For fans that have been wanting to see more of Marcus Mariota, this might be the week the Raiders accommodate your wishes.
The Raiders are traveling to Cleveland this week and there is strong possibility that the weather isn’t going to be good. Temperatures are expected to be around 40 degrees with some wind and the possibility of rain. What that means is that Saturday’s game against the Browns is shaping up to be a dog fight in the trenches. Running the football is going to be key for both teams, but particularly for the Browns who will most likely be without quarterback Baker Mayfield.
As of Wednesday morning, the Browns have placed 14 players on reserve/COVID 19 list, including their starting quarterback, a starting wide receiver, and two starting offensive linemen. Their head coach has also tested positive for coronavirus.
Without question, the Browns are going to try to run the ball 40+ times against a Raiders’ defense that has been susceptible to the run all year. The Browns’ strength on offense is their running game, so they probably would be inclined to play ‘ground and pound’ football even if everyone was healthy and the weather was perfect.
As for the Raiders, who may be without Darren Waller again this week, it would make sense to think about adjusting their approach against the Browns. The Raiders haven’t run the ball well this year, but more read-option style plays might be the ticket to jump-starting Josh Jacobs in a game that may require a lot of runs.
“We have to see more Mariota,” JT The Brick said on Tuesday during his Raider Nation Radio 920 AM radio show. “Why are we saving Marcus Mariota? It might be the most overpaid contract in NFL history, not at the level of JaMarcus Russell, but what’s he doing here if they are not going to use him in a panic time?”
It’s worth noting that even when Jon Gruden was with the team, the plan was always to sprinkle in wrinkles with Mariota (see the Baltimore game). This week in Cleveland will be the perfect time to get back to diversifying an offense that desperately needs a boost to the running game.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Cool… Then we can see how electrifying he will be against a Covid depleted Browns team! Shaking my head & laughing out loud!
The majority of teams juggle line ups on defense or offense when struggling at one or two facets of the game. Such as rushing or rushing defense. The Raider coaching staff refuses to alter personnel on both sides of the ball even when they are at the bottom in many categories in comparison to other teams. And only discover good players when a starter gets hurt. I am sending the current coaching staff Rubik’s cubes for Xmas!
I agree!! Each NFL team suits up two QBs per game, just in case and that has been the reason, Why not? Send the predictable coaching staff half a Rubik’s cube and 6 checkers as their going away present for 2022!!
A good football organization sees that the football team is struggling You have to make changes to initiate positive momentum. The Las Vegas with Derek Carr is predictable to the point that mere pressure on D. Carr causes panic rather than an opportunity to
Adjust and make a positive play. I don’t think with the way the Raiders and their upper Management has refused to address this emergency situation understands that the
act of letting Mariotta play is a reset.
It’s about time! Win lose or draw the Raiders have nothing to lose. They way they play rite now, they are going to end up in the cellar of their division anyway. Save Carr for trade bait so you can receive something of value for him. Let Mariota play out the rest of the season n see what he’s got. If he does good then you can use him as trade bait too or keep him around as part of your offense next year. By playing Mariota for the rest of the season you will keep Carr healthy. So let Mariota PLAY! Raiders have everything to gain n nothing to lose! It’s time for another REBUILD!!! Be SMART n START NOW!
Bisacia is not cut out to be a HC. The OFF has struggled in the red zone and on short yardage all year because of Carr’s limited scrambling ability in those situations. The clear answer all year has been to bring in MM on short yardage and in the red zone. And, in certain matchups, MM should play 75% of the game and Carr 25%. Carr has been incredible in certain spots this year, has full mastery of the playbook, and early on WAS very good with ball security; so I understand the hesitation to take him out given MM’s turnover tendencies. But football is all about situations and matchups. This is why Belichick is so successful, he adapts his personnel on a weekly basis based on matchups and the opposition’s schematics. Belichick doesn’t care about numbers or egos, its about win regardless of the strategy to get there (e.g., calling 48 runs and 3 passes for the win at Buffalo). It’s been disgusting to watch the Raiders lose 6 of the last 7 because they simply cannot make very basic adjustments. Even the casual observer could see that MM getting 1/3 of the snaps against NYG and WAS would have almost certainly turned those games into wins rather than losses, and put the Raiders at 8-5 and in the Wild Card lead right now. But Bisacia is a scared fool, he didn’t apparently didn’t grasp that he had to be bold if he wanted to turn successfully parlay his one shot at being a HC. This was not a situation where he could come in run the team on auto-pilot ala Bill Calahan taking over for Gruden in ’03. He played it WAY to conservative and watched a clear playoff team go down the drain without even making the obvious simple adjustment because he didn’t have the balls to tell Carr the clear truth: he is a good QB, but Carr’s limitations are holding the team back and they need a mix similar to Drew Brees/Taysum Hill. Disgusted as a Raiders fan knowing they had the answer all along in MM on the sidelines, but chose to throw away a playoff season to protect egos.
The team was severely wounded, by this makeshift OL, coming into the season. Gruden&Mayock basically gambled the season away based on these personnel decisions. Instead of paying Drake top $, we could have signed a much better OT, but once again Gruden proved his doubters right with his atrocious personnel decisions. NO WONDER the Bucs canned him!
Bisacia isn’t a very good special teams coach either, allowing gruden release WR/ST Cordarrelle Patterson. He doesn’t posses the Moxy other NFL or college ST or HC have. The Oline is in disarray, Cable is old retread-not the answer, olson is an old double retread (hurt the Raiders 1st time) Definitely not the answer, Bradley-too predictable, less blitzing-what’s he waiting for?? Easter??-Too slow on the draw. Recycled coaching staff will be replaced in 2022. Lots of speculation by the sports writers, who really knows? Mark Davis should have a pretty good idea of who he wants managing his dad’s team. Harbaugh and Sweeney are the newest honorable mentions.
Dear Santa,
Help our LV Raiders figure out how to win, select a hungry coaching staff, cut the retread veteran no-show players and guide the rookies to establish our former Winning Formula and “Beat down of all other teams” not Raiders.
Thanks
Agreed! Play Mariota and retain him to mentor QB Ridder, make adjustments. Send Carr for draft picks 2022 after the debacle from “I don’t know to draft gruden” when he traded the Team Captain, Khalil Mack-#52. The LV Raiders need a Hungry Coaching staff and GM (sorry Mayock). Next draft players that are hungry to play to win, not the recycled veterans who put on the Black & Silver to just show up. Hire Smart, Be smart, Lead the Smart way!! To the Next Coaching staff, refocus the Raiders to fight to win, defeat 4-6 games of AFC West, destroy half to majority of next 11 opponents, maybe make playoffs with Respect. After this, who knows…
O’k let’s see if the team is given a boost. The offensive line has to run block and pass block. You know the defensive player your assigned to block. When the ball is snapped go get him until the play is over. Let’s see some real effort to block. To knock the other guy back, and then repeat it. That is mentality we all learned in Pee Wee football. And it is relevant as long as grown men are playing this children’s game for massive amounts of money.
Don’t even start. Been hearing this **** all season. He’s only played a handful of plays. I realize he was hurt early in the season but he’s been back for a while. Still doesn’t get put in often. I’ll believe it when I see it. I call BULLSHIT !!!
I think you’re right about this. Just media speculation.
Hell yes start Mariota the guy has all the tools plus speed. That’s something Carr doesn’t possess. It’s time to give the Heisman Trophy a chance to prove that he can win is it in his first year with Tennessee but Tennessee has nothing but a Merry-Go-Round of coaches and offensive coordinator can’t win Gators without consistency. Just give Mario to the ball and Watch What Happens
Mariota isn’t afraid or gun shy. Carr is and has been most of his NFL career. No QB was worth much out of Fresno State.
i would not sprinkle him in. i would start him and let the chips fall where they may. WERE OUT OF IT AND DEAD IN THE WATER AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT..
I want to see this, but if he plays, he will be hurt and out of the game by the 4th quarter.
At least he’ll show some much needed grit as QB. Plus he may not get hurt.
Yes start him i can’t understand your given an opportunity to be HC i would not leave one stone unturned where all my weak areas are i would do my best to fix it don’t matter you’ll be benched and let the next player come in to see if he can help Us win O line, D line, Qb, Wr’s, Etc take over play calling everything in order to put the best players who’s willing to fight for me and the team…!!!!
Even though I’m in favor of trading Carr, It would really hurt his trade value if we bench him for the last few games. This only drives down his value by signaling to teams that we have moved on from him. Hopefully they start the partial rebuild by resigning Mariota, trading Carr, and drafting his replacement at some point. I think we should avoid the trend of drafting for need(Ferrell, Leatherwood, Arnette,etc…) and either trade down or draft the best player available. For this to happen Mayock must be fired!
I agree with Marcus’s Mariota fans too but yeah let him play on the field the rest of the season and keep him until next week if we needed him to start.
Remember jim Plunkett. I no this team ain’t as good not even close but what the hell do we have to lose.screw carr 8 years of losing with him.he sucks.
Plunkett, wins two Super bowls and no mention of HOF. Carr is gun shy since broken leg 2016.