HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Pete Carroll knows that as Raiders coach, his decisions will be especially amplified when they impact betting lines, as happened in Sunday’s 24-17 loss to Denver.
He sent Daniel Carlson up for a 46-yard field goal with 5 seconds left, and when the ball sailed through the uprights, Las Vegas covered BetMGM Sportsbook’s 7 1/2-point goal. Other books have similar lines.
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There were some swift and sometimes vicious reactions on social media.
Carroll, who met with more traditional media outlets on Monday, said he didn’t have to worry about the criticism.
“I have to be rock solid at this point,” Carroll said. “No matter what the public sentiment is, or what one person’s sentiment is about this matter, no matter who it is, I can’t give in and twist and follow. I just can’t do that and do my job the right way to the best of my ability.”
The Raiders spent the final minutes desperately trying to come back from a two-possession deficit against the Broncos, and Carlson never seemed to get a shot.
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However, Broncos safety Brandon Jones received a delay-of-game penalty for not letting wide receiver Tyler Lockett get up after a 26-yard gain. The call stopped the clock and the officials made the game-ending decision with five seconds left.
Carroll lobbied for more time.
“I talked to the guy who was trying to get back on track for 10 seconds and I thought there was a chance I could file a grievance and they might give me a chance,” Carroll said. “So it’s also just competing along the way. The fans can’t understand it, but we have a very clear idea of what we want to achieve and just bring it to the final click.
“It just didn’t work out.”
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This is far from the first time Carroll has gone this route, and his decision has to do with the impact on the margin.
While coaching New England in 1998, the Patriots benefited from pass interference in the end zone on a Hail Mary game against Buffalo. Tight end Ben Coates caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on the next play, and an angry Bills walked off the field instead of lining up to defend the extra score. Carroll then directed Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri to take advantage of the open space and score a 2-pointer to win 25-21.
“If I remember correctly — and I don’t know how accurate that is — but it definitely caused an uproar because that one point changed the performance of the team,” Carroll said. “So I was devastated by that. I never really recovered from that call with a group of guys, but at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do.”
what’s working
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DE Maxx Crosby continued to play well, finishing with a sack and two tackles for a loss. He has five sacks and 15 TFL over his past six games. Crosby has already broken his club single-season record with 25 tackles for loss with four games remaining.
What help do you need?
Carroll has already fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, so it’s uncertain how much more can be done. The turning point came when the Broncos’ punt return fumble led to a touchdown and a 14-7 lead. There’s a lot to like about the Raiders’ special teams, but there have been so many breakdowns this season that have been crucial to some losses.
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Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, replacing injured starter Geno Smith, caught 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. This is obviously a small sample size, but Pickett looks more than capable of running the offense when needed. Of course, being a starter is another story.
Inventory decline
The Raiders couldn’t get off the field defensively. The Denver Nuggets had three drives of more than 80 yards, including two of more than 90 yards, scoring 17 points. Time of possession in these series — 8:54, 9:13, 10:17. By the end, the Broncos had the ball for 39 minutes and 03 seconds, helping Las Vegas limit the game to 48 plays. On the Raiders’ side alone, the Broncos had 40 steals.
Injuried
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Carroll said he won’t know more about the status of quarterback Geno Smith (shoulder) “for a few days.” … CB Kyu Blu Kelly (patellar tendon) is out for the foreseeable future. “We’ll see how things go and what we have to do to get him back to normal,” Carroll said. “You noticed, it was in a clearing. It was just a weird accident that shouldn’t have happened. You didn’t see it bend or anything. He just planted it, and that happens sometimes.”
key number
5 – The first time in the Super Bowl era that the Raiders have allowed at least four sacks and fewer than 75 rushing yards in consecutive games.
Next steps
The Raiders visit defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Sunday.
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