FG Lifts Raiders Over Seahawks

Even after Oakland Raiders kicker Greg Davis made a 38-yard field goal in the final 21 seconds against the Seattle Seahawks, he still felt the pressure.

As Davis walked off the field after the Raiders' 20-17 victory Sunday, cornerback James Trapp told him: "You know, I wouldn't want to be you." The comment struck a nerve.

"And I didn't want to be me," he said. "It's the toughest thing in the world."

Just before the end of the first half, Davis had missed a 30-yard attempt, but he redeemed himself early in the fourth with a 26-yard field goal. Then he was faced with the tiebreaking kick at the end, and the stress kicked in.

"Realistically, you miss that kick and you don't have a job Monday," he said. "People don't understand that. Your job depends on it."

With running back Napoleon Kaufman hobbled by a sore ankle, Harvey Williams ran 25 yards to give the Raiders (7-3) a 17-10 lead with 3:50 to go.

But the Seahawks (5-5) marched 65 yards on their next series to tie the game on Warren Moon's 12-yard scoring pass to Christian Fauria. A 2-yard run by Ricky Wattes on fourth down kept that drive alive.

The Raiders had tied the game at 10 with 8:17 left on Davis' first field goal. Desmond Howard contributed their other touchdown, a 63-yard punt return just before halftime.

Hollas went 20-for-31 for 266 yards, but had two interceptions. Moon finished 17-for-33 for 220 yards, but was intercepted three times - including one by Charles Woodson on the final play of the game.

Todd Peterson had a 22-yard field goal and Joey Galloway scored on a 56-yard punt return for Seattle.

It was the Raiders' second win over the Seahawks in the past three weeks. Seattle, which beat Kansas City last week and was vying to threaten Oakland's hold on second place in the AFC West, was penalized 14 times for 141 yards.

Cornerback Fred Thomas was called for roughing the passer, giving the Raiders 15 yards on the series that led to Davis' final field goal.

"First, you can't make dumb plays at the end of the game like we did. I thought we could have had a chance to win if we didn't make the penalties in the end," Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson said. "We did a lot of dumb things that cost us the game."

Earlier this week, Raiders coach Jon Gruden hinted he might give Heisman Trophy winner Woodson a chance at wide receiver, in addition to his regular duties at cornerback.

But Woodson, who won the Heisman as a two-way player at Michigan, was too busy on defense, especially after the Raiders' secondary was decimated by injuries to cornerback Eric Allen and safety Anthony Newman.

The Seahawks struck early. Galloway scored on his punt return just 64 seconds into the game.

Just before the start of the second quarter, Albert Lewis intercepted Moon's pass near the Raiders' goal line. Two weeks ago, Lewis intercepted Moon and ran it back 74 yards for a touchdown as Oakland won 31-18 at Seattle.

Seattle's Dean Wells repaid the Raiders

Joey Galloway scores a touchdown on a 56-yard punt return in the first quarter. (AP)

Wells caused more problems for the Raiders late in the quarter, when he forced Kaufman's fumble as Kaufman sprinted for the end zone. The ball was picked up by Seattle's Jay Bellamy on the 5.

On the ensuing series, Allen intercepted and ran back 16 yards. But Davis' 30-yard field goal attempt went wide left.

The Raiders didn't score until 1:30 was left before halftime, when Howard - another Raiders' Heisman winner from Michigan - ran back Jeff Feagles' punt for the touchdown.

"The middle was so open I had to choose which way to run," Howard said. "I said to go left, and that was the only decision I had to make."

Notes