Las Vegas Raiders Thread

Kev8360

That was a tight game until the Bills blew it open in the 4th quarter. Based on the first 4 weeks i do believe the defense is better than last year. I hope Ruggs and Edwards can come back soon to help out our WR Corps. The chiefs next week away is a huge test - after that a bye week , get some players back and kick on for the rest of the season!

Prefab Sprouter

Kev8360 wrote: »

That was a tight game until the Bills blew it open in the 4th quarter. Based on the first 4 weeks i do believe the defense is better than last year. I hope Ruggs and Edwards can come back soon to help out our WR Corps. The chiefs next week away is a huge test - after that a bye week , get some players back and kick on for the rest of the season!

Agreed Kevin. The D-Line is an area of concern for me at the moment. we just arent getting any pressure on the Quarterback and its killing the rest of the Defense. Crosby this season is almost anonymous. Agreed on the WR injuries too. We need that deep threat and we also need help in figuring out what an illegal formation is too!!

But I would have been happy to know that we'd be 2-2 at this stage of the season. Funny enough, I actually think we might give the Chiefs a game (please dont think for a moment that I am guaranteeing a win, though!) The Chiefs can be run on (provided our O-Line can step up) roll on next week!

Kev8360

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

Agreed Kevin. The D-Line is an area of concern for me at the moment. we just arent getting any pressure on the Quarterback and its killing the rest of the Defense. Crosby this season is almost anonymous. Agreed on the WR injuries too. We need that deep threat and we also need help in figuring out what an illegal formation is too!!

But I would have been happy to know that we'd be 2-2 at this stage of the season. Funny enough, I actually think we might give the Chiefs a game (please dont think for a moment that I am guaranteeing a win, though!) The Chiefs can be run on (provided our O-Line can step up) roll on next week!

100% , 2-2 is a decent start (I thought at best we would be 1-3) and I would rather play the Chiefs now away than at the end of the season when the weather in Kansas City is a huge home advantage. I do genuinely believe we will be in contention for a wild card this year (even without the extra wild card spot added). It would be huge for the team's first year in Vegas to have a playoff game.

golfball37

This has been a great game. Defense has stood up on big plays. Offensive line is now officially the real deal and Carr is improving

Kev8360

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

Funny enough, I actually think we might give the Chiefs a game (please dont think for a moment that I am guaranteeing a win, though!) The Chiefs can be run on (provided our O-Line can step up) roll on next week!

Good call!

Prefab Sprouter

WOOOHOOO!!! Dont care about the rest of the season!! we went in to Kansas and slapped them around...sorry Chiefs fans...I love Andy Reid and Mahomes is my Fantasy QB but tonight, we own them!!! 3-2 in early October!!! I can dream, at least for tonight!!

ButcherOfNog

W0000t 😀

eire4

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

WOOOHOOO!!! Dont care about the rest of the season!! we went in to Kansas and slapped them around...sorry Chiefs fans...I love Andy Reid and Mahomes is my Fantasy QB but tonight, we own them!!! 3-2 in early October!!! I can dream, at least for tonight!!

You certainly can. That was a full on big legitimate win yesterday. Looking at how tough that first 5 games was on the schedule I would have said 1-4 so to be 3-2 is a very significant step in the right direction.

Kev8360

My favourite play last night was going for QB sneak on 4th down late. Only way we can beat the top teams is to stay aggressive and take chances to kill off games.

The confidence we get from that win is huge.

eire4

Kev8360 wrote: »

My favourite play last night was going for QB sneak on 4th down late. Only way we can beat the top teams is to stay aggressive and take chances to kill off games.

The confidence we get from that win is huge.

Certainly should and the Raiders will need it. The brutal schedule continues with the next game against the Bucs before a trip to Cleveland who are having their best season in eons. Hopefully the bye week heading into the Tampa Bay game cane give the Raiders a leg up. If they can win one of these next 2 games and get to 4-3 by the end of what is just a brutal first half of the season schedule then looking at the second half of the schedule having a shot at a winning season and a wild card spot looks realistic.

Prefab Sprouter

I Guarantee we wont lose this weekend!

On a more serious note, this bye week seems to have come at the right time to get players fit and others back on the field. Has Mariota resumed training yet (I'm not in any trying to intimate he should play but just hadnt heard about his return date)

golfball37

Brady making our secondary look very ordinary here.

Kev8360

golfball37 wrote: »

Brady making our secondary look very ordinary here.

Yep combined with our inability to get the run going that spelled disaster last night. That buccaneers run defense is getting stronger through the season.

Prefab Sprouter

Apparently Gruden said that changes are coming on defense. Wouldnt be surprised if Guenther is a goner by midweek

Kev8360

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

Apparently Gruden said that changes are coming on defense. Wouldnt be surprised if Guenther is a goner by midweek

Rod Marinelli is the D line coach so he may get a promo but who knows. I am more worried about players not following covid protocols like trent brown and as a result we get more players having to sit out games like Johnathon Abrams last week. We dont have the defensive depth to lose starters for crap like that.

Prefab Sprouter

Kev8360 wrote: »

Rod Marinelli is the D line coach so he may get a promo but who knows. I am more worried about players not following covid protocols like trent brown and as a result we get more players having to sit out games like Johnathon Abrams last week. We dont have the defensive depth to lose starters for crap like that.

When we hired Marinelli, I was wondering if he would eventually get the nod if Guenther was fired. I'm now of the view that Guenther probably wont be fired but something has to be done, another possibility is for a last minute trade to bolster the pass rush but that would seem out of kilter with Mayock and Gruden's plans so far. Last week's result has resulted in Sunday's game becoming even more of a "must win" now, in order to keep the momentum going.

Kev8360

Really good win against a good team in bad conditions, run game controlled the game and the defense played really well, answering a lot of criticism from last week. 4-3 is a good position to be into the second half of the season given our early season schedule.

Kev8360

https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-ot-trent-brown-hospitalized-after-issue-with-pre-game-iv


Not good news - hope he is ok and recovers quickly.

Prefab Sprouter

Kev8360 wrote: »

Really good win against a good team in bad conditions, run game controlled the game and the defense played really well, answering a lot of criticism from last week. 4-3 is a good position to be into the second half of the season given our early season schedule.

I agree, Kev. The schedule is less punishing from here on in. Hopefully we can build on yesterday's game.

eire4

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

I agree, Kev. The schedule is less punishing from here on in. Hopefully we can build on yesterday's game.

No question given how tough the first half if the season was schedule wise if you offered me 4-3 I certainly would have taken it. Not going to get too excited yet but certainly looking at the 9 games remaining the chance is definitely there for the Raiders to grab a wild card spot.

Prefab Sprouter

eire4 wrote: »

No question given how tough the first half if the season was schedule wise if you offered me 4-3 I certainly would have taken it. Not going to get too excited yet but certainly looking at the 9 games remaining the chance is definitely there for the Raiders to grab a wild card spot.

I'm just liking the fact that we still have something to fight for in November, although even by saying that shows how low we've become as a sports franchise....we're almost afraid to dream!!! The Pass rush or lack thereof still worries me but I'm much more confident and excited about the offensive side of things.

Kev8360

oh my heart! those last 2 plays aged me about 5 years. we should have lost that game with all the mistakes we made but the chargers are making a habit of not killing off teams.

eire4

Kev8360 wrote: »

oh my heart! those last 2 plays aged me about 5 years. we should have lost that game with all the mistakes we made but the chargers are making a habit of not killing off teams.

Have to agree. The Raiders got away with one there although as you say the Chargers really do make a habit of blowing games so thankfully they kept that trend up. But given how hard overall the schedule was for the first half of the season to get to 5-3 is brilliant and a really big opportunity of not just a winning season but getting a wild card spot is very realistic now.

Prefab Sprouter

Kev8360 wrote: »

oh my heart! those last 2 plays aged me about 5 years. we should have lost that game with all the mistakes we made but the chargers are making a habit of not killing off teams.

I was actually sitting there going "Thats it. We've blown it. Bloody typical" and I dont mind admitting my guilt in not having faith in the lads!! But the defense is still a worry. And whilst next week isnt the hardest opposition (although we could still lose, it isnt a lock) with the Broncos, the Chiefs will be fired up for that one. But hey! Its Monday after a win and the world is always a little better for that!!

Kev8360

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

I was actually sitting there going "Thats it. We've blown it. Bloody typical" and I dont mind admitting my guilt in not having faith in the lads!! But the defense is still a worry. And whilst next week isnt the hardest opposition (although we could still lose, it isnt a lock) with the Broncos, the Chiefs will be fired up for that one. But hey! Its Monday after a win and the world is always a little better for that!!

I had a few moments like that in the game - just right before half time when there was a big turn in momentum and they scored 10 pts in the last minute.

The Broncos are turning things around and I do worry that our defense will struggle to contain Phillip Lindsay.

That said I am much happier to be sitting at 5-3 than 4-4. Hopefully we get some of our O Line back in the next few weeks to have a real crack at the second half of the season.

Kev8360

Took us a while to get going last but the second half was really great to see the defense step it up and make some big plays. Pass rush was really getting after Drew Lock all night and the early hits I think contributed to the INTs he threw late on.

The run game really choked the life out of denver in the second half (time of posession was so lopsided) - good practice for what we need to do against Kansas City next week (we will certainly need it because they will come out firing after a week off an given we took away their unbeaten record).

The only thing I would be really worried about is the ability of our WRs to make crucial downfield plays - Waller, Ruggs and Aghalor all had big drops that in a tighter game would have killed us.

Apart from that , strong performance and great to see 6-3 for first time in forever ! (ok 10 years ago but if feels like longer)

Prefab Sprouter

Kev8360 wrote: »

Took us a while to get going last but the second half was really great to see the defense step it up and make some big plays. Pass rush was really getting after Drew Lock all night and the early hits I think contributed to the INTs he threw late on.

The run game really choked the life out of denver in the second half (time of posession was so lopsided) - good practice for what we need to do against Kansas City next week (we will certainly need it because they will come out firing after a week off an given we took away their unbeaten record).

The only thing I would be really worried about is the ability of our WRs to make crucial downfield plays - Waller, Ruggs and Aghalor all had big drops that in a tighter game would have killed us.

Apart from that , strong performance and great to see 6-3 for first time in forever ! (ok 10 years ago but if feels like longer)

What about that Defense??? Where did they come from??? LOL. It was a great win and I think we need it going into next week's game. A good performance from all aspects of the team (Yes I know the passing game struggled, but the Ground game more than made up for it). I'll be honest, I'm not expecting much from next week's game but if we can control the ground game and keep Mahomes off the pitch (and KC are ranked 27th against the run) then we have a fighting chance. But yeah, 6 and 3...Whoop Whoop!!!

Kev8360

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

What about that Defense??? Where did they come from??? LOL. It was a great win and I think we need it going into next week's game. A good performance from all aspects of the team (Yes I know the passing game struggled, but the Ground game more than made up for it). I'll be honest, I'm not expecting much from next week's game but if we can control the ground game and keep Mahomes off the pitch (and KC are ranked 27th against the run) then we have a fighting chance. But yeah, 6 and 3...Whoop Whoop!!!

Yep I expect it will a much tougher challenge against the Chiefs next week. Andy Reid off the bye is almost perfect.

eire4

Kev8360 wrote: »

Yep I expect it will a much tougher challenge against the Chiefs next week. Andy Reid off the bye is almost perfect.

Can't see a double over the Chiefs but given the Raiders go in 6-3 its almost like a free shot. Nobody including myself expects a win. I am looking for a performance though that shows improvement against the top tier of the NFL. But assuming its a loss 6-4 is still really good and the final 6 games look winnable. The Colts and Dolphins the toughest but they are at home. At least going 4-2 there is doable which would see the Raiders finish 10-6 which you would think should be good enough for a wild card spot.

golfball37

eire4 wrote: »

Can't see a double over the Chiefs but given the Raiders go in 6-3 its almost like a free shot. Nobody including myself expects a win. I am looking for a performance though that shows improvement against the top tier of the NFL. But assuming its a loss 6-4 is still really good and the final 6 games look winnable. The Colts and Dolphins the toughest but they are at home. At least going 4-2 there is doable which would see the Raiders finish 10-6 which you would think should be good enough for a wild card spot.

Agree 100%. We were always playing for second in this division with the chiefs in it, as would 28 other ball clubs. With an extra wc spot we are in a good position. I certainly would have taken it ten weeks ago