Carr & Co

Dec 30, 2019

Carr and the Raiders offense were given good field position after Brandon McManus missed a 57-yard field-goal attempt that would’ve sealed the win for the Broncos (7-9). Oakland had the ball at its 45-yard line with 1:41 remaining. Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for the touchdown on second-and-goal from the 3 — the first time the Raiders reached the end zone in five red-zone trips — and Jon Gruden went for 2 instead of the tie. The call seemed perfect — Renfrow was open. The throw seemed precise — Carr threw it where he wanted to. Just then, defensive lineman Shelby Harris reached out his right hand and knocked it away. Ball game. “You get this feeling inside when it opens up and you’re like, ‘We have it. This is the win,’” Carr recounted. “For the ball to get batted down, it breaks your heart. … I’m sure someone will blame me for that. But you’ve got to give Shelby credit for making that play.” Things have changed for Carr & Co. with Gruden around for a second season. It’s a different landscape. That’s why he’s eager for the future. “There’s no doubt that since coach Gruden got here, we’ve changed the culture of this thing, how he wants it to be,” Carr said. “Trust me, in our building we know the way we’re headed.” Gruden feels that way, too, even through all the twists and turns of the season. They dealt with the Antonio Brown saga leading up to the season opener, beat Denver in Week 1, saw the emergence of rookie running back Josh Jacobs (he missed Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury/illness), won three straight, hit a late four-game skid and were still in the playoff chase. “Very proud of the effort all season long, the development of our team,” Gruden said. “I think we’re getting better.” He wasn’t in the mood to rehash the season, though. “Still pretty numb over losing that game,” Gruden said. With good reason: The Raiders missed a short field goal on their opening drive. Then, in the second quarter, they had a touchdown catch by Renfrow reversed on replay. On the next play — fourth-and-goal at the 1 — fullback Alec Ingold was stopped to thwart the drive. “We left a lot out there,” Gruden said. “There were plays to be made and we didn’t make them.” Now, it’s about getting packed up for their move to their new home in Vegas. A fancy stadium awaits. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how nice of a stadium” it is, Renfrow said. “We have to go win football games on the field.” Tags:  December 29, 2019 at 6:02 pm Phillip Lindsay made history as an undrafted player and quarterback Drew Lock made it four wins in five starts as the Broncos closed out their season Sunday by hanging on in a 16-15 win over Oakland. December 29, 2019 at 8:32 pm While Lock completed 17 of 28 passes for 177 yards, the moment that went viral was the 23-year-old quarterback rapping at the top of his lungs on the Broncos bench like a guy having too much fun to get up and leave the club at 2 a.m. December 29, 2019 at 7:53 pm Lindsay needed 42 yards to hit the mark on Sunday against the Raiders, but left guard Dalton Risner noted the running back wasn't focused on the number. Shelby Harris sprinted toward midfield like a man possessed with celebrating teammates in hot pursuit.