With the game on the line in the fourth quarter at Chicago on Sunday, Oakland Raiders starting tailback Latavius Murray -- a week after gaining 139 yards rushing -- was on the sideline.

The Raiders instead went with third-down back Roy Helu as the lead back on the final dive. Helu, who had scored a touchdown and made a few other plays, was stopped on a third-and-2 that forced Oakland to kick a field goal instead of going for a touchdown late in the game. The Raiders ended up losing, 22-20.

The absence of Murray was glaring in the key moment. The Raiders took him out after a rough day. Murray had 49 yards on 16 carries, he lost a fumble in the fourth quarter and he bobbled a pass that was intercepted in Oakland territory.

Still, Oakland coach Jack Del Rio was adamant Monday in saying Murray wasn’t benched. He said the team thought Helu was the best option for that situation.

“I would characterize it us as using the members of our football team in a fashion to give ourselves an opportunity to win the game,” Del Rio said. “We have different plays that we run with different players at different times of the game. So it wasn’t a benching. So that’s not accurate.”

The 6-foot-3, 228-pound Murray remains in Oakland’s mix and Del Rio said he believes he will back bounce back nicely.

“I remain confident,” Del Rio said. “None of us are perfect. We all are capable of making mistakes. I think the sooner you own up to mistakes, the quicker you can put them behind you and move forward.”

Sunday, after the game, Murray owned up to his mistakes and vowed to get better. Expect him to get that chance Sunday against visiting Denver.