Kirk Cousins Rallies Raiders Past Jets 38-33

Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 2-yard toss to Jalen Nailor early in the fourth quarter, and ran for another score as the Las Vegas Raiders came back to beat the New York Jets 38-33 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Jeremy Chinn sealed it with a toe-tapping interception in the end zone on Geno Smith's final heave with 14 seconds left.

That snapped a four-game losing streak and got Las Vegas back to 4-4. It also came after the Raiders trailed by nine at halftime and watched the Jets score on each of their first six possessions, per the AP. The Jets fall to 2-6 and have now lost three in a row.

The Drive That Flipped It

Down 30-28 in the fourth, Cousins threw a screen to Ashton Jeanty, who stumbled, caught his balance and ripped off 45 yards to the Jets 13. Five plays later Cousins hit Nailor to make it 35-30 with 11:33 to go. New York answered with a Jason Sanders field goal after a 47-yard catch by Adonai Mitchell, and then the Raiders burned clock until Matt Gay hit a 53-yarder with 31 seconds left.

Cousins was sharp all day, finishing 19 of 26 for 247 yards with no interceptions. He also pushed in a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Brock Bowers caught two of the touchdowns and led Las Vegas with seven catches for 92 yards on 10 targets. Dylan Laube added a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown, the first kickoff returned for a score in the NFL this season.

Jets Lose a Game They Controlled

New York had this one. Braelon Allen ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, Smith threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns, and Mitchell went for 142 yards. The Jets even scored before halftime, their first points in the final two minutes of a first half this season. Then they punted for the first time late in the third quarter, and the defense could not get a stop when it counted.

Las Vegas also lost cornerback Darien Porter to a groin injury on the first defensive play of the game, which made the comeback even more impressive.

Looking Ahead

The Raiders visit the 49ers next Sunday at 1:25 PM PT. The Jets travel to Kansas City.

The usage story is the one to watch. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. got 25 carries for 83 yards, while Jeanty got just two carries but did his damage as a receiver. My Smacktok lean for San Francisco: higher on Washington's carries and on Bowers' receptions, since that is how this offense actually ran when it mattered. For Raiders fans, Cousins looked like the steady hand this team has been missing.