Raiders report: Kenyan Drake makes most of opportunity

DENVER — Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and interim coach Rich Bisaccia insist there was no magic formula for finally getting Kenyan Drake more involved in the offense.

Drake said it was just a matter of taking advantage of his chances in Sunday’s 34-24 win over the Broncos.

“I just try to make the most of my opportunities,” he said after racking up 73 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on six touches. “Whenever my number is called, whether it’s in the return game, pass game, running game. I’m here to make plays.”

The so-called “Joker” of this offense had four carries for 34 yards and a score. He also caught both of his targets for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Drake entered the game with three carries and no receptions on one target in the past two weeks. He’s the first Raiders player with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since Darren McFadden in 2011 against Buffalo.

Carr said the team rarely discusses what players need to be more involved, adding that offensive coordinator Greg Olson, who took over play-calling duties for Jon Gruden, is willing to use different players in different situations.

“He (Drake) just capitalized when he was in there more than us just saying we need to get him the ball,” Carr said. “We kind of just see schematically what’s going to be good for us.”

Must be the shoes

Carr went to the locker room to change shoes early in the game.

He said he has played at Empower Field at Mile High enough times to know there is going to be uncertainty about the field conditions.

“I didn’t know what the weather had been like, but I knew I’d try out a certain pair,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I wanted to wear those, so I came back in to put some other ones on.”

Carr changed again for his postgame news conference and was wearing the Henry Ruggs’ model Adidas WS2 sneakers.

Ruggs noticed as he left the podium and Carr approached, joking that he tried to give Carr a pair, but the quarterback insisted on paying.

The wide receiver shot a quick video for his Instagram story of Carr wearing the shoes, which retail for $100.

Streak over

The Raiders snapped their streak of consecutive games without scoring on the opening drive at 11 when Carr hit Ruggs for a 48-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard, 2:57 possession in the first quarter.

While the streak wasn’t something the team was consumed with, the fast start set the tone for perhaps its best overall performance of the season.

“We pretty much know what we gotta do,” Ruggs said. “We know we have to start fast. It hasn’t happened, but we just needed to step up and give us that spark.”

The Broncos answered with a touchdown pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Tim Patrick, finding the end zone on their opening drive for the first time in 24 games.

Another one

On a day in which the Raiders ended one notorious streak, kicker Daniel Carlson had his positive run come to an end.

Carlson missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt to snap a run of 27 consecutive makes from less than 50 yards. His last unsuccessful try from that range came in miserable weather Nov. 1 at Cleveland.

It had been the third-longest active streak in the NFL.

New blood

Defensive lineman Damion Square and cornerback Brandon Facyson made their first significant impact on defense for the Raiders this season.

Facyson, who had played only six snaps on special teams, had an interception and two passes defensed. Square, who suited up in one game for the Bears, made his Raiders debut with a half-sack and three quarterback hits.

“(Facyson) did a good job in the kicking game and had a good week of practice, plus he has a little bit of length out there for us at corner, and we thought that showed up today,” Bisaccia said. “Then Square had a really good week of practice. I thought looking on the sideline he gave us great push.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.