MARK LONG, AP Sports Writer
Published: October 23, 2016, 5:07 pm
Tags: Jaguars, Florida, Sports, News, Local
Raiders beat Jaguars 33-16, get Del Rio win vs former team
JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 23: SaQwan Edwards #30 of the Oakland Raiders returns a kick as he's pursued by Brad Nortman #3 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the game October 23, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Latavius Murray scored twice in his return from turf toe, and the Oakland Raiders handled listless Jacksonville 33-16 Sunday and gave coach Jack Del Rio a victory against his former team.
Murray, who missed the past two games, finished with 59 yards on 18 carries. Michael Crabtree caught eight passes for 96 yards and a touchdown from Derek Carr, Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals and the Raiders played the kind of defense they've been looking for all season.
The result was the team's most complete win of the season. Oakland improved to 4-0 on the road and moved to 5-2 for the first time since 2001.
The Jaguars (2-4), meanwhile, dropped a third straight at EverBank Field and added more speculation about the future of coach Gus Bradley.
Jacksonville fell to 14-40 during Bradley's four seasons, and the latest loss was filled with poor execution on both sides of the ball and a lack of discipline down the stretch.
Del Rio had to be thrilled with the outcome, getting the franchise's first win in three trips to Jacksonville. Del Rio spent nine years coaching the Jaguars and was fired with five games remaining in the 2011 season.
Del Rio was booed while jogging onto the field with his team before the game.
The louder jeers came later — for the home team. Blake Bortles threw for 246 yards, with two interceptions and a garbage-time touchdown. Allen Robinson caught two passes for 9 yards. The Jaguars finished with 344 yards of offense — the fewest gained against the league's worst-ranked defense this season.
JAGUARS MELTDOWN
First, receiver Marqise Lee was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and then defensive tackle Malik Jackson was penalized twice on the same play. It was an obvious meltdown near the end of a frustrating day for the Jaguars. Jackson was penalized for roughing the passer on a third-and-10 play and then given another 15-yarder for using abusive language toward an official. He was ejected four plays later following another exchange with an official. Jackson ran to the locker room, seemingly eager to get off the field early.
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Raiders receiver Johnny Holton were ejected for fighting in the final minutes of the lopsided matchup.
RED ZONE WOES
The Jaguars again struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone. They settled for two short field goals in three trips inside the 20-yard line against the Raiders, throwing an interception from the 18 and then failing to convert from the 8- and 9-yard lines. It's become a trend, with the offense's past six trips resulting in three field goals, two INTs and a touchdown.
THROAT SLASH
Crabtree was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after his touchdown reception late in the first half. Replays showed back judge Steve Freeman signaling that Crabtree performed a throat-slash gesture, which has been banned by the league since 1999. Because of the penalty, Crabtree would have been ejected had he been flagged for another personal foul in the second half.
ANOTHER HUGE HOLE
The Jaguars have been one of the league's slowest-starting teams the past two seasons. Facing Oakland did little to change that. Jacksonville trailed 20-6 at halftime, the fourth time in six games Bradley's team has been behind by double digits before the break. The Jags trailed 21-0 at San Diego, 10-0 against Baltimore and 10-0 at Chicago. They rallied to beat the Bears.
MILLER OUT
Jaguars nose tackle Roy Miller, one of the team's top defensive linemen, left the game in the third quarter with an Achilles tendon injury and did not return. Playing without Miller for any extended period of time would be a huge loss for a defense that has made significant strides this season.
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