DEREK CARR

Joe Burrow led an efficient offense that scored on six drives, including two of his touchdown passes, and rookie Evan McPherson made four field goals as the Cincinnati Bengals finally advanced in the playoffs with a 26-19 win over Las Vegas in Saturday’s wild-card game.

The Tennessee Titans are the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Daniel Carlson kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and the Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 35-32 on Sunday night to earn their first playoff berth since 2016.

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes made the NFL’s first 17-game regular season feel a little more normal despite it being played through a pandemic again.

Derek Carr directed Las Vegas to Daniel Carlson’s winning 33-yard field goal as time expired, and the Raiders beat the Indianapolis Colts 23-20 to move one step closer to an AFC wild card.

Daniel Carlson’s 48-yard field goal as time expired sent the Las Vegas Raiders to a 16-14 win over the COVID-19-depleted Cleveland Browns in a game pushed back two days by the NFL amid an uptick of virus cases across the league.

Patrick Mahomes threw his first two touchdown passes in nearly a month, Clyde Edwards-Helaire added two more scores on the ground, and the Kansas City Chiefs forced five turnovers in rolling to a record-setting 48-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Daniel Carlson kicked a 29-yard field goal in overtime after Anthony Brown’s fourth pass-interference penalty kept the drive alive, and the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Dallas Cowboys 36-33 on Thursday.

Aaron Rodgers’ return helped lift the Green Bay Packers four places to the top spot of the latest AP Pro32 poll.

Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdown passes and returned to his usual form after a surprisingly shaky stretch this season, and the Kansas City Chiefs moved into first place in the AFC West with a 41-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr says Henry Ruggs III needs to be loved right now and needs to know he has people in his corner.

Derek Carr threw for 323 yards, completing 31 of 34 pass attempts with one touchdown, and the Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-22.

Denver's offensive struggles are understandable given that their three fastest players are sidelined. Jerry Jeudy (ankle) has an outside chance of playing this week, but KJ Hamler (knee) is done for the year and Albert Okwuegbunam's pulled hamstring is still on the mend. In their three-game skid, Denver has been beaten deep over and over, allowing 17 pass plays of 20 or more yards.

The Las Vegas Raiders began the post-Jon Gruden era with a 34-24 thrashing of the Denver Broncos.

With Jon Gruden tendering his resignation Monday amid reports of emails he sent before being hired in 2018 that contained racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments, longtime special Rich Bisaccia makes his debut as interim head coach of the Raiders, and offensive coordinator Greg Olson will be the new voice in quarterback Derek Carr’s ears, calling the plays in a matchup that pits 3-2 rivals seeking their first win in October.

Rich Bisaccia, now in his 20th season as an NFL coach, is the interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

From Lamar Jackson’s improbable comeback that ended in an overtime win for Baltimore to the missed kick festival between Green Bay and Cincinnati, the NFL had several more games go down to the wire in Week 5.

Raiders owner Mark Davis called it a “dream come true” when he lured Jon Gruden out of the broadcast booth to come back for a second stint as coach in 2018.

A slow start is becoming a familiar predicament for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Justin Herbert threw for three touchdowns, Austin Ekeler rushed for 117 yards and scored twice and the Los Angeles Chargers the Las Vegas Raiders from the unbeaten ranks with a 28-14 victory.

Tom Brady may be an opponent when the Buccaneers visit the Patriots.

Reigning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Daniel Carlson’s 22-yard field goal as time expired in overtime lifted the Las Vegas Raiders to a 31-28 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The San Francisco 49ers are hoping to join five other teams at 3-0 as Week 3 of the NFL season winds down.

Carl Nassib’s strip-sack of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson came at a critical time in overtime and helped the Las Vegas Raiders to a 33-27 win.

Derek Carr threw a 31-yard TD pass to Zay Jones after the Raiders squandered their first possession of overtime, beating the Baltimore Ravens 33-27 in the team’s first game with fans in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib says he has received “nothing but love and support” from his teammates after he came out as gay.

With the 2021 NFL draft in the books, and most major free agent moves complete as well, clarity has come to the quarterback position of most teams.

History dictates that it’s likely at least a couple of the five first-round quarterbacks won’t fulfill the hopes of the teams that drafted them.

Let’s start with:PAYTON’S PLANOn Christmas night, Saints running back Alvin Kamara tied a 91-year-old NFL record by rushing for six touchdowns in a 52-33 wipeout of the Minnesota Vikings. “I was thinking about our best play there,” Payton explained afterward. Payton wasn’t talking about Nevers’ record six TD runs. “A lot of these players — I’d say most of these players — have no idea how good Gale Sayers was,” said Payton. “It was a great moment.”Brees said Payton mentioned Sayers’ mark before the Saints’ last touchdown drive.

during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Las Vegas. Fitzpatrick's desperation heave to Mack Hollins set up Jason Sanders’ 44-yard field goal as the Dolphins drove the field in the final 19 seconds to move one step closer to a playoff berth with an improbable 26-25 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night. The move to play for the field goal backfired as the Raiders lost on a kick instead. My head was getting ripped off.”The penalty moved the ball down to the Las Vegas 26, setting up Sanders’ winning kick. Las Vegas then ran out most of the clock but not enough.

“I’m not going to say anything other than I’m optimistic, but I’m not a mind reader,” coach Jon Gruden said Thursday. “I just know he had an injury that caused him to miss the game last week and I’m respectful of that. If for some reason Carr can’t play, Marcus Mariota is in position to make his first start for the Raiders. S Erik Harris and DB Daryl Worley also are on the COVID-19 list. ... WR Henry Ruggs III returned to practice from the COVID-19 list and Gruden is hopeful he will play.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, right, embraces quarterback Justin Herbert (10) after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Las Vegas. Herbert scored on 1-yard plunge to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 30-27 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. The Chargers (5-9) snapped a nine-game losing streak against their AFC West counterparts, and snapped a three-game skid against the Raiders. Las Vegas (7-7) lost quarterback Derek Carr to a left groin injury in the first quarter. “It just shows the kind of player and football character he has,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of Mariota.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) limps on the sidelines after a play against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has left the game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a groin injury. Carr came up lame on a third-down scramble near the goal line in the first quarter for the Raiders on Thursday night. 2 overall pick in 2015 by Tennessee, took over for Carr on the next drive for the Raiders. Mariota led the Raiders to a TD on his first drive, connecting on a 35-yard pass to Darren Waller.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) jumps over Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold (45) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)LAS VEGAS – Frank Reich found himself regularly amazed while he watched everything his Indianapolis Colts accomplished in their first trip to Sin City. He also marveled at the breakaway speed of Jonathan Taylor, who outran the Raiders' entire secondary on a 62-yard TD sprint. Moreau eluded two defenders on a 47-yard catch-and-run TD shortly before Agholor's 21-yard TD reception put the Raiders up 14-10 early in the second quarter. BIG CATCHMoore blew both teams' minds with his interception in the second quarter.

The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings are in position to pull off remarkable turnarounds. One of the other teams that started 0-5 this season shares a stadium with the Giants but hasn’t pulled off an in-season turnaround. Jefferson, a first-round pick, had nine catches for 121 yards last week to reach 1,039 yards receiving on the season. With 11 TD runs this season, Newton has reached double-digits in three seasons (14 in 2011 and 10 in 2015). It was the first time since Brady Quinn in 2009 that a quarterback won consecutive starts despite throwing for fewer than 100 yards.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)DENVER – The “ My Cause My Cleats ” initiative has really established a foothold in the NFL. Five years ago, about 500 players participated in the inaugural campaign, marking the first time players could wear custom cleats during games without facing fines. Some players whose teams were on the road last week can wear their cleats at home this weekend. “You can just go out there and wear custom cleats on the field and really show off what you’ve been working so hard for in the offseason,” Chubb said. “Season after season I am inspired by the growing number of NFL players that participate in ‘My Cause My Cleats’ and the causes they represent,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)NEW YORK – Adam Gase thought through the final agonizing moments of the New York Jets' stunning loss and tried to not make a rash decision. The coach got a little bit of sleep before he headed to the team's facility Monday morning — with the same conclusion he had Sunday night: defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had to go. I wish I would've called timeout, but I didn't.”The 62-year-old Williams had been the Jets' defensive coordinator the past two seasons under Gase. The no-nonsense Williams has made a career of being an aggressive play caller on defense, but the Jets have struggled this year while ranking 29th in total defense and 30th in scoring defense. But the Jets' defense had mostly done its job Sunday, including a fourth-down stop with 1:37 left.

Midway through the 2020 season, performance has altered perception all around the NFL. Here’s a look at who’s up and who’s down:UPDALVIN COOK: While running backs have generally been devalued during this pass-happy era, Cook is showing the impact a big-play back can make. He leads the NFL with 858 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing one game with an injury. He’s the first NFL player with at least 50 catches, 600 yards receiving and eight touchdown receptions over his first six games of a season. Evans has been a productive threat near the end zone with seven TD catches, but six of those have come on passes from inside the 10.

That means that going into tonight’s Saints-Buccaneers showdown, home teams are 65-65-1 so far this season. That homefield advantage has largely been erased with sparse crowds or no fans at games because of the coronavirus pandemic. Las Vegas though has taken control on its first two drives of the second half. Neither had started an NFL game, but both have been in the league much longer than DiNucci. The Tennessee Titans already lost left tackle Taylor Lewan for the season, and now they are without left guard Rodger Saffold.

The Las Vegas Raiders and coach Jon Gruden have been fined a total $650,000 and docked a sixth-round draft pick for repeated violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols. While several teams have been fined so far this season, the Raiders are the first to be penalized a draft pick following multiple violations. Gruden was fined $100,000 and the team docked $250,000 after the coach didn’t wear his mask properly during a Week 2 win over New Orleans. The team also was fined $50,000 for allowing an unauthorized employee in the locker room after the game. Tight end Darren Waller was fined $30,000 and nine teammates, including quarterback Derek Carr, were fined $15,000 for attending an indoor charity event held by Waller’s foundation that violated local coronavirus protocols.

In Gruden’s first stint with the team, Rich Gannon had great success as a scrambler, ranking fourth among all quarterbacks from 1999-2001 with 1,058 yards rushing. He also lowered his shoulder and took a big hit fighting for extra yards on another run. “I feel like as a football fan, whenever the quarterback does that kind of stuff, it pumps the whole sideline up,” Carr said. And Carr has made the most of his runs, turning them into nine first downs — including eight in his past four games. He believes that threat will open up more opportunities for big plays throwing off scrambles if defenses start playing him to run.

But it was arguably the best week for Miami Hurricanes alums league-wide. But defensive end Olivier Vernon was disruptive for the Browns’ defense, totaling four total tackles including two sacks on Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad made two tackles for the Indianapolis Colts, in a 41-21 win at the Detroit Lions. Playing at the same defensive end position, Calais Campbell had two total tackles for the Ravens in a 28-24 home loss to Pittsburgh. In the Thursday night matchup between Atlanta and Carolina, Falcons defensive end Allen Bailey had one tackle and Panthers cornerback Corn Elder had three.

Las Vegas Raiders tackle Trent Brown remains in Cleveland undergoing tests after being hospitalized following an IV mishap before a game against the Browns. Brown was sent to the hospital shortly before the game between the Raiders and Browns started on Sunday. “The most important thing is that we find out what went wrong,” Gruden said. “I think the big thing is we were all shaken up pretty good,” Gruden said. We said a prayer for Trent before the game and then we went out and tried to win the game for him.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr celebrates after the Raiders defeated the Cleveland Browns 16-6 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)CLEVELAND – Derek Carr had no idea where his passes were going or what the weather was doing. The wind, who knows what it was?”But the winter-like weather didn't stop Carr or the Raiders. After that, it was tough.”Using running back Josh Jacobs and a short passing game, Carr controlled the clock in the second half and kept the ball away from the Browns (5-3). The Raiders appeared to take the lead in the second quarter when Carr connected with Henry Ruggs III in the back right corner of the end zone.

(AP Photo/David Becker)LAS VEGAS – Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes to move past Drew Brees for the most in NFL history and ran for another to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 45-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Carr then connected on a 44-yard pass to Nelson Agholor to set up a 1-yard TD pass to Waller that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 24-17. It also gave the Raiders their first opening drive TD since Week 16 of last season vs. the Chargers. FAVORITE TARGET IIBrady connected with Gronkowski for the second straight week with a 5-yard TD pass in the second quarter. Raiders: T Sam Young left with a knee injury in the second quarter and didn't return.

And when Carr threw an early interception Sunday that helped the Chiefs take a commanding lead, well, it seemed as if history was repeating itself. “I've had a lot of sad walks up that ramp,” Carr said later, “but you know what? Not today.”Instead, the oft-criticized quarterback steadied his shaky team, outplayed Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and led the Raiders to a 40-32 victory. But the Raiders (3-2) recovered a squib quick, Jacobs rumbled for a first down as the Chiefs (4-1) burned timeouts, and Carr sneaked for the crucial first down. But that's how these things go.”The Chiefs tied it at halftime, and the game slowed down during a scoreless third quarter.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (90) celebrates after recovering a fumble by the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Las Vegas. Shaking off a second-quarter stinger, Allen threw two touchdowns and rushed for another to lead the Buffalo Bills to a 30-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Las Vegas (2-2) lost its second straight game and first inside the shiny new $2 billion Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas gave the ball back to the Bills by way of punt, fumble, downs and another fumble before scoring on its final possession. Las Vegas had allowed scores on nine straight non-kneeldown drives.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (90) celebrates after recovering a fumble by the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)LAS VEGAS – Shaking off a banged-up left shoulder, Josh Allen threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, leading the Buffalo Bills to a 30-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Las Vegas (2-2) lost its second straight game after falling in New England last week. Las Vegas gave the ball back to the Bills by way of punt, fumble, downs and another fumble before scoring on its final possession. “Bills Mafia travels all over the country, regardless of whether or not we can’t be in the stadium to support the team,” said Taylor Maurer, whose Bills-themed jacket was highlighted with “Bills Mafia” on the back.

The Las Vegas Raiders have been fined $50,000 for allowing an unauthorized team employee into the locker room following a game this season. A person familiar with the punishment told The Associated Press on Saturday that the fine was issued for violating COVID-19 protocols following a win over New Orleans on Sept. 21. This is the second time this season the Raiders have been sanctioned by the league for violating COVID-19 protocols. The NFL is also looking into the conduct of several Raiders players from a charity event held by tight end Darren Waller on Sept. 28. Several players, including quarterback Derek Carr, attendedin violation of Nevada coronavirus protocols.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick works along the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots have won the last six meetings with the Raiders and improved to 47-9 in regular-season games following a loss. We can’t stop the run in the second half. “We played the best 30 minutes of football in the second half, which is what we needed,” Belichick said. Following the kickoff, the Raiders got help from a pass interference call on Stephon Gilmore to get into Patriots territory.

The National Football League issued fines to two more coaches who failed to wear masks on the sidelines as required by the league's Covid-19 protocols, a source told CNBC on Tuesday. Head coaches Jon Gruden and Sean Payton appeared on the sidelines not wearing masks during Monday night's Las Vegas Raiders versus New Orleans Saints contest on ESPN. Both the Raiders and the Saints were each fined $250,000, a league source told CNBC. Including the Raiders and Saints, the fines would total $1.7 million for protocol violations for the NFL heading into Week 3 of its 2020 season. Additional fines could be issued to other coaches and teams, too.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Darren Waller (83) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)LAS VEGAS – Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders delivered a performance worthy of their fancy new home. Carr threw three touchdown passes and the Raiders gave their new fans in Las Vegas plenty to celebrate even if they weren’t allowed in the stadium by beating the New Orleans Saints 34-24 on Monday night. Las Vegas converted 10 of 17 third downs and also went for it successfully twice on fourth down. Alec Ingold recovered for Las Vegas and Carr threw a 1-yard TD to Waller on fourth down to give the Raiders their first lead of the game at 24-17.

Jacobs’ 6-yard run around the right end with 4:14 left put the Raiders ahead for good after they’d surrendered a 12-point fourth quarter lead. McCaffrey racked up 134 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns for Carolina. Carolina battled back with McCaffrey getting 11 touches for 64 yards on one drive and scoring on a 3-yard run. Bridgewater, who replaced Cam Newton as the starting QB, finished 22 of 34 for 270 yards and one touchdown in his Carolina debut. 1 cornerback Donte Jackson left with an ankle injury early in the first quarter and did not return.