After the week the Oakland Raiders just endured, they needed something positive in Cincinnati.
Almost. But, maybe, not enough to upset their draft standing.
Because while the Raiders did make things interesting against the Cincinnati Bengals, closing to within a touchdown with five minutes to play after falling behind 17-0, they ultimately lost, 30-16.
The Raiders fell to 3-11 on the season and remain on track for a top-three pick in the NFL draft.
That is for the future, though with the recent past serving as a reminder of where this team has been and is headed.
Oakland upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-21, for the Raiders’ biggest win of the Jon Gruden 2.0 Era on Sunday.
Monday, Reggie McKenzie, the 2016 NFL executive of the year, was fired as general manager, a move expected, but not until the end of the season.
Tuesday, the City of Oakland announced it was filing a federal lawsuit against the Raiders and the NFL over the team’s move to Las Vegas in 2020.
Wednesday, the Raiders announced they were pulling their lease offer of $7.5 million to play the 2019 season in the Oakland Coliseum, effectively making the team homeless for next season.
That same day, the NFL announced it would hold the 2020 draft in Las Vegas.
Thursday, Amari Cooper told a Dallas reporter that neither Gruden nor McKenzie wanted to trade him to the Cowboys, that the move was made by Raiders owner Mark Davis.
And on Friday, receiver Martavis Bryant, on injured reserve since Dec. 5, was suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
So, yeah, the Raiders needed some good vibes in Cincinnati. And there were a few.
Tight end Lee Smith, who entered the season with four touchdown catches in his seven-year career, caught his third TD pass in as many games.
Strong safety Karl Joseph got his first sack of the season, the 12th for the Raiders on the way (never mind that Khalil Mack has 12.5 for the Chicago Bears by himself).
And Derek Carr continued his efficient, if unspectacular play.
Carr ran streak of games without an interception to nine, and a franchise-record 301 passes, the longest active such streak in the NFL. He last was picked off on Oct. 7, in the end zone from the 1-yard line againts the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders quarterback passed for 263 yards in completing 21 of 38 passes with the TD to Smith. Carr was sacked five times, though, three times by defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who was going against two new Raiders guards in Chaz Green and Denzelle Good.
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