Storyline: Damn! The Raiders blew an opportunity to take a big step last Sunday. They couldn’t beat the Broncos. A Bye Week awaits with a lot of work to do.
Frustration is all Raider Nation feels after a devastating loss, 16-10, to the Denver Broncos in Week 5. This Raider team was right there with the reigning champs of the AFC West, the undefeated Broncos. Both teams were slugging it out in a 10-9 defensive brouhaha when the Raiders blinked first.
On a 3rd Down blitz QB Derek Carr threw to his hot receiver, Seth Roberts, but the two players weren’t on the same page. Roberts never looked towards the ball and Carr zinged the pass behind him…right into the waiting arms of Denver cornerback, Chris Harris Jr. With nothing but green in front of him Harris had a Pick Six–and the Raiders had an eighth straight loss to Denver.
The Winning TD (UPI.com)
I blurted curse words as Harris raced down the sideline because I knew the Raiders had blown a huge opportunity. Just how big? Let me count the ways.
They failed to knock off Peyton Manning.
They wasted a chance to be in the thick of the AFC West race going into a Bye Week.
They failed to earn a “statement win” — the type of win they haven’t had since the 2002 season.
It was a tight battle, but…with one miscommunication it all went poof.
And, just like that, the Raiders are again below .500 at 2-3.
Courtesy: justblogbaby.com
This Oakland team is better and has a brighter future than any Raider team of the past decade. Of that there’s no doubt. That conclusion just intensifies the frustration level for the fan base: “Finally we have a good Raider team and we still can’t beat Manning and those freaking donkeys!”
Beating the Broncos would have had the Raiders 3-2 going into the Bye. They would have just knocked off an undefeated team, a team at the top of the division. Oakland would have been right in the middle of the Wild Card race. Now they have to make up this win somewhere; and it doesn’t get any easier from here.
The Raider Nation can only hope that deficiencies are worked on during the Bye Week. Well, the one good thing we can lean on is that Carr and the offense have the ability to light up the scoreboard. The defense is making adjustments, too, and getting better each week.
But this team needs to produce a full-team effort. Anything else is pure frustration.
Game Day Observations
A giant golf clap should be extended to the Raiders’ defense for finally shutting down an opposing TE. Owen Daniels was blanked thanks, in large part, to the efforts of rookie linebacker, Neiron Ball. Ken Norton Jr. used Ball in the nickel defense in place of middle linebacker, Curtis Lofton. The Rook responded. Moving forward look for Ball to have a major role in the team’s pass defense.
Courtesy: centriotimes.com
The additions of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree have taken the Raiders’ WR corps to another level (when compared to 2014), But can I just say … James Jones! That man is lighting it up in Green Bay … and Reggie McKenzie just let him walk out the door! Seth Roberts might be a nice little player, but…as he failed to turn his head on that critical 3rd Down play…all I could think of was … James Jones!
What is the deal with Latavius Murray? Is his shoulder hurting or did Jack Del Rio just not let him back in the game? Maybe it was the injury, but (once again) he was AWOL in the 4th Quarter. The self-proclaimed Tay-Train needs to hit the tracks hard after the Bye.
David Amerson has been a solid pickup at corner with T.J. Carrie filling in at safety. But, perhaps, it’s just easier to throw at D.J. Hayden all day. Hayden certainly competes well, but opposing QB’s are going right at him as though his coverage is no bother to them at all.
Now, on to things I’d like to see from the Raiders after the Bye week:
More TE production in the middle of the field
Roy Helu as full-time 3rd down back
Rod Streater getting more chances
More Aldon Smith and Khalil Mack meeting at the QB, and of course
…more wins.
Player of the Game
Courtesy: Fox Sports
Hall of Famer-to-be, Charles Woodson, wasn’t going to settle for a simple ‘shout out’ this week. CWood was going right for POG in Week 5. He intercepted Peyton Manning for the first time in his career. But once wasn’t enough for CWood: he got him twice!
The first pick was at the end of the half–in the End Zone–to stop a Denver scoring drive. The second was a beautiful play on a deep ball that Manning hung up.
As the man said himself in the post-game interview, “That felt good. That felt like young Charles right there.”
… if only that were the truth.
