If for only one day, the Minshew Magic was back.
Despite completing only three passes in the first half, rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew orchestrated a game-winning drive with 1:44 remaining, capping it off with a four-yard touchdown to Chris Conley. The 20-16 win snaps a five-game losing streak and is the Jaguars first win on the West Coast in 10 tries. The Jaguars (5-9) had trailed the Raiders (6-8) 16-3 at half.
"These games are the most fun," Minshew said after the win. "They suck for ninety-percent of it. You feel like crap. But then you just keep grinding and find a way.
"These guys -- there's nobody I'd rather do it with than them."
This was the final game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before the Raiders' expected move to Las Vegas next season.
A rowdy crowd at "The Black Hole" was certainly a factor, but Jacksonville's defense feasted on Derek Carr and the Raiders offense all day. The Jaguars tallied four sacks, with Yannick Ngakoue accounting for two of them. Ngakoue had a monster day, adding five tackles and four tackles for loss. Josh Allen and Austin Calitro also had sacks for Jacksonville. Donald Payne had 13 tackles to pace the Big Cats.
"We made history here. Last game here," Allen smiled post-game. His 9.5 sacks now leads the Jaguars. "They're always gonna remember it. I let them know that."
"I saw more middle fingers [in the stands] tonight than I have in my whole life, man," Minshew laughed. "They have a good time, man. It was fun to run that for them."
Minshew finished 17 of 29 for 201 yards, and improved to 5-5 as the Jaguars' starting quarterback. He was sacked twice but picked up positive yardage on the ground, running for 27 yards. Despite catching both touchdowns, Conley only had four total catches for 49 yards; Keelan Cole added three grabs for 76 yards.
Leonard Fournette was held to 42 yards on 15 carries on the ground, but he was critical in the receiving game: he had five catches for 31 yards, including a crucial first down on the game-winning drive. He also became only the second Jaguar to post 3,500 yards from scrimmage in his first 35 games.
"It feels great. We're all turnt up in this locker room," defensive back D.J. Hayden, a former Raider, said post-game. "We'll enjoy this win, but we still got two more weeks of football. We gotta do our best and finish the season off strong."
The Jaguars travel to Atlanta next weekend. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They wrap up the season at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, December 29.