Raiders keep playoff hopes alive with OT win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Carson Palmer knew that Darrius Heyward-Bey, perhaps the Oakland Raiders’ fastest wide receiver, could beat the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense if he went deep down the field.

The Raiders just had to wait for the right moment.

It came on the first play of overtime.

Heyward-Bey beat safety Kendrick Lewis down the left side and Palmer hit him for a 53-yard gain, setting up Sebastian Janikowski’s 36-yard field goal 2:13 into overtime Saturday for a 16-13 win that kept the Raiders’ playoff hopes alive and eliminated Kansas City from contention.

“It was the right time to call it,” Palmer said. “I wanted it earlier, but we saved it for the right time. The protection was flawless and the route was great.”

It was just about the only thing that was flawless.

The Raiders committed 15 penalties for 92 yards, one of them – a delay of game – wiping out an audacious fake field goal that would have gone for a 36-yard touchdown pass. Palmer also threw a pair of interceptions and the Raiders converted only 3 of 11 third-down opportunities.

“An ugly win is better than a pretty loss,” Palmer said.

Especially given the stakes.

Oakland (8-7) can win the AFC West by beating San Diego next week and getting some help from – of all teams – the Chiefs, who travel to Denver for a game that’s become meaningless to them.

“The man told me, ‘Hue, we’ll win it in the end.’ I believe that,” said Raiders coach Hue Jackson, reflecting on a conversation he had with Al Davis before the Raiders owner died in October. “I don’t know how it’s going to happen. I don’t care how it’s going to happen.”

Oakland led 13-6 late in the fourth quarter when Kyle Orton connected with Dexter McCluster for a 49-yard gain, setting up a short TD toss to Dwayne Bowe with 1:02 remaining in regulation.

The Raiders went three-and-out in short order, giving Kansas City (6-9) the ball back with only enough time to get into field-goal range. Orton hit Bowe for 25 yards and Terrance Copper for 11 more to set up Ryan Succop, whose 49-yard try was blocked as time ran out.

It was the second field goal that Succop had blocked.

“We had an opportunity to win the game. Those guys came up big,” Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali said.