Chinn's Interception Ends Raiders' 33-Point Streak in Win Over Jets

Jeremy Chinn held a game ball in the Las Vegas Raiders locker room on Tuesday, smiling after his interception on the final play of Sunday's game against the New York Jets. The pick secured a 38-33 victory for the Raiders, ending a streak where the team had not won by more than 17 points in their last six games.

Chinn's toe tap to catch the pass from Jets quarterback Geno Smith drew praise in the team's film room. The safety noted that his secure catch helped close out a game where the Raiders' secondary faced repeated pressure from the opposing offense. The win sets up a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, a team led by Brock Purdy, who ranks among the league's most efficient passers.

Cornerback Eric Stokes was a primary target for the Jets during the contest. He was beaten for a touchdown that gave the Jets the lead at halftime. However, Stokes also defensed two passes in the red zone that resulted in field goals for New York. He said he kept his focus steady and encouraged his teammates to maintain the same mindset in the fourth quarter.

“In the fourth quarter, I was telling all the guys, ‘Come on. I just need one more drive. We just need one more drive. We just need one more play. It don't even matter how everything else has been looking. It don't even matter how everything else has been going,’” Stokes said.

Chinn faced a difficult situation on the play before the final interception. He was penalized for unnecessary roughness after helmet-to-helmet contact on a Jets completion. The penalty gave the Jets 15 yards, moving them to the Raiders' 35-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. Chinn said the penalty disappointed him, but he leaned on his teammates to reset his focus.

“I was a little disappointed because, to be real, with that penalty,” Chinn said. “I didn't know how I could play it any differently trying to make a play on the ball. So that was unfortunate, but one thing that did help me was (linebacker Quay Walker). After the play, he was just like, ‘You're good, Chinn.’ Just having teammates around me, we pick each other up.”

The Raiders' secondary is currently dealing with injuries that may affect the upcoming schedule. Rookie cornerback Darien Porter left the game on the first play from scrimmage with a groin injury. He returned to limited practice on Thursday. Fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy could see increased playing time against the 49ers if Porter is not fully available.

Stokes, a team leader, said that how veterans handle in-game struggles provides a model for the younger players on the roster. He emphasized the need to win each individual play regardless of the previous result. “It don't matter what happened last play,” Stokes said. “Just know you're going to have to win, win, win win, win (the rep). Like you can go ahead and lose, but c'mon, man, you got to know for a fact this next one's going to be mine.”

When Smith threw a pass into the end zone on the final play, Chinn was in position to make the catch. The seven-year veteran secured the ball to end the game. Stokes described his reaction to the play in the locker room.

“That's my dawg, so I was extremely happy with it,” Stokes said. “He closed the game.”