3 years ago
325
The tally came disconnected close defender and went for 27 yards. Not similar Peyton Barber hasn’t had longer oregon much melodramatic ones.
Not similar helium hasn’t been there, done that, determination the chains.
But determination was nary bigger play for the Raiders connected Sunday, a sixth-year moving backmost helping instrumentality power of things erstwhile they mattered astir conscionable weeks aft signing with the team.
The Raiders scaled a tiny but important hurdle with a 31-28 overtime triumph against Miami earlier 59,311 astatine Allegiant Stadium.
They began 3 of the past 5 years with a 2-0 record.
This is the archetypal clip they reached 3-0.
It’s really the archetypal clip since 2002, truthful fto that humdinger of a stat descend successful for a second.
Career high
Barber assuredly did his portion successful this latest triumph by rushing 23 times for a career-high 111 yards and a score. Starting moving backmost Josh Jacobs missed his 2nd consecutive crippled with a bum ankle. Someone had to measurement up.
Barber alternatively took a fewer elephantine leaps forward, 1 being into the extremity portion with 13:47 near successful regularisation to assistance summation the pb to 25-14.
“He’s a pro,” Raiders backmost Derek Carr said. “I’m breaking the huddle and telling him, ‘It’s this oregon this.’ This discourtesy is hard capable to larn if you motion present oregon are drafted here, fto unsocial to amusement up and it’s like, ‘Here, you person to play.’ He was unbelievable.”
Said wide receiver Hunter Renfrow: “Peyton is inactive discovering who helium is with us.”
Barber was signed disconnected the signifier squad of the Washington Football Team connected Sept. 4, a subordinate who spent the archetypal 4 years of his vocation with Tampa Bay. He really started each 16 games for the Buccaneers successful 2018, erstwhile helium rushed for a career-best 891 yards.
He did a spot of everything Sunday. Ran hard. Caught 3 passes for 31 yards. Picked up blitzes. Didn’t stroke assignments. Went disconnected close defender for 27 erstwhile winning was astatine stake.
“It has been benignant of a brainsick roller coaster,” Barber said. “I wasn’t definite wherever I would beryllium aft getting chopped and (signed to the signifier squad successful Washington). But the coaches present believed successful me. I emotion playing for Coach (Jon) Gruden. He has been precise honorable with maine — conscionable beryllium acceptable erstwhile your fig is called.”
Here’s what made his effort adjacent much impressive: The violative enactment for agelong stretches couldn’t artifact me.
There is nary mode astir it. Those up front, rebuilt and hurting, are having a pugnacious clip of it. Gruden isn’t a instrumentality of galore analytical numbers, but determination is nary hiding the information that Pro Football Focus offered these pregame ratings:
Tackle Alex Leatherwood (70 retired of 70 players astatine his presumption crossed the league); defender Jermaine Eluemunor (50 of 69); halfway Andre James (31 of 33); defender John Simpson (63 of 69); and tackle Kolton Miller (15 of 70.)
The enactment — sans Miller — hasn’t been bully astatine all, and yet the Raiders are inactive uncovering ways to triumph games. They did truthful Sunday erstwhile a backup moving backmost signed to the squad 3 weeks agone got escaped successful Miami territory and precocious the shot to the 19.
Six plays later, including 3 much runs from Barber, the Raiders won via a 22-yard tract extremity from Daniel Carlson.
No apologies
“I don’t apologize for winning games, nary substance however we triumph them,” Gruden said. “We had a need, and Barber was there. When you conscionable him, helium doesn’t accidental anything. He doesn’t smile. I don’t cognize what he’s feeling. I hardly cognize this guy.
“But I gave him a large hug and a crippled ball, I’ll archer you that.”
I’ll archer you what: Barber helped prevention the Raiders from being 2-1.
Nineteen years aboriginal — whoa — they’re 3-0.
There is simply a acquisition here. Not each 27-yard gains are created equal.
Ed Graney is simply a Sigma Delta Chi Award victor for sports file penning and tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. He tin beryllium heard connected “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday done Friday. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.
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