What’s wrong with the Raiders?
After another ugly loss, there’s major cause for concern in the Raider locker room. What led to this point is up for debate, but two dynamics about this season are very different from a year ago… and one is very much the same.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
The Raiders had one of the top offenses in the league in 2016, but decided offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave wasn’t the best fit going forward.
Head coach Jack Del Rio had a reputation for booting coordinators in Jacksonville and actually fired Musgrave once there, too. This time (for now at least), Musgrave is getting the last laugh because the Oakland offense has morphed from a shiny red Lamborghini into a tricycle with two wheels.
Amari Cooper (118) has fewer receiving yards than Seth Roberts (122) and has more than double the targets.
For rookie offensive coordinator Todd Downing, the season has to feel like a nightmare so far. The first two weeks of the season are a distant memory and if the offense doesn’t get back on track, the ship could be sunk before Halloween.
Where are all the miracle finishes?
Derek Carr and Khalil Mack bailed the Raiders out over and over last year. Many wondered where the team would be without their heroics. Now we’re finding out. When the dynamic duo aren’t great (and at the same time), the Raiders just don’t have an identity.
Manuel played well in relief of Carr, but it seems the Raiders need elite-level play at quarterback to beat even average teams in the league.
It’s easy to forget just how many games the Raiders could have lost without the unbelievable finishes that somehow managed to keep happening in 2016.
Where’s the defense? Well… right where it’s always been.
Ken Norton Jr.’s defense has been marginally better than a year ago, but pass rush is still a major concern and the secondary hasn’t recorded an interception in five games.
The Raiders opened the game on Sunday by leaving Sean Smith on an island with Mike Wallace (result was a 52-yard completion) and it set the tone for another ugly loss.
Like last year, the Raiders feature a ‘bend but don’t break’ defense, but at times it feels more like a ‘Khalil Mack or Karl Joseph make a play or nothing good is going to happen’ defense.
The Raiders are giving up 21.8 points per game this season – which is down from 24.1 points per game a year ago. But the way things are going, an average defense won’t be enough to win games in Oakland.
The Raiders host the 1-4 Chargers on Sunday and another loss would put them in a last place tie in the AFC West (with an 0-2 division record).
Is now the time to panic?
Maybe, but try to hold off for another week. The last time the Raiders made it to the Super Bowl they started the season 4-0 and lost their next four games.
Maybe Del Rio has a similar plan in mind for this season?
twitter: @raidersbeat
The secondary it the worst in the NFL and has been for a long time, with no reason to believe that it will ever be any good. The opposing team knows it, the crowd knows it and the people in New Delhi know – why don’t our coaches? I would honestly rather our defense see a 3rd and 1 than a 3rd and 18—- yeah, it’s that bad.
Someone other than Todd Downing start calling the play and come up with a game plan. I could call 70 percent of the plays before they ran them. Way too easy for an NFL defense. Hell even for college level play calling.
Please fire Ken norton his message that he’s preaching to defense is falling on deafening ears it’s been 3 years of same thing, Defense is soft up middle can’t stop runs right up gut, explosive plays of 30 or more every game, miscommunication and break downs on plays, The fundamentals are horrible tackling to high no one makes plays on ball even when they are tipped or floaters, in game calling is horrible how do you leave toast out there manned up without no safety help with a receiver who just runs go routes, and lastly wheres the fire and emotion from his defense also is Offensive coordinator in over his head why aren’t they finding ways to get a 2 time pro bowler the ball they don’t put pressure on opposing defenses it looks like same plays over and over
I watched all of last season again. We had a lot of luck and a lot of really good play from Carr and receivers. Carr put it into tight window after window. It was a sight to see. That type of play requires confidence. Carr needs to watch his old games again. And see himself successfully slice apart defences. His brain will remember the feeling of the moment and engage the confidence mechanisms that come from those emotions
Beast Mode is more of a hinderance than a help. O’line a disaster, but what team wants to see Beast Mode going off dancing like game with Jets. I’d show that tape to every team that plays the Raiders as motivation to give them a beat down. Richard should start. You want Lynch for late game clock killer, hopefully. The coordinators are their usual bad self.
I see the confidence dwindle more and more every game QBS have all day and night to throw the ball why is sean smith still getting playtime what is happening to our o line that secondary looks horrible AND WTF did we fire bill musgrave and get todd downing for our offense is much better y
Than the bullshit he is calling and i agree get amari cooper more involved give him short passes and make people miss bill musgrave ran bread and butter plays and broke down defenses then he hit them with the bomb derrick carr needs his confidence back seems to me he is now afraid to throw the football wtf get this **** together we as raider fans deserve better and so does the players like khalil mack and karl joseph…
First thing we have to do is run the ball better. Lynch Richard and Washington need to produce. I think we’re trying to hit a homerun way too much. We need to install more of a ball control West Coast type offense. It might not be pretty but if we can keep our defense off the field and put up points we will win a lot more these closer games. Right now carr is taking a beating he needs to get the ball out quick and we need to adjustThe league has adjusted to us now we got to flip the script but we still have the chance.
The Raiders have definately taken a step back schematically on offense. Todd Downing’s offense lacks imagination & doesn’t do enough to create mismatches that our playmakers can exploit. As for the defense…I can’t see how Ken Norton stays. He didn’t have much to work with, but year after year of getting burnt by every tight end in the league & watching wide open recievers convert 3rd & forever, has to stop. I love JDR, but I’d have axe both coordinators
New coaches, no dancing by dumb running backs until you stand for the national anthem. How about just a few sacks on our QB last year. This year he was the only one who stood for the NA and got his *** handed to him. Team is going to ****. been a raider forever (1968) . Need alot of help to get anywhere this year. Keep hoping for this to be our year but keep getting let down. I even thing that Carr is fragile. hope im wrong. Crappy play calling doesnt help either. Norton isnt the answer, he needs to go. JDR is only a temporary answer, need someone else to get us to the next level. Could keep going on and on I know you all feel my pain. Someday we will be back!