panthers-11-27-2016

Raiders 35, Panthers 32
Nov. 27, 2016 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Oakland, CA

STAR OF THE GAME Despite playing with a dislocated pinkie finger on his right hand, Derek Carr rallies the Raiders (9-2) to a victory over the visiting Panthers (4-7). With Oakland trailing 32-24, Carr engineers two scoring drives in the final quarter as the Raiders win their fifth straight game. Carr throws a 12-yard scoring pass to Clive Walford and then connects with Seth Roberts on the 2-point conversion try to deadlock the score at 32-all with 8:37 left. Carr is 3 for 5 passing for 69 yards on a 12-play drive culminated by Sebastian Janikowski's 23-yard field goal with 1:45 left that gives Oakland the lead. Carr finishes 26 of 38 passing for 315 yards and two TDs with an interception.

KEY STATS With their fifth straight win, the Raiders improve to 9-2 and equal their best start since 2000. The victory assures Oakland of its first winning season since 2002.

On Carolina's final play on fourth-and-10 from Oakland's 44, Cam Newton is sacked by Khalil Mack, Newton fumbles and Mack recovers the ball at the Panthers' 45 with 53 seconds remaining. Mack also returns an interception 6 yards for his first-career TD late in the first half, giving Oakland a 24-7 lead.

The Raiders' Michael Crabtree has eight catches for 110 yards. Crabtree has a 49-yard catch and 15-yard reception to set up Sebastian Janikowski's 23-yard field goal, giving Oakland a 35-32 advantage with 1:45 remaining.

The Panthers' Cam Newton is 14 of 29 passing for 246 yards and two TDs with an interception. He also scores on a 3-yard run.

THEY SAID IT "The mood was we've been here before. You don't like having been here before. But there was no doubt in my mind we could move the ball and win and score. There's never a doubt."

Raiders QB Derek Carr

"You want to end the game at that point. We needed a stop, we needed a stop. That was me."

Raiders DE Khalil Mack
on his fourth-down sack

BY THE NUMBERS 5: Consecutive Oakland victories, equaling its longest winning streak since 2002.
6: Consecutive games in which Oakland's Khalil Mack has at least one sack. He has nine sacks in eight games this season.
9: Raiders victories this season, assuring Oakland of its first winning season since 2002.
25: Consecutive Carolina points during the second half when the Panthers turned a 24-7 deficit into a 32-24 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

DID YOU KNOW? The Raiders' five-game winning streak equals the feat by the 2002 team. The Raiders won six straight games in the 2000 season.

The all-time series between the Raiders and Panthers is tied at 3-3. Carolina is 1-2 against the Raiders in games in Oakland.

Updated: 11-28-2016