NFL News & Analysis

BUF-OAK grades: Derek Carr thrives behind solid O-line protection

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 04: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after a three-yard touchdown pass against the Buffalo Bills during their NFL game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on December 4, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders 38, Buffalo Bills 24

Here are the highest-graded players and top takeaways from the Raiders' Week 13 win over the Bills.

Buffalo Bills

Quarterback grade: Tyrod Taylor, 65.8

Pressure forces inaccuracy from Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor started this game off hot, connecting on 9-of-10 of his first passes, and leading his team to a seven-point lead early in the second quarter. Taylor struggled more as the game went on, and the Raiders started to get pressure on him. Taylor, who holds onto the ball longer than any quarterback in the league, on average, was pressured on 19-0f-41 (46 percent) of his dropbacks. Taylor went 4-for-15 and was sacked four times when pressured, giving him a 15.4 QB rating under pressure.

Tyrod Taylor vs pressure

Top offensive grades:

FB Jerome Felton, 88.3

G Richie Incognito, 82.6

G John Miller, 81.5

OT Cordy Glenn, 79.5

C Ryan Groy, 77.0

Run blocking dominant in Bills' loss

The Bills, who came in as one the best rushing teams in the NFL, faced off against the Raiders, whose defense is near the bottom of the league in yards per carry allowed. So, it’s no surprise that the Bills put on a strong performance in the trenches on the offensive side. Four-of-five of the Bills' starting offensive linemen earned positive run-blocking grades, and Buffalo averaged 7.1 yards per carry in the game.

Top defensive grades:

DI Marcell Dareus, 83.4

DI DeAndre Coleman, 78.6

S James Ihedigbo, 76.5

ED Lorenzo Alexander, 73.0

ED Shaq Lawson, 72.6

Marcell Dareus stands out in run defense in loss 

There were not many great performances on the defensive side of the ball for the Bills, but Marcell Dareus’ performance against the run when facing a highly-touted O-line was impressive. Dareus had four run stops and an 89.7 run-defense grade on the day.

Oakland Raiders

Quarterback grade: Derek Carr, 82.3

Carr puts on another outstanding performance in Raiders' victory

Derek Carr was extremely efficient the whole day, and would have looked a lot better if his receivers hadn’t had five drops, including a Michael Crabtree drop in the end zone. Carr did his best work in the middle of the field, going 14-of-21 for 190 yards and two touchdowns inside the numbers.

Derek Carr vs pressure

Top offensive grades:

QB Derek Carr, 82.3

OT Donald Penn, 81.9

FB Jamize Olawale, 78.4

C Rodney Hudson, 77.6

G Kelechi Osemele, 77.3

Pass protection outstanding in win

Derek Carr can thank his offensive linemen for their aid in his performance. Carr was only pressured on five of his 35 dropbacks (four credited to the O-line). On those five pressures, his QB rating was a measly 39.6, but when he was kept clean, his QB rating was a whopping 113.2. All of the Oakland offensive linemen finished with positive pass-protection grades; Carr did not see any pressure from his blind side, as Osemele and Penn were not charged with any pressures.

Top defensive grades:

CB T.J. Carrie, 84.4

ED Khalil Mack, 81.0

S Nate Allen, 78.2

ED James Cowser, 72.9

LB Perry Riley, 72.5

Mack makes huge plays down the stretch to clinch victory 

Khalil Mack did not start this game out well at all, but came up big in the fourth quarter to secure a Raiders' victory. On the Bills' first touchdown, Mack bit hard on the fake to the running back and gave Tyrod Taylor a wide-open lane to run in the end zone. But with his team protecting a six-point lead, Mack deflected a pass out of Taylor's hand that ended up being intercepted by Nate Allen, and led to a touchdown. On the next drive, the Bills got down inside the Raiders' red zone, and Mack had beat Jordan Mills with a bull-rush to get a strip sack and fumble recovery to effectively end the Bills' chances of coming away with a victory.

PFF Game Ball: Derek Carr, QB, Raiders

PFF’s player grading process includes multiple reviews, which may change the grade initially published in order to increase its accuracy. Learn more about how we grade and access grades for every player through each week of the NFL season by subscribing to Player Grades.

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