OAKLAND https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Matthias-Farley-Jersey , Calif. — Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders were flying high the last time they faced the Indianapolis Colts.Carr threw three touchdown passes to lead Oakland to its 12th win of the season on Christmas Eve in 2016, but got knocked out late in that game with a broken ankle. That has sent the Raiders into a downward spiral they still haven’t escaped.The Raiders (1-5) are reeling as they head into Sunday’s game against the Colts (2-5), having traded away No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper to Dallas earlier in the week after previously dealing away star pass rusher Khalil Mack before the season.The trio of Carr, Cooper and Mack were the foundation pieces in Oakland, but now only Carr remains and the team is once again rebuilding.“For me, being in my fifth year, it’s hard if I’m being honest,” Carr said. “Just going out there, I feel like we’ve had to do this a couple of times in my early five years. That part is hard. At the same time, it doesn’t change my mindset.”The Raiders have gone just 7-17 since that victory over the Colts and changed coaches, with Jon Gruden coming in this season to replace the fired Jack Del Rio.Carr’s level of play has also dropped, with him throwing 29 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in his 21 games since then, compared to 38 TD passes and 13 interceptions in the previous 21 games.“I definitely feel like a better player,” Carr said. “I’m smarter. I know more. Talent-wise, I think after last year just recovering from injury, I’m back to my strength and my speed how I want it to be. Absolutely I believe that I have nothing but the best out in front of me. I really do believe that.”Colts coach Frank Reich, who was an assistant in the AFC West with the Chargers for Carr’s first two seasons in the NFL, had plenty of praise for Carr even if his production has dropped of late.“He has really good arm talent,” Reich said. “He sees the field really well. He can make all the throws. He can drive the ball all over the field. He can throw the touch pass. I just think he shows good instincts. I think he has good feel in the pocket. This is a guy who I think can put a lot of points on the board leading an offense.”Here are some other things to watch for Sunday’s game:LINING UPColts general manager Chris Ballard made the offensive line a focal point during the offseason. It shows. For the first time this season, the Colts used the same starting five in consecutive games and they delivered by paving the way for Marlon Mack to rush for a career high 126 yards. It’s only the fifth 100-yard game during Andrew Luck‘s seven NFL seasons. Also, Luck has been sacked only once in his last 125 pass attempts after getting sacked 166 times in his first 77 career games.“We must stay vigilant in all areas and we’ve got a great challenge against an aggressive Oakland defense, a defense that’s tough to figure out,” Luck said.WHERE’S THE BEAST?Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch went on injured reserve this week with a groin injury, leaving a big void in Oakland’s offense. Lynch leads the Raiders with 372 yards rushing. Now the bulk of the load will go to Doug Martin Christine Michael Sr Jersey , whose 3.0 yards per carry the past three seasons is the lowest in the NFL among players with at least 150 attempts. Third-down back Jalen Richard could also take on a bigger role as a runner, and DeAndre Washington figures to get his first action of the season after being hampered by a knee injury in training camp.“You can’t bring another Marshawn Lynch into the game, but we have a solid group of backs who can get the job done,” Richard said.MITCHELL’S RETURNColts safety Mike Mitchell was out of the league until two weeks ago. Now, he’s about to make his first trip back to the Black Hole since he left Oakland in 2012. And while Mitchell said he enjoyed the fans while he was there, the AFC’s reigning defensive player of the week isn’t sure what to expect. But the Raiders’ second-round draft pick in 2009 is just glad to have found a home.“I could be winning an award this week, they could be calling for my head next week,” Mitchell said. “I just take everything with a grain of salt.”JUST FOR KICKSThe final game of Gruden’s first stint as Raiders coach ended with a kick by Adam Vinatieri. On a snowy night in New England on Jan. 19, 2002, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal in overtime to lead the Patriots to a 16-13 victory.The game was most notable for the “Tuck Rule,” which turned a potential game-sealing strip sack in regulation for Oakland into an incomplete pass, setting the stage for Vinatieri to tie the game with an improbable 45-yard field goal in the snow. Vinatieri is still kicking and needs five points to break Morten Andersen’s NFL career scoring record (2,544 points). But Vinatieri’s status is in doubt this week because of an injured groin. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jason Garrett and Frank Reich understand the high stakes of Sunday’s game.If Dallas wins, it clinches the NFC East. If Indianapolis wins, it stays in the hunt for the AFC’s final playoff spot and possibly even a division crown.The two coaches and their players will get one more precious late-season chance to see how they stack up against another postseason contender and what can be done to keep playing into January.Article continues below ...“Most people call this the dash for cash,” Colts tight end Eric Ebron said. “So you just try to win.”Few teams have done more lately than the Colts (7-6) or Cowboys (8-5).Rather than folding after starting 1-5, Andrew Luck & Co. turned things around with six wins in seven games and tying Baltimore, Miami and Tennessee for the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff chase.Luck’s comeback has happened during perhaps the best season of his career with 34 touchdown passes, second in the league and six short of his career high, a career-best completion rate of 67.7 percent and he is 241 yards away from the fourth 4,000-yard season of this career.This time, Luck also is working with an improved defense that has allowed 17.1 points over the past seven weeks and ranks among the league’s top third in sacks and negative plays.The combination has upped the ante for Colts’ opponents.“They attack you a lot of different ways,” Garrett said. “It’s aggressive, it’s attacking and it’s a balanced offense. You have to be ready for a lot of different things.”Dallas also made a dramatic midseason turn.After starting 3-5 Pat McAfee Color Rush Jersey , the Cowboys made a deal for receiver Amari Cooper and everything suddenly changed.Running back Ezekiel Elliott has charged back into the NFL rushing lead and quarterback Dak Prescott started making more potent plays.Dallas’ defense has climbed to No. 4 in yards allowed and now people around town believe the Cowboys could win their first divisional-round game since the 1995 playoffs — if they make it.One thing is clear: Dallas is all-in.“It will be a great challenge. It’s going to take every person over there, but I think defenses like that challenge,” Reich said when asked about slowing down Elliott. “I know our defense will like that challenge. It’s not going to be easy, they are going to get some runs. If Zeke has 95 yards that might be considered a win.”TACKLING STARSWhile much of the focus this weekend will be on high-profile offensive stars such as Luck and Prescott, rookie linebackers Darius Leonard and Leighton Vander Esch will play big roles, too.The league’s official stats show Leonard leading the league with 135 tackles despite missing one game with an injury.Vander Esch has played well, too. The Cowboys credit him with 136 tackles, tied for the franchise’s rookie record, league stats show Vander Esch with 108 — tied for No. 6 overall and second among rookies to Leonard.LINE DANCEWhile Colts starting center Ryan Kelly could return after missing three straight games with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, Cowboys right guard Zack Martin will miss a game for the first time in his career in what would’ve been his first trip to his hometown.Martin, a four-time Pro Bowler and 2014 All-Pro, sprained the MCL in his left knee during the preseason and left both games against defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia after aggravating the injury. He returned to the first Philadelphia game, but didn’t come back in last week’s victory and has been declared out for Sunday.Kelly, meanwhile, was limited in practice Wednesday. He said he hopes to play through the pain with a brace.Before he was injured, the Colts allowed one sack in six games. Indy has given up six sacks in the three games he missed.REJOINING THE YOUNGSTERS?Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee practiced this week for first time since leaving a game Nov. 5 against Tennessee with his second hamstring injury this season and he could be rejoining the linebacker rotation Sunday.If he does, the focus will be on how it works.Vander Esch and Lee play the same position and 23-year-old Jaylon Smith, a former Notre Dame star, also played well this season. The two youngsters have embraced playing big roles while Lee, a 2014 All-Pro choice, was on the mend.FANCY FEETEight Colts players will wear special cleats this weekend to promote various charities.Luck will wear shoes bearing Indianapolis’ renown Riley Hospital for Children, which he has worked with since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2012.Three players — Leonard, linebacker Anthony Walker and safety Mathias Farley — are using their cleats to draw attention to the Edwin Jackson 53 Foundation. Jackson was killed in a traffic accident in February.