Derek Carr struggles throwing downfield in Packers loss

Meanwhile, the Raiders fall to 6-8 and out of the playoff race. At one point well into the ballgame, Green Bay held a 14-point lead despite totaling just 34 yards on offense while going 0-4 on third downs. Jeff Janis returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards though and Green Bay needed only three more plays to regain the lead, with Aaron Rodgers hitting James Jones for an easy 30-yard touchdown pass that made it 24-20. Two plays later, Carr got man to man coverage on the outside and Cooper beat Randall for his second touchdown of the day and Oakland’s first lead. “As this team grows and gets better, we’ll get better at those types of things”.

Mack’s ability to rush may have been hurt when Mario Edwards Jr. left in the first series with a neck injury and didn’t return.

“(Team physicians) are still spending time going through and making sure they’re gaining all the information they can to see what we can expect”, Del Rio said. Michael Crabtree was evaluated at halftime for a concussion, but did return. The Packers gained only 293 yards against the Raiders, and Rodgers was clearly unhappy after the game.

Last week, the Packers coaching staff was talking up Abbrederis, suggesting he had earned more playing time.

Leading 14-6, the Packers were driving when Charles Woodson – who else? – jarred the ball loose from James Starks and the Raiders’ Benson Mayowa snatched it out of Starks’ hands. Jones played for the Raiders past year and caught 73 passes for 666 yards and six touchdowns, all team highs, but they released him after the season. The receivers didn’t win often enough on the perimeter and didn’t make enough happen after the catch.

“You can’t dig yourself a into a hole early like that”, Woodson said.

The Green Bay Packers hope the magic from Detroit is still with them ten days later at Lambeau Field.

“It’s really predicated on what you could do running the ball”, Woodson said. “We put ourselves in position, had some chances, but they made more plays than we did”. The first was picked off by Packers corner Micah Hyde on a deep pass toward the right sideline in the direction of tight end Clive Walford.

The Packers built a 14-0 lead with defense and then had to win it behind Rodgers and the offense.

Carr’s second pick, the big one, was another thrown to the right side and nine yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

Oakland’s defense was still outstanding despite the team’s 10 penalties resulting in 95 yards. The loss eliminated them from playoff contention.

“I definitely understand style-wise that kind of stuff, because in college, Aaron was one of my favorites watching him, because of the way he played”, Carr said.

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) runs into the end zone on a 26-yard touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packers during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. After blowing a 14-point lead with multiple failed attempts getting into the red zone. “Just looking at our game today, we did a great job stopping the run”. Cooper is the first Raiders receiver since Randy Moss in 2005 to have over 1,000 receiving yards. Mindful of the Packers’ late-season loss at Buffalo a year ago – McCarthy even broke from his “stats are for losers” mantra during the week to point out how his teams had struggled in such late-season road games against uncommon opponents – he eventually dismissed repeated questions as nitpicking.

Now the Raiders have to prepare to bounce back on a short week for Thursday’s Christmas Eve affair with the Chargers without the benefit of postseason aspirations. “We got a big one next week, so we’re not really satisfied”, said safety Micha Hyde, who had an interception Sunday against Oakland. “That was our goal, and we didn’t do that”.