OAKLAND — How miraculous was the Raiders’ 31-30 win over the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday night?
So miraculous Michael Crabtree was willing to talk about it.
Crabtree, who caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr with no time remaining, gave his first extended interview since the beginning of training camp in the raucous winning locker room.
“We didn’t give up,” Crabtree said. “We have a team of fighters. We believe. (Todd Downing) said, we believe no matter how hard the game is, we need to believe, and we came out with a `W.’ A good way to win, a great way to win.”
Over the four game losing losing streak, Crabtree was about the most consistent thing about the Raiders passing offense (although he missed the Denver game with a bruised lung). He has also been consistently pleasant in the way he’s turned down interviews, but he’s turned them down just the same.
The game-tying score — followed by Giorgio Tavecchio’s point-after touchdown — was his sixth touchdown of the season and came after an earlier catch in the end zone against cornerback Marcus Peters was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty.
“I never gave up,” Crabtree said. “Marcus Peters is a good cornerback. I feel the call was bogus, but it’s football. On to the next play.”
The next play, as it turned out, was nullified when Ron Parker was called for defensive holding against Jared Cook. The one after that came back when Eric Murray got a defensive holding call against Cordarrelle Patterson.
Carr’s instructions to Crabtree with the clock was on zero?
“D.C. said catch the ball,” Crabtree said. “I went out there and made the play.”
Known as a prolific worker if not a prolific talker, Crabtree said his propensity for catching clutch passes comes from meticulous work in practice.
“Preparation, it’s all in practice,” Crabtree said. “It’s routine. You do it so much in practice that by the time the game comes, you’re just doing what you do.”
Crabtree credited the fans with helping fuel the comeback.
“It was big, the fans came today,” Crabtree said. “They came to win. I seen the towels twirling. It was big, the excitement, I felt it.”
It was big. He took control in the huddle. He took control of the offense. All we did was be there for him. He’s the captain, a good quarterback. He’s Derek Carr. All we’re doing is making plays.
In taking the Raiders 85 yards in 11 plays to win the game, Crabtree said Carr was in complete command.
“He took control of the huddle,” Crabtree said. “He took control of the offense. All we did was be there for him. He’s the captain, a good quarterback. He’s Derek Carr. All we’re doing is making plays.”
