Storyline: The Oakland Raiders finally have all the moving parts that bring success. And, if they keep up their level of play, they might just have a chance to take down the Pats.
To many the Raiders 7-2 record is something of a mystery.
Oakland? After 11 straight losing seasons can the Raiders really be challenging Tom Brady’s mighty New England Patriots for the AFC crown?
In simple terms, Yes. Whilst an AFC Championship victory in January is far from guaranteed, the Raiders sit atop the AFC West and have the same record as the Patriots.
The Raiders finally have all the moving parts that bring success. And, if they keep up their level of play, they might just have a chance of bringing them down.
Dubbed “Carr Insurance,” Oakland’s O-Line does a great job of protecting Raiders QB, Derek Carr (photo, Silver and Black Pride)
The first reason the Raiders have excelled this season is the offensive line. They’ve finally gotten smart, building from the center position outwards. Rodney Hudson and Kelechi Osemele are just two of the prized free agents that have given the Raiders a dominant starting point on offense.
That dominance was apparent in last Sunday’s Denver game. The left side of the offensive line trampled Bronco defensive lineman all night, giving RB Latavius Murray an average of 5.7 yards per carry on 20 touches.
Another strength is at quarterback. Derek Carr is firmly in the MVP conversation. He plays with the same swagger, accuracy, and confidence with which Aaron Rodgers played during his 2014 MVP season. Although Carr’s deep throws aren’t as flashy as Rodgers’ (largely due to the style of offense HC Jack Del Rio plays), his lightening fast release and medium distance accuracy are constantly upsetting defenses.
Courtesy: Pro Football Focus
The aspect that jumps out about Carr is the way he approaches the game. He absolutely adores football. And that enthusiasm is infectious. He’s always jumping, screaming, and pumping up his team.
Carr never pouts or mopes, like you’ll see a Cam Newton do. He goes 100 miles per hour and it’s awesome to watch.
And Carr has plenty to be excited about. Even defenses the calibre of Wade Phillps and Von Miller are stumped by the duality of the Raiders’ offense. Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree have amassed the most receiving yards (as a duo) in the NFL. The running game with Murray is solid, too.
But the Raiders’ success this year isn’t only about Derek Carr and the offense. The defense has come around too.
Khalil Mack is finding his feet after a rough start to 2016. Former Seahawk, Bruce Irvin, has become a force of nature, and free agent Sean Smith has started to play well after a poor start.
All of this talent showed in the Denver game. Besides a 69-yard reception TD by Kapri Bibbs, Trevor Sieman felt the wrath of Khalil Mack and company all night.
The overall result? The Oakland defense has the potential of turning a perennially awful team into a group capable of making a deep playoff run.
Give HC Jack Del Rio his due, as well. He showed us the direction of this team when he rolled the dice against Drew Brees and the Saints. Instead of taking the PAT to send an offensive shootout to overtime, he went for two. Derek Carr connected with Michael Crabtree on a game-winning fade route and a 35-34 victory.
Del Rio’s decision to settle for nothing but a win was a season-defining moment. Fans could tell that something was different this year!
Mack is on his way to an All-Pro year (photo, Today’s Pigskin)
Del Rio should get serious consideration for Coach of the Year because of the way he has reformed the mindset in Oakland. He and GM Reggie McKenzie are drafting high-quality players, too.
Derek Carr and Khalil Mack have been the best players at their respective positions. And Carr wasn’t even a first rounder in a draft that saw Manziel, Bridgewater, Bortles go before him.
Even Mack, at the 5th overall pick, has been better than everyone defensively not named Aaron Donald–especially considering that he was named All-Pro at two different positions (a first in NFL history).
The answer to my question is this: CONTENDER! I believe Oakland can make a deep playoff run this year. This team has gone from nowhere to first place in just two years.
Don’t count out these new-look Raiders!
