OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Charles Woodson came down with the interception and immediately celebrated with his adoring fans.
A year after almost nothing went well for the Oakland Raiders, they have plenty to feel good about so far this season.
Derek Carr threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns to help Oakland pick apart the New York Jets’ vaunted defense in a 34-20 victory Sunday that put the Raiders in the thick of the playoff race.
After winning just 11 games the past three years, the Raiders (4-3) are one of five AFC teams with a winning record.
“The last couple of years have been rough,” Woodson said. “It feels good to be on the other side. It feels good to get the ball. It feels good to go play to the crowd when your team is playing well. There’s no feeling like it in the world.”
Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards, Andre Holmes caught two touchdown passes and Michael Crabtree had 102 yards receiving and a score. Taiwan Jones added his first career score on a tackle-breaking 59-yard catch and run that exposed a New York defense that had been outstanding the first six games.
Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr reacts after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Holmes during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
“We have a lot of weapons and we have a lot of hungry guys,” Crabtree said. “A lot of guys want the ball, a lot of guys want to get that extra yard, and it’s helping us. We’re feeding each other and trying to get the win.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick left with a torn left thumb ligament on the opening drive for the Jets (4-3), who have lost two straight games. Former starter Geno Smith threw for 265 yards and two TD passes in his first action since losing the job in training camp after getting punched in the locker room by teammate IK Enemkpali.
Smith then left in the closing minute on a hard hit by Ray-Ray Armstrong after being drilled earlier in the fourth quarter by David Amerson on a long run down the sideline. Fitzpatrick returned despite the injury and threw two passes before Smith returned. Fitzpatrick will have an MRI to determine the extent of his injury.
“We had issues with everything,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We didn’t do anything well so everything they did, they did it well.”
Here are some other takeaways from the Raiders win over the Jets:
FAST START: After scoring on their first seven possessions last week in San Diego, the Raiders started fast once again with Carr throwing TD passes on Oakland’s first three drives of the game. The only time Oakland didn’t score on its first seven drives this week came when Sebastian Janikowski missed a 52-yard field goal.
BIG HIT: Smith took a needless hit at the end of a 29-yard scramble in the fourth quarter. He ran down the sideline and had a chance to step out of bounds before being drilled by David Amerson.
“The one on the sideline I should have got out of bounds,” Smith said. “Kind of trying to watch the sideline and make sure I stayed in bounds but the guy got up on me quick.”
AGELESS WONDER: Woodson intercepted his league-leading fifth pass of the season as he shows no signs of slowing down at age 39. The AFC’s top defensive player in October now has 65 career INTs, tied with Ken Riley for fifth most all-time. The only player with more since the 1970 merger is Raiders assistant Rod Woodson with 71.
GROUNDED: Chris Ivory entered the game third in the NFL averaging 100.2 yards per game. But he had no room to run against a stout Raiders front. It didn’t help that center Nick Mangold was out with a neck injury. Ivory was tackled for a loss four times on the opening drive and finished with 17 yards on 15 carries.
SPEEDSTER: Jones has made the most of his move back to running back after a failed experiment as a cornerback. He has provided a spark to the offense with his game-breaking speed as evidenced by the 59-yard TD that included numerous broken tackles and jukes down the sideline. Jones, a second-round pick in Al Davis’ final draft in 2011, is finally validating that pick.
“I tip my hat to this coaching staff,” Jones said. “They put a lot of trust in me and they see what Al Davis saw. It’s my job to show the fans what Al Davis saw.”
