59) is the third-down and two-minute drill guy, more or less as we expected.
- Daniel Carlson delivered huge on the game-tying 55-yarder.
- Jackson (235 yards, 1 TD, 7.8 YPA, 86 rushing yards, two fumbles) didn't look especially sharp and had trouble connecting with Mark Andrews.
- Marquise Brown (6-6-69-1) looked quick as usual and scored a TD, but he usually does his damage early in the year -- we'll see how he holds up physically. Sammy Watkins (8-4-96) led the team in receiving, but the same can be said for him. That said, if they hold up -- and first rounder Rashod Bateman comes back at full strength -- Jackson will have a deeper and more talented group than he's ever played with.
- Andrews (5-3-20) was targeted on one deep ball just barely out of his reach, but was otherwise quiet. I expect Jackson to look his way more, but there's more competition for targets.
- Ty'Son Williams (9-65-1, 4-3-29) looked good running the ball, but he whiffed in pass protection late in the game, and Latavius Murray (10-28-1) got more work as the game went on.
- Justin Tucker doesn't just make every kick, he makes them without any doubt. If you're ever betting on Ravens or rostering Tucker in fantasy, the stress-reduction alone could add years to your life.
