The first 13 games of the season for the Las Vegas Raiders were littered with blown leads and last-minute losses. Heading into Week 15 against the New England Patriots, the team was 0-4 in games where they held a double-digit lead at halftime. It looked like the Raiders were trending in the direction of blowing another double-digit lead against the Patriots when they were down 24-17 with just a couple of minutes in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Derek Carr hit Keelan Cole for a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie the game and that’s when things went off the rails. On a botched lateral play, defensive end Chandler Jones got the ball as time expired and ran it down the field for a game-winning touchdown. It was one of the wildest finishes in NFL history. Jones hasn’t had a great season. His 4.5 sacks would be the lowest total ever in a season where he didn’t miss significant time. Maxx Crosby and Jones have formed a strong relationship this year and had some thoughts on how his season has progressed.
“He’s been just getting better and trusting the process,” Crosby said after the game. “He’s a great player. It doesn’t always go your way in this game, especially as a rusher. They look at the sacks and the numbers and he’s just a guy that’s never going to let that affect him. He just keeps going and keeps improving. I’m so proud of him. It’s incredible.”
Jones Teared up After the Play
Prior to this season, Jones was on a Hall of Fame trajectory. His 112.0 career sacks are tied for 36th all-time. 30.0 more sacks would place him in the top 10 ever. He should’ve been on pace to get there but this lackluster season has hurt his chances. He likely needs to get to the top 10 to secure a Hall of Fame spot. Plays like the one he made against the Patriots will only help his resume.
Jones doesn’t just love to play football, he loves everything about the sport. He’s now at the center of one of the most iconic plays of the century. He realized that after and it made him get emotional.
“I definitely did get a little emotional,” Jones said. “I teared up a little bit because I just love football. And I think when I started to come off the field, it just hit me how big of a play I had made. So, I was like, ‘Let me take this moment for myself and drop a few tears.’”
Jones certainly deserved his moment to relish what he pulled off.
Guess who was mic’d up? 👀
#RaiderNation experienced The House of Thrills tonight!!
Denzel Perryman Says Jones Hears the Noise
The Raiders gave Jones a $51 million contract under the assumption that he’d continue to be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. That hasn’t been the case this year and he’s been scrutinized heavily. Jones hasn’t directly addressed his critics but linebacker Denzel Perryman believes that the defensive end is well-aware of everything being said about him.
“I saw it in his eyes,” linebacker Denzel Perryman said. “Chandler’s been through a lot. … It’s probably just being frustrated. I’m pretty sure you media people know: Us athletes, we pay attention to what y’all say negatively. I’m not saying that Chandler was affected by that or anything like that, but he’s just been Chandler. He’s just been Chandler.”
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Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Has Strong Words for Chandler Jones