Through the first quarter of the 2016 season, the Oakland Raiders are undefeated on the road and have proved to be resilient in the face of adversity. On Sunday, the Silver and Black pulled off a comeback win after trailing by six, when quarterback Derek Carr found Michael Crabtree in the back of the end zone for what would be the game winning score. The Raiders' final drive marked Carr's sixth game-winning since the start of the 2015 season, the most in the NFL during that time frame.
The ability to win in three consecutive games on the road has certainly caught the attention of NFL analysts around the country. The team returns from Baltimore with a win under its belt and a chance to win at home this Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. The divisional battle will be the 112th matchup between the two teams, and shouldn't disappoint.
Here is our updated power rankings list, brought to you by NFL Extra Points.
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Current Ranking: No. 11
Previous Ranking: No. 18
Movement: Up 7
Analysis: Head coach Jack Del Rio left his thumbprint on this Raiders defense for the second straight week.
Baltimore's downfield passing game was kept in relative check (except for a 52-yard Steve Smith touchdown). Khalil Mack and others finally brought some heat in the pocket. There were very few impactful running plays.
That was enough for Oakland to pull out a tough road win. The Raiders offense—led by Derek Carr and sure-handed star Michael Crabtree—did some heavy lifting. So did reserve running back Jalen Richard, who set his team up with two beautiful special teams returns.
Current Ranking: No. 9
Previous Ranking: No. 14
Movement: Up 5
Analysis: The Raiders sit 3-1 through four games and you can't blame Raider Nation for being excited. The Raiders haven't been 3-1 or better through four games since the 2002 season, which also happens to be their last Super Bowl appearance.
Current Ranking: No. 11
Previous Ranking: No. 15
Movement: Up 4
Analysis: Worry abounds in Miami over Ryan Tannehill's development -- or lack thereof. Jaguars fans still don't know what they have in Blake Bortles. Meanwhile, in Oakland, Derek Carr outplays his fellow young AFC quarterbacks -- and a bunch of veterans -- each and every week. Sunday in Baltimore was no different. Yes, Carr posted his lowest yardage total of the season (199), but he delivered a 66-yard touchdown drive with the game on the line. Oh, and he notched four scoring strikes, including the winning touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree -- an absolute dime to the back of the end zone. It was the Raiders' first win in Baltimore since the "Ghost to the Post" win over the Colts during the 1977 playoffs -- the last time the John Madden/"Snake" Stabler duo won a postseason game. Like that legendary contest 39 years ago, this matchup came down to the Raiders' quarterback making big plays at the end -- and the NFL's best young gunslinger in 2016 was up to snuff.
Current Ranking: No. 12
Previous Ranking: No. 17
Movement: Up 5
Analysis: Amari Cooper hasn't been bad by any means, with 318 yards in four games, but there's obviously more coming. He hasn't scored yet and has been relatively quiet overall. And the Raiders are 3-1 with their best weapon on offense off to a somewhat slow start.
Current Ranking: No. 11
Previous Ranking: No. 15
Movement: Up 4
Analysis: Michael Crabtree has finally found a Bay Area quarterback who can get him the football in the end zone.
Current Ranking: No. 9
Previous Ranking: No. 13
Movement: Up 4
Analysis: Derek Carr continues to impress while Michael Crabtree has emerged as his favorite target -- even over Amari Cooper. It's apparent the Raiders' resurgence is legit and they're true contenders out West. Sunday's win over the undefeated Ravens further proved that.
Current Ranking: No. 10
Previous Ranking: No. 13
Movement: Up 3
Analysis: They have three road victories in four weeks, which means something. The defense is improving each week.
Current Ranking: No. 9
Previous Ranking: No. 15
Movement: Up 6
Analysis: They're 3-0 on road but 0-1 in Oakland so far this season.
