LAS VEGAS – The Atlanta Falcons had a lead most of the game, including by double digits in the fourth quarter, and were just trying to hold on at the end.

The Raiders had two passes into the end zone. Two passes to clinch the victory and give Atlanta a significant setback to its playoff hopes.

Desmond Ridder’s first attempt was incomplete and his second was intercepted by Jessie Bates III, giving Atlanta a 15-9 win over Las Vegas on Monday night to stay in the NFC South.

The Falcons (7-7) ended a four-game losing streak and remained one game behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta is in a close tiebreaker with three games to go.

“That’s where you want to be, and that’s where we are,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “We have a short week. We have to go back to the lab. We have to find ways to fix what we did wrong tonight and get another win out of it.”

Atlanta has a favorable remaining schedule, facing two teams with five wins combined, which includes a trip to 9-5 Washington. Tampa Bay has a similar target stretch.

The discussion about Las Vegas (2-12) is mostly about a possible No. 1 overall pick in the draft and not playoff scenarios. The Raiders lost their 10th straight game, the NFL’s longest active losing streak, and tied with the New York Giants for the league’s worst record. It is the fifth-longest skid in Raiders history and the worst since losing 16 straight a decade ago.

Kirk Cousins ​​entered with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his last four starts, raising questions about whether rookie Michael Penix Jr. would take over the quarterback position for Atlanta. Morris held on to Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract this year with an eye on the eighth pick in the NFL draft.

Cousins ​​did little to assuage concerns about his play, passing for just 112 yards with one interception. His 30-yard pass to a wide-open Drake London with 14 seconds left in the first quarter to give Atlanta a 7-0 lead was his first touchdown throw since scoring in a 27-21 loss on Nov. 3. had fired three of them in the victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

“He has to play better,” Morris said.

Cousins ​​did not disagree.

“It’s stating the obvious,” he said.

The Falcons got the rest of their points with two field goals from Younghoe Koo and a safety from defensive lineman Zach Harrison.

Bijan Robinson rushed for 125 yards and London caught three passes for 53 yards, giving him 219 career receptions. London passed Calvin Ridley’s 217 catches, the most in Falcons history in a player’s first three seasons.

Atlanta prevented Ridder from thwarting his playoff plans. Ridder, who started 13 games for the Falcons last season before moving to Arizona, was stymied most of the night in his first start this season. Replacing Aidan O’Connell, who was inactive due to a bruised left knee, Ridder passed for 208 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Ridder once again downplayed the emotions of the game against his former team, emphasizing that it was more about the Raiders than about him.

“We didn’t find a rhythm until late in the game,” he said. “By then it will be too little, too late.”

The injury-plagued Raiders gained just 249 yards and trailed by double digits in all 14 games this season.

O’Connell wasn’t the only player missing. Defensive lineman Maxx Crosby announced Saturday that he would undergo season-ending ankle surgery, and the Raiders were missing about half of their starting lineup on defense.

Las Vegas also lost running back Sincere McCormick, who had recently become a starter, to an ankle injury early in the second quarter.

Still, the Raiders almost got the win.

Ridder’s 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Ameer Abdullah brought Las Vegas within six points with 2:54 left. The extra point was blocked the third time the Falcons got their hands on a Raiders punt or kick.

After getting the ball back for one final shot, the Raiders converted a fourth-and-8 from their 34-yard line to ultimately set up Ridder’s two shots into the end zone.

“Desmond did a good job there,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “It’s a jump-ball situation.”

Next

Falcons: Host the New York Giants on Sunday.

Raiders: Host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

——

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL