Raiders at Texans inactives: Mario Edwards active, Donald Penn out

Although Cook and the Raiders will have the majority of fans cheering against them, he will maintain the same demeanor as if it were any other game.

What could make the difference here is a superior Steelers defense that, although not world beaters, should have the measure of a Miami offensive line that may not relish pass protection duty if they get into an early hole.

“I’m just going to go out there and make plays for my teammates”, Cook said. “The last two weeks we were weren’t able to do enough as a team to carry on and continue”. It’s unknown whether Dallas prefers either matchup, though, as both teams have been known to have successful playoff runs behind their veteran quarterbacks.

Matt Prater kicked two field goals for the Lions.

The Raiders came into the game thinking they might have a chance with the problems at quarterback the Texans were having.

McGloin was expected to get a week or two of preparation before the playoffs in the final game of the regular season on Sunday, but his season abruptly ended the worst way possible. The Raiders finished 2 of 16 on third downs and averaged just 2.9 yards per play.

The Houston Texans punted the ball nine times in this game.

And their quarterback conundrum has even more layers than the Raiders’. We envisioned an AFC South championship, and we envisioned making some noise in the playoffs. After the game, coach Bill O’Brien said he’d stick with Osweiler next week, too.

The big free agent signing found his rookie receiver Wil Fuller for 19 yards to get things going.

When it comes to good fortune in the National Football League, getting to feast on the inexperience of a rookie quarterback stands as one of the more fortuitous developments a team with Super Bowl aspirations can hope for. Cook did mount an impressive 4th quarter drive for the Raiders second touchdown of the day. With Crabtree out due to a possible concussion, Cook found a chemistry with his replacement Andre Holmes.

The Texans, meanwhile, were solid on offense with QB Brock Osweiler completing 14-of-25 throws for 168 yards and a TD with no picks, and Miller rushing for 73 yards and a score.

“You do the best you can regardless of the circumstances”, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. The pass never got there as Clowney read the play and tipped the ball up in the air before coming down with the interception. Oakland’s ground game was once again all but non-existent, with top back Latavius Murray notching 39 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. With the Texans playing deep zone coverage, Cook was forced to throw the ball underneath with the clock running. Cooper struggled down the stretch, with only more than 60 yards once in the last nine games. It was a tough draw for him, ” Del Rio said.