Raiders find momentum in Ravens upset, hope to keep it

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Momentum is, Robert Spillane said, "so finicky" when it comes to the NFL, where each of a team's 17 regular-season games is like a season unto itself.

So after the Las Vegas Raiders rode a wave of momentum as unlikely as it was needed to their 26-23 comeback win at the Baltimore Ravens, the Raiders linebacker is hoping it continues to build.

Especially with the winless Carolina Panthers, who are making a change at quarterback in going from 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young to veteran Andy Dalton, coming to Allegiant Stadium this weekend.

"I call it complementary football," Spillane said. "We get a turnover; our offense goes down to get seven points. And that is what we have to get to win games here. So, we are just going to keep playing with each other, keep trusting each other and see where it goes."

In other words, keep creating that momentum wave until it breaks, right?

It was Las Vegas' defense, and Spillane in particular, who got it going with his third-quarter tip-drill interception of Lamar Jackson near midfield. The Ravens were leading 16-6 and had driven 70 yards for a touchdown on their previous possession.

Seven plays later, and the Raiders' offense, which had managed but 43 yards in the first half with only 4 rushing yards, was jump-started enough to score a touchdown.

It was an emotional reversal as important as the potential 14-point swing.

"It was just about not riding the roller coaster," said defensive end Maxx Crosby, who sacked Jackson twice and had four tackles for loss. "The first drive of the half, they went down there and scored. That was a big moment in the game. We had to make a decision and a lot of guys stepped up and that's what it's all about.

"There's going to be ups and downs in the game, but you've just got to keep showing up, every single player taking it one play at a time."

It was around this time when three-time first-team All-Pro receiver Davante Adams held a sideline skull session, of sorts, to fire up the offense.

"It got, not rowdy," Adams said, "but I had to speak up a little bit and use some voices just to get guys going."

What's that about luck being when opportunity meets preparation? Yeah, and it can create ... momentum.

Tangible momentum.

The offense got untracked and, as Adams acknowledged, the Raiders suddenly looked like "a different team" the rest of the game.

"I look forward to continue to build on that momentum," said quarterback Gardner Minshew, who, after averaging only 1.6 air yards per attempt in the first half with eight of his 14 completions thrown at or behind the line of scrimmage, per ESPN Research, let it fly after halftime.

"I think everybody feels pretty great about it. There's a ton of tape to clean up; we're going to do that. But I think everybody feels and believes what we can be as an offense."

The best way to build momentum?

Establish the run. Something the Raiders have yet to do.

Through two games the Raiders have only 98 rushing yards as a team, with starting running back Zamir White averaging 3.1 yards per carry, more than a yard less than he did last season.

Small sample size, yes, but momentum is going to go only as far as the Raiders can run with it ... literally and figuratively.

"We've got a lot of things that we've got to correct," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. "We got a win ... but there was a lot of things in that first quarter that was ugly, in that first half that was ugly, and in that third quarter that was ugly, to be honest.

"We're not worried about the Panthers; we've got to fix the Raiders."

Specifically, the running game, which averaged 1.6 yards per carry in Baltimore.

"That's poor, that's piss poor," Pierce said.

"There has to be an intent, and a play style that we've talked about, that we've practiced, that we've been preaching since day one that's not showing up on game day. So, if it's changes that need to be made, or scheme, everything's on the table."

Talk about finicky.