What Raiders game doesn't have at least one point of controversy?
The Raiders downed the Packers on Monday Night Football in Week 5, and one player who may have contributed the most to the win was cornerback Marcus Peters.
When the game was tied 10-10 in the third quarter, Peters made a dirty play to prevent Packers wide receiver Christian Watson from scoring the go-ahead touchdown. Jordan Love had found Watson wide open in the middle of the field due to the Raiders defense's busted coverage. Watson caught the pass at the 50-yard line and only had to beat Peters to run in for the score.
Watson juked out Peters with an outside move and then turned on the jets and sprinted inside. Just a handful of yards before the end zone, Peters grabbed Watson's jersey and dragged him down at the 6-yard line.
Peters was rightfully called for a horse-collar penalty (which put the Packers at the 3-yard line). Green Bay was in prime scoring position but ended up settling for a field goal instead.
Peters' dirty play fortuitously prevented a would-be touchdown, giving the Packers only a 13-10 lead in the second half. After the game, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels patted Peters on the back for the horse-collar penalty.
Raiders HC Josh McDaniels says Marcus Peters' horse-collar play was 'smart'
The Raiders would go on to win 17-13, a result that may have been very different had Watson scored on that third-quarter run.
Peters had a fairly good game against the Packers and allowed four of six passes thrown his way for 31 yards. Other than the blown coverage on the Watson play, the Raiders' defense as a whole thrived against a discombobulated Packers' passing attack and picked off Love three times.
Had the Peters' penalty turned into an immediate Packers touchdown, McDaniels may not be so quick to praise his corner. Peters' quick thinking nonetheless helped give the Raiders a breath of hope to stop Green Bay from converting a massive would-be touchdown run in a critical moment.
Would Peters do it again? Absolutely.
