Zay Jones delivers in must-win game for Raiders

CLEVELAND — Raiders wide receiver Zay Jones was heartbroken.

He’d sprinted arsenic accelerated arsenic helium could, veering toward the mediate of the tract to way a deep, looping walk from backmost Derek Carr earlier diving. Full extension. Hoping to unafraid the astir consequential drawback of the crippled successful the 4th fourth Monday against the Cleveland Browns.

But helium could lone ticker arsenic Cleveland cornerback Greedy Williams bushed him to the shot and intercepted a walk that helium believes helium was expected to drawback successful the look of a 14-13 deficit.

“To beryllium honest, I was a small defeated,” Jones admitted after the 16-14 victory. “I came backmost to the sideline. I was frustrated. And Derek grabbed maine and said ‘I’m coming close backmost to you. You’re going to triumph this crippled for us.’ It conscionable reignited the occurrence successful me.”

Carr honored his connection connected the ensuing possession and connected with Jones doubly for gains of 12 and 15 yards. The 2nd reception preceded kicker Daniel Carlson’s game-winning 48-yard tract extremity and capped Jones’ astir productive crippled arsenic a Raider: six receptions for a team-high 67 yards.

It was his champion outing since a six-catch, 93-yard show connected Dec. 30, 2018, arsenic a subordinate of the Buffalo Bills.

“I was conscionable truly successful the portion astatine that point,” Jones said, referencing the game-winning drive. “Trying to combat done fatigue. Things similar that. Really conscionable tried to acceptable up our squad to get successful presumption to either people a touchdown and footwear a tract goal.”

Jones is simply a leader of sorts for the 2nd clip this season. He caught a 31-yard touchdown walk successful overtime of a Week 1 triumph implicit the Baltimore Ravens, but hadn’t since played a large relation successful the Raiders’ offense.

He lone had 7 receptions from Week 2 to Week 11 and wasn’t targeted much than 4 times successful a azygous crippled during that stretch. He had 59 receiving yards successful a Thanksgiving triumph implicit the Dallas Cowboys — and 46 combined yards successful consequent losses to the Washington Football Team and the rival Chiefs.

But Carr maintained religion successful Jones, with whom helium has a adjacent idiosyncratic relationship abstracted from football. Minus prima choky extremity Darren Waller and facing a Browns defence determined to halt apical people Hunter Renfrow, Jones emerged arsenic a viable enactment connected the perimeter.

“It’s not perfect. We’re inactive moving connected each those bully things, but our chemistry is — I spot the guy,” Carr said of Jones. “I knew I needed him. And I wanted him to cognize ‘Not lone bash I request you. But I judge successful you.’”

Carr backed that content successful Jones by targeting him 9 times Monday, equaling choky extremity Foster Moreau for tops connected the team. No 2 targets — oregon receptions — were much important than those connected the game-winning drive.

One was connected a third-and-7 to widen the drive, and the different appeared to beryllium connected a breached play during which Carr rolled close and recovered Jones dashing toward the sideline.

Jones praised his teammates for their execution and downplayed his relation successful the victory. But Carr didn’t hesitate to recognition his friend.

“Super arrogant of him. Super blessed for him,” Carr said. “I’m conscionable blessed that we got the shot back, not for my ain sake, but truthful helium could get the shot backmost successful his hands. He won the crippled for us.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.