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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr came up with yet another way to pull off a fourth-quarter comeback Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum. Carr, who played most of the second half after injuring his right pinky finger, marched the Raiders 82 yards in 12 plays for Sebastian Janikowski's game-winning, 23-yard field with 1:45 left to play, lifting the Raiders to a 35-32 victory against the Carolina Panthers.
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Carr notched his fifth fourth-quarter comeback victory of the season and 10th of his career as the Raiders improved to 9-2 and won their fifth straight game, their best start since 2000. The Raiders, who lead the AFC West, secured their first winning season since 2002, which was the last time they made the playoffs and the last time they reached the Super Bowl.
"Coach (Jack) Del Rio taught us how to compete last year," Carr said. "This year we're learning how to win."
Seven of the Raiders nine wins this season have come by seven or fewer points.
"Just proud of our guys for hanging in there and finding a way," Del Rio said. "That's been the theme for us this year."
Carr's 49-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Crabtree set up the decisive field goal.
Oakland defensive end Khalil Mack sealed the victory with 54 seconds left when he had a strip-sack of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on fourth-and-10 from the Oakland 44 and recovered the fumble. Mack also scored on a six-yard interception return in the second quarter -- his first career touchdown and interception.
"You want to end the game at that point," said Mack, who had a sack in his sixth straight game. "Their offense was rolling late in the game. We needed a stop."
Carr completed 26 of 38 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Crabtree caught eight passes for 110 yards.
Newton threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. caught four passes for 115 yards and a touchdown for Carolina.
Jonathan Stewart rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries for the Panthers (4-7), who fell three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NFC South.
"We just have to keep believing," Ginn said. "As long as we keep believing, keep playing this game. They say any given Sunday. That's all you can worry about."
The Raiders took a 24-7 lead into the second half, but the momentum changed quickly when Carr jammed his finger on a snap and fumbled on the opening drive of the third quarter.
Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis recovered at the Oakland 30, and Carr went to the locker room for X-rays.
"Probably some of the most pain I've ever felt in my life," said Carr, who took the rest of his snaps in the second half in the shotgun formation
Carr, however, missed only one drive, with backup Matt McGloin filling in. But when Carr returned to action -- wearing a glove on his right hand -- with 7:43 left in the third quarter, Carolina had cut Oakland's lead to 24-19.
Stewart capped a 30-yard drive with a one-yard plunge with 10:33 remaining in the third, making it 24-13 -- the extra point was blocked.
The Panthers moved closer when Newton hit Ginn on an 88-yard touchdown pass with 7:43 left in the third. Newton's two-point conversion pass was incomplete, leaving Oakland's lead at 24-19.
Carolina got the ball back when Davis intercepted Carr's short pass over the middle and returned 31 yards to the Raiders 28. Five plays later Stewart scored on a three-yard run, giving Carolina a 25-24 lead with 1:46 remaining in the third. Newton's two-point pass failed.
"The first half wasn't great," Newton said. "We battled back, took the lead. We just have to do better as a whole. It started with myself. That's just unacceptable."
The Panthers extended their lead to 32-24 on Newton's 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin with 13:26 left to play.
Oakland answered with a 75-yard, 10-play drive capped by tight end Clive Walford's leaping catch in the back of the end zone of Carr's 12-yard touchdown pass with 8:37 left. Carr hit wide receiver Seth Roberts with a two-point pass, and the Raiders pulled into a 32-32 tie.
"We're a resilient group," Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper said. "We go out there and prepare in practice. Every week is going to be close. We just compete."
The Raiders dominated the first half as Carr completed 14 of 19 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown and a 117.7 passer rating. Newton went 3-for-12 for 18 yards, an interception and a 4.9 rating.
NOTES: The Panthers were without middle LB Luke Kuechly (concussion), their leading tackler, DE Mario Addison (foot), their top sacker, and C Ryan Kalil, an All-Pro. ... Raiders starting LCB David Amerson (knee) was inactive, and DJ Hayden started in his place. Hayden left the game early in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. ... Oakland rookie RB DeAndre Washington was inactive for the first time this season. ... Carolina backup LB A.J. Klein replaced Kuechly in the lineup and made his second start of the season and 18th of his career.
