Raiders report card: Grades are team’s best in some time

How the Raiders performed in a 23-21 loss to the Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston:

Offense: B

Given how bad the Raiders have been on this side of the ball and how the Texans have the NFL’s top defense in yards per game and scoring, it’s hard to argue with what the Raiders did.

They had gone nine straight games without topping 70 yards rushing. They accomplished that in three quarters and finished with 145. Rookie Ashton Jeanty ran for 128 yards on 24 carries, including a 51-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Geno Smith threw for 201 yards on 16-for-23 passing, including a 60-yard touchdown throw to Jeanty on a well-executed wheel route. He also had a touchdown throw to Brock Bowers.

Defense: C

This grade would have been higher, but after playing gallantly and keeping the Texans out of the end zone for three quarters, the Raiders wilted in the fourth.

The breaking point came on the Texans’ 10-play, 88-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the fourth quarter. The drive ate up 7:19 and resulted in a 23-14 lead when C.J. Stroud found Dalton Schultz for a 1-yard touchdown throw.

Then, after Jeanty cut Houston’s lead to 23-21 with the long touchdown run, the defense allowed the Texans to drive from their 17-yard line to the Raiders’ 14 while eating up the final 5:19 of the game.

The Raiders limited the Texans to 270 yards.

Special teams: C

The Raiders were OK in all phases of the special teams, but unable to make a discernible difference on punt or kickoff returns. Punter AJ Cole managed some sloppy snaps to average 41.9 yards on seven punts and place three inside the Texans’ 20.

Coaching: B-

Coach Pete Carroll, offensive play-caller Greg Olson and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham had the Raiders ready to play while drawing up winning game plans.

But in the end, the defense’s inability to get the Texans off the field on two long drives in the fourth quarter cost the Raiders.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.