Raiders edge Chiefs 31-30 in last-minute thriller

OAKLAND, Calif. — A flea flicker flung to Amari Cooper found him for a 38-yard touchdown. An intermediate-range pass on a crossing route hit him; he sprinted the rest of the way for a 45-yard score. No one was in the neighborhood on a 39-yard catch up the seam on a decisive fourth-quarter drive.

The wide receiver had more receiving yards than any Raiders player in more than 50 years.

What happened next upstaged him.

Tight end Jared Cook saved the season with a 28-yard catch that initially was ruled a touchdown. After being ruled down at the 1, quarterback Derek Carr attempted four throws in the final seven seconds of the game. The final two came with zero seconds remaining after end-zone holding penalties. The last one, with Carr rolling left, connected to wide receiver Michael Crabtree and lifted the Raiders to a thrilling 31-30 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Welcome back, Cooper. Welcome back, offense.

Welcome back, perhaps, the 2017 season.

A treacherous road would’ve awaited the Raiders had they fallen to 2-5. Since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, 209 teams have started a season 2-5. Six of them, or 2.9 percent, qualified for the playoffs. The Chiefs and Houston Texans in 2015 were the last to do so. Exacerabating the challenge would’ve been their sullen standing in the AFC West. A Thursday loss would’ve dropped the Raiders to four games behind the Chiefs.

“Two and five did not sound good,” Carr said. “That made our stomach hurt.”

No matter.

In a game that featured seven lead changes, Cooper helped carry the Raiders to the finish line.

The two-time Pro Bowler managed 146 receiving yards in his first six games combined this season. On Thursday, his 210 yards were the most by a Raider since Art Powell had 247 on Dec. 22, 1963. The career game was a key factor in an offense breaking a monthlong slump. It had failed to score 20 points in four straight games for the first time since 2014. All four games were losses.

“I just went out there like I do every game,” Cooper said. “I expect to have a big game, every game. I’m happy tonight turned out that way.”

Carr threw for 417 yards. The final 2, to Crabtree, came on his third touchdown. The fourth-quarter comeback was Carr’s 12th since 2015, most in the NFL in that span. The victory also was the Raiders’ first against the Chiefs since 2014. They had lost five straight to their rivals.

It took try after try at the end.

After the ball spot on Cook’s long reception was reversed, a 10-second runoff on the game clock left eight seconds remaining. Center Rodney Hudson snapped it at seven. Carr found Crabtree to the right on a fade-route touchdown, but the latter was flagged for pass interference. Three seconds remained. Carr tried Cook again, but he dropped the pass. The game would have ended if not for a defensive holding on safety Ron Parker.

Zero seconds remained. One final play. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson caught a 5-yard pass out of bounds. Incomplete. The game again would’ve ended if not for a defensive holding, this time on safety Eric Murray.

Zero seconds remained. One final play. Carr to Crabtree.

Zero seconds remained when kicker Giorgio Tavecchio converted the tie-breaking extra point.

“We put our neck out there for the whole entire world to watch,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “There’s something about that that is exhilarating. We tapped into that. Our guys came in with a great mindset, and we were determined to leave here with a victory.”

A four-game losing streak is behind the Raiders.

Now, with a 3-4 record and new life, their real comeback can begin.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.