Failed 2-point conversion in overtime sends the Raiders to 2-6 on the season

Las Vegas defensive end Maxx Crosby fights through the Jacksonville offensive line in hot pursuit of quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas didn’t trail until the fourth quarter but still found a way to lose in overtime as the team returned from its bye week to more of the same issues.

While seemingly rested, the Raiders lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-29, Sunday, Nov. 2 from Allegiant Stadium in a Week 9 matchup. It’s the team’s third home loss in four showings with this one coming on a failed two-point conversion.

“[Receiver Tyler Lockett] was wide-open in the back of the end zone,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “The play was perfect and they tipped the ball [...] I thought we won the game because [quarterback Geno Smith] went right to him.”

Overall, Las Vegas sports a 2-6 overall record as it continues to sink not only in the AFC West but in the NFL standings as a whole. It will attempt to make up ground in both fields on a short week.

Up next, the Raiders will head to Colorado for a Thursday, Nov. 6 meeting with the Denver Broncos. Kickoff is set for 5:15 p.m.

“We’ve got to get cranking,” Carroll said. “We’ve got a game Thursday night so how quick can we get turned around and get going.”

The decision to play for the win while attempting to go for a two-point conversion in overtime brought the end in the form of a loss for Las Vegas in crushing fashion. The possibility of returning to the locker room with a tie rather than an outright loss wasn’t a thought for the team following the loss.

“You can’t really think about that now,” tight end Brock Bowers said. “We made the decision we were going for two to win the game. We trust our guys to go out and make plays, we just came up a little short.”

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers hauls in a one-hand touchdown with his off-hand. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Desperately in need of a win, the Raiders went for two on the heels of a third receiving touchdown from Bowers as he returned from injury. He previously missed three games with a knee injury.

“Felt great to be back on the field,” Bowers said. “Obviously, not the end we wanted but proud everyone fought to the very end.”

Bowers hauled in his first catch of his return in the first quarter but was in a groove by the second. He reeled in a one-hand lefty touchdown grab that was originally ruled out of bounds before an official review.

That score opened the game’s scoring despite the pending extra point being missed by kicker Daniel Carlson.

“Geno in the huddle was like, ‘I’m throwing the fade, pretty much no matter what,’” Bowers said. “Worked a little release, got a little positioning and he just threw it up.”

Bowers added another touchdown in the fourth quarter before securing his third in overtime. He finished the game with 127 yards and three touchdowns via 12 catches on 13 targets.

“It’s not a great feeling,” he said. “You want to come back here and celebrate with the guys, and yeah, it kind of sucks. You can’t really celebrate anything.”

Las Vegas running back Ashton Jeanty tosses aside defenders as he picks up yards on a big run inside Allegiant Stadium. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Before that first touchdown reception by Bowers, he completed a 29-yard catch that saw rookie Ashton Jeanty pick up a block on a blitz that would’ve completely wiped out Smith. Eight games into his NFL career, the former Heisman candidate running back is continuing to find ways to impact the game without the football in his hands.

“That’s everything,” Jeanty said. “That’s a part of being a complete, all-around back. You’ve got to be able to help the team out without the ball in your hands. The number one thing is protect the ball, protect the quarterback so I’ve got to do my job.”

When running the ball, Jeanty picked up 42 yards on 13 carries while adding 47 more yards through the air on five catches. Through the air, he found the end zone for his lone touchdown of the night.

“I feel great honestly,” he said. “Just [have to] continue to get better, continue to grow chemistry with Geno and get better on my routes. Just continuously growing.” 

Smith went 29-for-39 in the loss with 284 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby looks for a lane ahead of a snap during the team's one-point loss to the Jaguars. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

This loss comes despite Las Vegas not having trailed until early in the fourth quarter behind a touchdown run from opposing quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Ironically enough, the final Jaguar score of the day also came on a scoring scamper from the former Clemson signal caller.

In total, Jacksonville rushed for 151 yards on 42 ground touches.

“I thought our tackling was really off,” Carroll said. “I thought we tackled poorly for the day. I don’t know, we’ll see the numbers and all that but I think that was the difference for us on the defensive side.”

Four lead changes happened in the fourth quarter which led to the extra overtime session. However, the final drive for the Jags consisted of the same things that plagued the Raiders’ defense throughout the duration of the game.

Lawrence’s second touchdown run capped a drive that lasted more than six and a half minutes. Of the 15-minute first quarter, the visitors held the ball for nearly 11 minutes and 40 seconds.

In total, Jacksonville held the ball for almost 43 minutes of the 70 minutes of football.

In addition, Lawrence’s game-winning touchdown run came on a 4th and 1. As a team, the Jaguars went a combined 12-for-19 on third and fourth downs.

“This was a really positive game in so many ways,” Carroll said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t get off the field in the second half.”

While early in the eventual loss, Las Vegas was also on the wrong side of history when Jacksonville kicker Cam Little drilled a field goal just before halftime from an NFL-record 68 yards out.