Raiders Rally in OT for First Win of the Season

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Week 4 matchup vs. the Cleveland Browns where the Raiders pull off an improbable come-from-behind victory over Baker Mayfield and the new-look Browns 42-45 in OT, giving Jon Gruden his first win as a head coach in a decade.

Finish, finish, finish. That was the point of emphasis that the Raiders had to work on after blowing three games where they built a pretty good lead in the first half. But, they couldn't finish. This scenario was little different. They were down in the first half. You'd think in a parallel universe, the Raiders would come from behind and win. Nope, it happened here in this universe and this was great win. Now, now, yes it took the Raiders until overtime to win against the Cleveland Browns. But, keep in mind this is a Browns team that is not as pitiful as their 0-16 counterpart last season. They finally have a quarterback that could drive the offense down the field. Their defense is full of young playmakers. No team should sleep on them. This was a hard fought victory.

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Takeaways. I believe this was the biggest key that the Raiders won this game. They were especially important in the 2nd half. Baker Mayfield as much of a stud he was, made a lot of rookie mistakes with the turnovers. Most of it, he had trouble with snap from his center and the Raiders D-line was able to fall on it to put the Raiders in great field position. Johnathan Hankins recovered those fumbles. Right place, right time. They helped shift the momentum as the Raiders were able to capitalize on both fumbles for TDs. Gareon Conley was also at the right place, right time for the first turnover and he took that in for the Raiders' 1st score of the game. Reggie Nelson had an INT. That was big since Mayfield was going for the "kill shot" on that deep throw and Nelson just cut in front of it and was able to pick it off and send this game into OT.

Coop-Cook-Nelson. Week 1, it was Cook. Week 2, it was Cooper, Week 3, it was Nelson. Week 4? It was a little bit of everything from this trio. Amari Cooper had 8 receptions for 128 yards and 1 TD. Jared Cook, 8 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TDs. Jordy Nelson, 5 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD and the clutch 2-pt conversion to tie up the game. This is what needed to be done. Just mix this trio up and put them in mismatch situations. It finally took this week for Gruden to get that right. Coupled with Martavis Bryant who had 3 receptions for 51 yards today, this is a very good receiving corps. And it's finally great to see that the ball is getting distributed around and not just on one particular receiver.

Marquel Lee, 10 total tackles (4 solo, 6 assists), 2 pass defensed. Defense was okay, but the one defender that stood out on that unit was Marquel Lee. He played more snaps than Derrick Johnson today and he was all over the field making plays. I was really impressed with his pass defense today, deflecting a pair of passes from Baker Mayfield that had potential to be big plays for the Browns had Lee not put his hands up. He made a couple of good stops on the goal line. He had a lot of potential when the Raiders took him last year and he blossomed as the "Mike" today.

Derek Carr, 35 of 58 passes, 437 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs. It's never pretty whenever Derek Carr is under center. But, this was the first time in a long time where he looked mentally challenged. That's the Derek Carr I knew. Whenever he makes mistakes, he rises to the occasion to be better. He doesn't talk it, he shows it and that showed today. Especially, rallying the Raiders to game-tying drive at the end of regulation and eventually the game-winning drive that ended in Matt McCrane's 29-yard field goal.

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Run defense. Last week, this was on point. Then again, the Dolphins rushing attack is non-existent. Look at what happened to them earlier today against the Patriots. The Browns' backfield combined for 208 rushing yards. Cleveland's backfield duo of Nick Chubb and Carlos Hyde accounted for a majority of the rushing yards. Nick Chubb in particular ripped some pretty explosive runs. Just bad overall effort from the defense to set the edge and shoot the gaps. Chubb was able to exploit that for his big runs.

MVP


Derek Carr, 35 of 58 passes, 437 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs

Like I said, it ain't always pretty with Carr. But, today he played like his contract of $125 million year. Some early turnovers? Shake it off and will this team to win.






Conclusion

Finally, that first win is in the books. It was three weeks overdue for Jon Gruden and he finally got a win in his return. But, there's still a lot of work to do for the coming weeks. A win against an improving Browns team is not something that'll spark a run for the Raiders, but it is a step in the right direction. This team is still not good enough to make a run to the playoffs, let's be realistic. It's just a matter of stringing together some wins here and there and this one was one of them. Next week, tough division battle ahead against the Chargers. But if anything, the Raiders have finally found out to play more than 60 minutes of football. I'll see you guys next week for that game.

Week 4: RAIDERS vs. Browns 2nd Half Open Thread

2nd half of the Raiders-Browns matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

OT

CLE 42 OAK 45

It's over! Sweet redemption from the rookie kicker Matt McCrane after missing some costly field goals on the infield dirt. It was all about finishing the game. Three times, the Raiders didn't do that. Well, technically the last two games. This week, they did what they needed to do, finish the game. And it finally paid off. More to come in the full recap!

Q4

CLE 42 OAK 42

Just when we thought that last TD from Nick Chubb was over. The Raiders get a break with a controversial review. I thought Carlos Hyde had that first down and it was over. But, the football gods were on Oakland's side. And Carr mustered a 4th-quarter game tying drive with the pass to Cook and then Nelson with the clutch 2-pt conversion. This game's not over yet. Got 15 more minutes to pull out for the first win this season.

Q3

CLE 28 OAK 21

Weird quarter overall in terms of momentum. But, it looks like momentum is shifting towards the Raiders. The defensive unit it putting Cleveland's running game to a halt and it's definitely making Baker Mayfield and this Browns offense one-dimensional. Derek Carr, mistakes and all, he's hanging around and responding to his mistakes. He was able to hit Cook over the middle to put this game within a touchdown. Big run from Lynch to cap off that quarter and the Raiders are a TD away from tying the game.

Week 4: RAIDERS vs. Cleveland Browns 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Raiders' Week 4 matchup vs. the Cleveland Browns. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

CLE 17 OAK 14

The Browns could've had one more shot to put points with 23 seconds and all 3 timeouts there. A little conservative from Hue Jackson. Raiders started off great with a Pick 6 from Gareon Conley. Marcus Gilchrist made a nice play on the ball, batting it off Jarvis Landry's hands. Conley, right place right time, secured it and took it all the way to the house. Then, 17 unanswered points from Baker Mayfield and the Browns made it seem like a distant memory. The Raiders were able to strike back with a drive capped off from the Carr to Cooper (AC/DC) connection. They had another solid drive going and then of course Carr throws an INT to stall the drive. That pick wasn't too much on Carr. Jared Cook had a pretty good matchup against the smaller defender. That defender just made a nice play and E.J. Gaines was at the right place, right time to pick it off. The first time this season, the Raiders are trailing. They lead in the first half most of the way through three games and we all know how those games ended up. Maybe a little fortune will turn their way not to blow a game in the 2nd half. We'll see. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

CLE 3 OAK 7

Poetic to welcome Baker Mayfield to the Black Hole with a Pick 6. That play was well set up by Marcus Gilchrist. Mayfield tried to hit Jarvis Landry with a short pass. But, Gilchrist tipped it. Gareon Conley was at the right place at the right time and picked off that ball to run it in for the TD. Not a bad showing from the defense, despite giving up some chunk plays after that drive. Irvin notched a sack against Mayfield. The defense made a goal line stand to hold the Browns to a field goal. Not a bad start. Now, if only the offense can get going.

Same Story: Raiders Slip Away vs. Dolphins

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Week 3 matchup vs. the Miami Dolphins where the Raiders lose to the Dolphins in the same old fashion 20-28. They play great for three quarters, but in the fourth, they gas out.

Well, anything else to say? Like the headline says, this has been the same old story since the start of the season. The first three quarters, the Raiders dominate. And then once the fourth quarter hits, the whole system just shuts off. Jon Gruden can emphasize on getting his players to play 60 minutes of football. But, that don't mean a thing when the team just let's up after 48 minutes. It is what it is and again, we're continue to talk about certain issues about the team as this keeps going.

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Jordy Nelson, 6 receptions, 173 yards, 1 TD. The lone bright spot of the offense. If there's anything, you don't which Raider receiver is gonna break out. Opening week, it was Jared Cook. Last week, it was Amari Cooper. This week, Jordy Nelson turned back the clock. I don't want to make excuses for the Dolphins though. They were without Reshad Jones, their best Safety today. Jordy took advantage of that and got two big receiving plays for 60+ yards. Like I said, he was owning rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick and the rest of Dolphins secondary throughout the game.

Run defense. Out of the categories here, this is where the defense dominated in the trenches. They held the Dolphins rushing game to just 41 yards. Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake rushed for 18 yards combined. That made the Dolphins offense one-dimensional and they were out of sorts to start.

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Pass defense. From a decent showing last week to an atrocious showing this week. The Dolphins' run game is entirely shut down, but the entire unit just continues to give up big plays after big plays. The big TD to Kenny Stills. The Dolphins ran a double "Philly special" during that game. A double reverse. Albert Wilson throws a 52 yard passing TD to Jakeem Grant. Albert Wilson taking it all the way for a 74 yard TD to seal the game. Just too many big plays and that kept Miami's offense afloat when it has been stagnant all game long.

MVP

Jordy Nelson, 6 receptions, 173 yards, 1 TD

Jordy turned back the clock with this performance. People were wondering whether or not he was a byproduct of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense. This game proved that he's not.





Conclusion

Yeah, it's just three games right? There's still a lot of football left to played for the Raiders to turn around. The harsh reality though, this team is just not good enough to put teams away even with vets who have perennial experience in winning. When you have been a fan of a team that has endured so many losing seasons, it's frustrating to not generate any optimism because you know they'll find new ways to lose. Next week, the Raiders play the Browns. And as much as I don't like to say it, the Browns look much better than the Raiders right now. Baker Mayfield has re-energized the offense. Their defense is underrated. It's going to be a tough challenge considering the way this team just continues to start fast, but they fail to finish. On top of that, they leave more to be desired. I'll see you guys next week for that game.

Week 3: RAIDERS @ Dolphins 2nd Half Open Thread

Second half of the Raiders-Dolphins Week 3 matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

OAK 20 MIA 28

Same story. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

OAK 17 MIA 14

Well, here we go again. The Raiders gave themselves a bit of a cushion with the 10-point lead early on. But, the Dolphins struck right back to cut it to three. The biggest category that's separating this team are the Dolphins. The Raiders are fortunate that they are not the ones shooting themselves in the foot this game. They're clinging on to a 3-point lead. The defense can hold the Dolphins early on in the fourth, it's a small win. Let's see if this team can finally close a game out.

Week 3: RAIDERS @ Miami Dolphins 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Raiders' Week 3 matchup at the Miami Dolphins. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

OAK 10 MIA 7

Not a bad first half. Arguably the MVP candidate right now, Jordy Nelson. 4 receptions for 151 yards and a TD. Certainly he's still got gas left in the tank. Like I said last game, the Raiders start off with really great drives, but there's still a lot more to grasp. I really didn't like the 4th down play call to Keith Smith. No question, Lynch should've carried that ball with Keith Smith leading the way. They tried to play "cute" for a little deception and they got stuffed. The last scoring drive, again, more to grasp and they had to settle for a Nugent field goal. At least the Raiders don't have it as bad as the Dolphins. Outside of that deep pass to Kenny Stills from Ryan Tannehill, their offense hasn't been a factor. The running game of Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore was a non-factor during that half. That is a win for the defense to make the Dolphins one dimensional. It also doesn't help that penalties are derailing anything positive that Miami's generating. The Raiders won the first half. It's just a matter of keeping that momentum going into the 2nd half. The last two games, it has been an achilles heel and they end up losing the games. That has got to change. Let's see in the 2nd half.

Q1

OAK 7 MIA 0

 

We would've been looking at a 14-0 lead had Gruden called that 1-yard play to Lynch instead of an FB Lead to Keith Smith. That was tough. But, Jordy Nelson's career has been revived this week. He starts off with a big gainer for 61 yards, caps it off with a TD. He burns the Dolphins again for a 66 yard catch and run. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a highly touted rookie and Nelson is just taking him to school. Other than that, there hasn't been much generated from the offense due to penalties and a bad INT from Carr. Both Coop and Carr were at fault for that one as Coop gave up on the play after he had a step behind the defenders. Luckily, the Dolphins have a lot of trouble on offense. They just can't get anything going, putting a lot of pressure on their defense that has gave a lot of yardage so far.

Gut-Wrenching: Raiders Lose in the Final Seconds

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Week 2 divisional matchup against the Broncos in Denver where the Raiders controlled most of the clock in the first three quarters. But they continued to sit on the lead. Some questionable playcalling costed them down the stretch. And eventually, they surrendered a 19-7 lead, losing 19-20.

Yup, this is a microcosm of how the season has unwinded so far. The Raiders come up with an excellent game plan. And then by the time the 2nd half hits, it becomes an absolute manure-show. I gotta admit, this was a solid game from the Raiders for about three quarters. They dominated the Broncos from the line of scrimmage. It just hasn't translated to touchdowns. Those came to bite the Raiders back. When the team has to depend on the defense to win the game, you just have the feeling that this was not gonna end well. I felt that way and that has manifested himself in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. I'll get back to that in detail.

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TOP. The Raiders finished with 32 minutes in time of possession compared to the Broncos' 27 minutes. That first half, they controlled the clock and were dominating the line of scrimmage. They ran it down Denver's throats with Lynch. The O-line dominated the D-line of the Broncos. Some quick throws, misdirection, and play action helped neutralize Von Miller and that vaunted pass rush. At one point, the Raiders had 18 mins TOP while the Broncos only had 9 mins. The defense also did its job forcing Denver to some quick three and outs to give the offense time to milk the clock and control the line of scrimmage.

Amari Cooper, 10 receptions, 116 yards. I should've started Coop in my PPR league. I was appalled last week that Coop managed just 18 total yards. He's in a contract year and he put up a whopping 18 yards of total offense. I still like Coop though. And today, Chucky made sure he was more involved in the game plan. Derek Carr targeted Coop 10 times and he caught all 10 balls. He didn't drop a ball, which was encouraging. We need Coop to keep churning 100+ yards receiving to give the Raiders' passing game a shot.

Derek Carr, 29 of 32 passes, 288 yards, 1 TD. This is the Derek Carr we need. Aggressive, not afraid to throw under pressure, yet smart enough to not turn the ball. Last week, I was pretty harsh. I wanted to see 2016 DC where he had an insane amount of moxie and toughness, especially withstanding the pressure in the pocket. We saw some of that today. He took advantage of the Broncos' deconstructed "No Fly Zone" secondary and was able to withstand Denver's pressure from its D-line. Whether Derek Carr has shaken off the post-injury traumas remain to be seen. But, today was encouraging to see.

Secondary. I really can't fault the secondary for losing the game. This game should've never came down to the defense winning it for the Raiders. Some positive signs, they held Demaryius Thomas, arguably their best wide out, to just 18 total yards. They didn't surrender any TDs through the air. Rashaan Melvin picked off Case Keenum to give the ball right back to Oakland. Gareon Conley and Leon Hall just didn't give Thomas any room to make a big play. The only negative is that they let Emmanuel Sanders go off for almost 100+ yards. But other than that, they held the fort down until it was time to go "prevent D" down the stretch.

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There were three key scenarios that ended up costing the Raiders game. First was the block PAT by Nugent. There's no sure guarantees in football and you can definitely that would've costed the Raiders in the long run. Bruce Irvin's roughing penalty in the third quarter. The defense had the Broncos stopped again on third down. But, a penalty negated that. Denver got new life, Royce Freeman ran it in for a TD. The fourth down where Derek Carr tried to pass it Keith Smith, but Keith Smith dropped it. That resulted in another key scoring drive from Denver. This was no shocker. The Raiders had a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot. And outside of the blocked PAT, the dumb penalty and questionable 4th down play call were two key plays that gave Denver all kinds of momentum to close this game out.

Red zone scoring. Like I said, with the way the game is flowing in favor of the Raiders, this game should've been 21-0 at the half. But, the first two scoring drives were killers to start. Jon Gruden came up with brilliant game plans to throw the Broncos' defense off their heels. But, Carr and the offense couldn't capitalize for 6. No matter if any team drives down the field into the opponent's territory, it doesn't mean anything if they just settle for field goals. And it's been a long story for the Raiders in terms of good drives: field goals instead of TDs.

I'm gonna go out on a limb about relying on the defense to win the game. I really don't like this defense, especially at its state right now, to be out there to try and win the game for the Raiders. There's not a consistent pass rush. And the secondary won't hold when they're clearly in prevent mode. Raider Nation, I'm sorry, but I gotta bring up Khalil Mack again. You see if the defense was in that scenario with Mack, it would've been a different story. Say what you wanna say with the defense being terrible even with Mack, but the guy made up for it with clutch strip sacks and pressure in key situations. Three years ago, Mack single-handedly won the Raiders the game on the road against Denver. If there was a time the Raiders needed a #52 on the field today, it was in that final seconds. And you know you could keep telling me "to get over it." "He never wanted to be a Raider." We are not going to shut up about Khalil Mack's absence because the defense, as decent as they played, they are not built to hold the fort for 60 minutes. Especially with a lack of a pass rush. Mack would've won this game for the Raiders in this scenario. It's the hard truth that some people are trying so hard to sweep under the rug since he's not on the team anymore. We are not going to shut up about Khalil Mack until this defense proves its worth.

MVP


Derek Carr, 288 passing yards, 1 TD

I still can't say that Carr justified the $100 million contract extension. But, today was a decent step forward. He just has to stop playing scared and we saw him throw under pressure and throw a TD dart to Seth Roberts.





Conclusion

We could say that the Raiders played better. They competed and dominated the Broncos. But, football is a 60 minute game and wins and losses matter. They'd fare better in hockey since hockey is only three periods. But, this team is only good for three quarters and they cap out in the fourth. That's the harsh reality. Well, onto the next one in Miami. The Raiders may have beaten the Dolphins last year, but the Dolphins have had their number especially with Ryan Tannehill under center. He's back and with the way Miami looked the first two games, it's going to be another grinder. I'll see you guys next week for that game.

Week 2: RAIDERS @ Broncos 2nd Half Open Thread

2nd half open thread of the Raiders' Week 2 divisional road matchup vs. the Broncos. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

OAK 19 DEN 20

You can put this one in the books. When the defense had to be depended on to win the game, that's a lot to ask for. I'm gonna look back at that missed XP by Nugent at the first half. That was gonna bite eventually. And it looked that way. 0-2 and that Khalil Mack trade is making Gruden and the Raiders look like big time losers week-by-week. If the defense needed to step up, for sure Mack would've answered with the way he owned Denver the last few games. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

OAK 19 DEN 10

The Raiders let the Broncos score this quarter. Going back to that catch though on the last Broncos' drive. I thought that was a sure touchdown because it looked like his foot never hit the white chalk. The Raiders get a big break there and maintain the 9-point lead. Derek Carr first TD of the season to Seth Roberts. We needed to see that. He looks much better this game than he did the last game and that's a very encouraging sign. AC/DC is tuning up too. Coop is having a really solid game and converting on key thir downs.

Week 2: Divisional Matchup - RAIDERS @ Denver Broncos 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Raiders' Week 2 matchup @ the Denver Broncos in a divisional showdown. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

OAK 12 DEN 0

That's a bizarre turn of events. Don't understand why the Broncos would take a timeout with 2 seconds left. They're clearly out of Brandon McManus' range. Other than that, a dominant first half by the Raiders. The scoreboard won't say too much, but they are clearly beating Denver physically in the trenches. They almost have over 20 minutes in TOP (time-of-possession) compared to the Broncos. The Broncos barely cracked the 10 minute mark. Denver's defense gotta be worn out being out on the field too long, especially since it's like 90+ degrees out in Mile High. But, those drives could've been better. 12 points after all that. That has gotta say 21-0. On defense, the secondary is holding their ground down there. Demaryius Thomas has been awfully quiet in the first half. Conley and Melvin at the corners are doing a fantastic job. This is the first half though. Last week, the Raiders failed to make any half time adjustments and the Rams just dominated. For sure, the Broncos will have some new wrinkles up their sleeves when they get the ball back. They gotta be prepared. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

OAK 3 DEN 0

Alright Carr, that's what we were expecting. I liked the up tempo to start the game. Even though, it resulted in a stalled drive, it slowed down the Broncos' pass rush. Von Miller could've gotten a strip sack, but that was nullified by a penalty. So far, the Raiders have done a good job neutralizing Miller and Denver's pass rush. Defensively, they haven't surrendered any big plays. Leon Hall had a good contest on Demaryius Thomas to help set up another 3 and out for Keenum and the Broncos' O.

Raiders Compete in First Half, Rams Dominate in Second Half

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Week 1 opener on Monday Night vs. the Los Angeles Rams where the Raiders fought hard in the first half against the Rams, but were overmatched in terms of talent disparity, losing 33-13.

Well, I said it in my preview that this game was going to be a gauge meter to see where the Raiders are at. And I can't help but say that this is a rebuilding team. It wasn't a really terrible game. They deadlocked with the Rams for the first half of the game. And then in the 2nd half, we see the difference between a playoff, Super Bowl contending team and a team in rebuilding mode which makes the 2016 season seem like a distant memory.

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Jared Cook, 9 receptions, 180 yards. This might be the only positive I can take away from this game. Jared Cook was a mismatch nightmare against the Rams' linebackers and safeties. They didn't have an answer. Cook started off with a big 64-yard gain off the slant from Carr. It was a good start for the offense. It set up Marshawn Lynch's TD. For some inexplicable reason in the 2nd half, the offense stopped getting him involved until it was too little too late. Either the Rams D made nice adjustments or Gruden wanted to give other receivers a chance. The decision behind that is beyond me, but you have to keep giving it to Cook since he was winning his matchups.

(-)

Derek Carr, 29-40 passes 303 yards, 3 INT. Even in a different uniform, Marcus Peters still haunts Carr in his dreams. Today was a pretty funny day for two of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. Stafford throws 4 INTs. Carr throws 3 INTs. Enough about that. Carr, I don't know what's up with his decision making or any of his throwing mechanics. It's like ever since he got that contract for $25 million a year, he's gotten progressively worse. First INT, underthrows Jared Cook. 2nd INT, where in the hell was he throwing to? 3rd INT, just like old times when Marcus Peters was still a Chief. Yes it's only the first game under a new head coach. But let's face it, the legend of Derek Carr died in Week 16 of 2016 with that fractured fibula.

Defense. Well, they were good for the first half, holding the Rams to 13 points, so I'll give them that. But, now do we see what they're missing in Mack? Outside of Bruce Irvin's strip sack, there was zero pressure on Jared Goff  all game long. Todd Gurley had his day against this suspect D-line. I'll tell you, if Mack was still there, he would've made Maurice Hurst better. He would've made P.J. Hall better. He would've made Arden Key better. You lose that and you throw the three rooks to the wolves, that's the result. And how many times when it was a third down situation have the Rams converted? What the Raiders miss in Mack is that pressure in key situations or eventually a big sack (turnover included). Now, they don't have that. It's going to be a long season for this unit.

MVP

Jared Cook, 9 receptions, 180 receiving yards

Only fitting that the lone bright spot this game gets MVP. Cook was a monster outside and over the middle of the field.







Conclusion

Well, nowhere to go but up here. Like I said, there's not too many expectations for this team since September 1. I'm just not sold on the outlook of this roster and tonight proved it. Chucky has an uphill battle to climb since returning to the coaching sidelines. Next week, not going to get any easier against another tough defensive-minded team in the Broncos at Mile High. With the way Carr played tonight, I can't imagine how much Sports Authority Field's raucous crowd will disrupt him. And we'll see whether or not the defense will make Case Keenum look like a Pro Bowl QB. I'll see you guys next week for that game.

Week 1: MNF Opener - RAIDERS vs. LA Rams 2nd Half Open Thread

This is the 2nd half open thread of the Raiders-Rams game on Monday Night Football. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

LAR 33 OAK 13

That half was GARBAGE! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAR 20 OAK 13

That score will end it right there. It's the battle of the "Cook's" right there. The 2nd half, the Rams are finding Cooks more on play action and that certainly gave the Rams some life to up the tempo offensively. The defense can't hold if they can't get pressure on Goff. Not much to say, but the Raiders have done a nice job responding to the Rams. Let's see how they fare, trailing by a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter.

Week 1: MNF Opener - RAIDERS vs. LA Rams 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Raiders' home opener vs. the LA Rams. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

LAR 10 OAK 13

Not a bad half for the Raiders. Not a bad half. Chucky, you just did what the last two OCs can do, utilize the Tight End! That was a monster half from Jared Cook. 6 receptions, 113 yards already. This was all set up when Carr hit Cook for the 46 yard slant to set up Marshawn Lynch's rushing TD in the end zone. Pardon the pun, but Cook is Cookin' right now. He could've had a TD to cap off the half, but Derek Carr underthrew the pass. The Rams defense just has no answer and I loved it when he lowered the shoulder on Aqib Talib for a big time first down. That was for Crabtree even though he's no longer on the team. As for the defense, big win to hold the high-powered Rams to just 10 points. I wanted to see the preseason defense translate to regular season and so far, not bad. The pass rush without Khalil Mack is definitely apparent, but the entire unit as a whole held the fort down. Penalties are the only negative so far. Both on offense and defense. Knowing Gruden, he's not really happy about that and they need to clean that up. They were perfect on the first drive on both sides of the ball. They gotta go back to that. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

LAR 7 OAK 7

Man are the Rams talking a lot of trash during that last sequence? Well, on that first series, the Raiders looked good. Carr connects with Cook for a 46 yard slant. Then, Marshawn goes beast mode for the TD with a little help from the "'sons," Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson. The defense had a good first drive too forcing the Rams to a 3 and out. All good, but they got a little ahead of themselves from 2nd drive onward. Penalties, miscommunication on offense, lack of a pass rush. But, somehow, they're hanging around against a great Rams team. Not too bad for Gruden's first quarter of football in his return to coaching.

TrueRaiderLaker Productions #13: 2018 Oakland Raiders Hype Video - "IV"

Well, something is better than a nothing. After further delays and some last minute changes, here's is TrueRaiderLaker Productions #13: "IV."

No special titles here on this one. The "IV" obviously represents my fourth Raiders hype video since I first uploaded my first one in 2015 titled "New Generation." Last year's hype video brought a lot of inspiration to make yet another one. While the last year was full of hope, this one is a video with a whole lot of attitude like the Raiders are just ready to kick everyone's *expletive,* especially with the return of Jon Gruden.

The hype video hit a snag in the last couple of days when it was in the process of completion. The obvious one was the Khalil Mack trade. I had to put this aside to make the Khalil Mack tribute out of respect since he's the only the good 1st round pick the Raiders made in recent years. Also, I had a lot of sequences for Mack in this hype video prior to the trade. Of course, I had to ask "how will I replace Mack's parts that were awesome here?" So, I had accumulate some more material and it's a good thing P.J. Hall, Maurice Hurst, and Arden Key each recorded sacks in the preaseason, so I replaced them for Mack's parts. To be completely honest, the buzz of this hype video died when the trade happened. And all I can do was quick fixes. I didn't have a lot of time to think since the season opener was fast approaching. I wanted to accumulate more sound bites (I didn't use a lot here because those ideas were at the last moment), but I had a tight window ahead and this is all I got.

Since I did the regular season preview post before the hype video, despite this, yes I'm still not sold on the outlook of the roster since the Mack trade. I still stand by that. But, this video does give me some optimism that the Raiders can return to form.

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2018 Oakland Raiders Regular Season Preview - Where to Go from Here?

Welcome in the regular season preview for the 2018 Oakland Raiders. We're removed from one of the biggest letdowns this offseason. But, it's done with. They gotta find ways to carry on. For newbies, I headline some storylines, break down the roster, break down the schedule, and provide some overall thoughts on how the Raiders will fare for the upcoming season.

The Defense - Life After Mack

The marquee storyline coming right out of the gate. The Raiders may have a revamped defense under a proven DC in Paul Guenther, but they'll have to perform with Khalil Mack no longer on the team. That trade still hurts no matter how you look at it. At the end of the day, it's a business. The Raiders didn't have the cap room. It's a Quarterback-driven league. To be truthfully honest, none of the defensive players on the team have half the talent and HOF-potential like Mack had. Let's break down the defensive unit without Mack. They still have Bruce Irvin. Bruce is still a good pass rusher, but he's not one who can affect a game plan. And he's not as effective as an EDGE run defender. They have a trio or rookies in P.J. Hall, Maurice Hurst, and Arden Key. All three rookies showed out in the preseason as pass rushers. I do like Hurst and Key in the draft, but it remains to be seen how they translate in the regular season. The entire unit is shaky at best after the Mack trade. The D-line is boom-or-bust. Linebackers should be a little improved, but not by much. The secondary still has a lot of question marks. Can Gareon Conley stay healthy? Will Rashaan Melvin replicate his breakout year last year when he was still with the Colts? Is Karl Joseph ready to take the next step to lead the secondary? At least if Khalil Mack was still around, the defense had a given. But now that he's not around, there are all kinds of wildcards surrounding this unit. So far, Paul Guenther has done a decent job in tailoring the scheme to the personnel (take notes Ken Norton Jr.). It definitely translated this presesason. They still gave up some yardage, but they held opponents to under 20+ points in all four preaseason games. Again, we gotta see that in the regular season and this defensive with a lot of unknowns have their work cut out for them against first-tier starters full-time.

Transition of Chucky

The last time Jon Gruden coached an NFL game, I was only a freshman in High School, smart phones were not trendy, mainstream music wasn't as crappy, and MySpace was more popular than Facebook. Man, I feel old talking about those. But, that's the truth about the return of Chucky. He's been out of coaching in the past decade and the game has changed drastically (seriously, $100 million for 10 years for a guy who hasn't coached in 10 years). He did admit the game's evolution in his press conference. And credit where credit is due, he established a coaching staff that's accustomed to the modern NFL to help him catch up and get up to speed. There's no question that Raider Nation should be excited that the prophecy of Gruden's return has been fulfilled. Though, that stock may have plummeted because of the rumors surrounding him that he had a hand in the Khalil Mack trade and a possible power friction between he and Reggie McKenzie. If we look back at Tampa Bay, his track record hasn't been good since he won Super Bowl XXXVII (because he knew half of Oakland's playbook and Tony Dungy built that defense). Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure is that the NFL just became interesting with "Spider 2-Y Banana" back in the playbook. He's a good offensive mind and should help the Raider offense rekindle 2016 and elevate them to become better.

Keep the Carr Upright

Speaking of the Raiders' offensive unit returning to 2016 form, this is going to be the key here. The offense will run as long as Derek Carr's on the field. Two years ago, Carr was having an MVP year before the fractured fibula happened Week 16 against the Colts. Last year was a pretty funky year for Derek Carr as he battled an injured back all season long and the numbers just weren't good. The back injury was one thing. Todd Downing's predictable play calling was another reason why Carr had a regression last season. He's projected to have a bounceback season under Gruden, but he has to stay upright. Carr staying upright is contingent on the play of the offensive line. And quite frankly, I'm worried about both Tackles position. Kolton Miller will have some growing pains as a rookie being Carr's "Blindside." Donald Penn is still recovering from foot surgery and hasn't looked great playing Right Tack. If Carr goes down, the Raiders are gonna have to depend on A.J. McCarron as he needs ample time to learn Jon Gruden's playbook. Let's hope it doesn't come down to that scenario.

"Over the Hill" Gang

One thing about Gruden is that he loves aging vets in hopes that they still have something left in the tank. The Raiders brought in Doug Martin, Jordy Nelson, and Derrick Johnson. They brought back Reggie Nelson because he knows the Guenther's system playing under him in Cincinnati. Leon Hall vice versa. They signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at the last seconds of the preseason. Of course, Marshawn Lynch is the primary bell cow. Similarly, the Raiders did the "Over the Hill" approach in 2014 signing aging vets like Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, James Jones, Maurice Jones-Drew, we all know how that worked out.

Schedule Breakdown

The one thing that'll benefit the Raiders is that the AFC West is not that good. Kansas City has some unknowns transitioning from Alex Smith to Patrick Mahomes. The Broncos have a good defense, but the quarterback position is still suspect. The Chargers are the only legitimate threat in the division. Philip Rivers is still arguably the best quarterback in the division. Monday Night against an elite team like the Los Angeles Rams will be a gauge meter to see how far this team will go. And the Rams have a full squad with "Million Dollar Man" Aaron Donald coming back. Something the Raiders didn't do with Khalil Mack. But again, it is what it is. This team has their work cut out for the first 6 games of the season. They're going to sustain a lot of mileage early with the travel since the Week 6 home matchup against Seattle is in London. After the Week 7 bye, the Raiders have a plethora of home games that they should take advantage of. Again, Week 1, Monday Night against the Rams is going to say a lot about this team.

Conclusion

Slap me in the face if I'm being too pessimistic. With the Mack trade, this season is pretty much a wash. There'll be no Super Bowl in Oakland before they leave. They're clearly rebuilding for Vegas. Oakland is filing suit to have the Raiders leave town early, so we don't know where they're going to play next year. I really don't see this team contending for a division, let alone a wild card berth. There's just too many unknowns on this roster. Realistically, this team is built to finish 7-9 at best. 6-10 at worst. If they want to go beyond that, Derek Carr has to stay healthy, Amari Cooper has to play like a #1 Wideout, the offensive line play has to be better, the veterans on this team have to pan out, and the rookies have to reach their ceiling now than later. The Raiders are exactly molding themselves for Las Vegas. They're making some gambles and hoping the chips fall in their favor. Still as always, go Raiders. Just not expecting much to happen during this season. (Yet, I'm still making a hype video before Monday Night).

"Thank You Mack" (Raiders 2018 "DeHype" Video)

I made this in response to the trade that happened on Saturday. Not the kind of video I want to upload as a TrueRaiderLaker Productions installment. This season's hype video will still be released before the opener. It just needs some adjustments after this trade.

First round picks in 2019 and 2020 won't matter if the Raiders don't hit on them. Tough pill to swallow, but that's the nature of the business. Thank you Khalil Mack. There won't be a replacement on the defense like you.

Raiders Trade Khalil Mack to Chicago Bears *Rant*

I'm still sighing in disbelief as I type this post. I was on my way to a convention in Sacramento yesterday when I found out the Raiders have traded Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears for two future first round picks. If you guys haven't been following the off-season, Mack has been a no-show in mandatory mini camp and training camp. Neither Mack nor the Raiders made any progress to a contract extension. The blame game got passed around. The trade rumors were heating up and they finally came to past yesterday with this shocking trade.

I'll tell you the problem with this. The Raiders are taking a risk in trading their once-in-a-generational talent for two first round picks that may or may not pan out. In the past, they've fired a lot of blanks with first round picks and I was a part of all those years of mediocrity as a fan. Drafting Mack in 2014 was a blessing in disguise. Along with Derek Carr that draft, he represented that game-changing face for a franchise that was shrouded with mediocrity and dysfunction. You talk about three straight pro bowls, Defensive Player of the Year. You don't trade a once-in-generational talent, a future hall-of-famer even if it's for multiple 1st round picks! Yes I heard how the Cowboys built their dynasty in the 90's. The Eagles went through similar stuff trading/releasing their star players and they rebuilt their roster well to spark a Super Bowl run. But, how often does that happen? Once in a blue moon? Not many teams can replicate that formula and draft picks are boom-or-bust. The Raiders can have a full seven round draft, but it's gonna be difficult to replace a talent of Mack's caliber.

It's absolutely sickening to hear of Raider Nation turning their backs on a franchise-altering player like him. "The defense sucked with him." Name somebody outside of Bruce Irvin that gave him some legit help off the edge! The defensive unit around Mack was trash. The Defensive Coordinators, I'm talking about Jason Tarver and Ken Norton Jr., were complete garbage! We can talk about Derek Carr and those comebacks from 2016. Mack was just as important in the clutch. When the Raiders needed a stop to give Carr and the offense a chance to come back or when the pressure was on the defense to win them the game. Mack came through whether he was double-teamed or triple-teamed! Have we forgotten how he took over the game in Denver in 2015 with 5 sacks? The strip sack and fumble recovery on Cam Newton against Carolina in 2016? The timely sack on Alex Smith on Thursday Night to set up that unbelievable finish against the Chiefs last season? I was sick to my stomach when I heard those comments. "Oh if you love Mack, jump ship to the Bears you fake fan." They say loyalty is a two-way street. Being fake goes both ways too! I would've understood the backlash if he walked away as a free agent. To turn against him like that, there's no words to defend that. I usually don't like players who hold out, but at the same time I understand why they hold out. They got family to think about. They're thinking about being financially secured when they retire. I even understand not a lot of them don't put their money to good use. But, Mack put in the work. He's been consistently good year-after-year, never missed a game. He deserved a raise.

As much as I like to rant, I understand the NFL is a business. The business is a game of "keep as many you can." I think I mentioned that two offseasons ago. The Raiders didn't have the cap room to give him the mega deal now. Nobody knows who's gonna talk first. They traded him. The Bears had the money to pay him what he wants. He's signed on to a 6-year $141 million deal. It is what it is. Like I said, the Raiders can have as many 1st round picks, it's not always going to equate to the elite talent and HOF potential that Khalil Mack has now. The NFL is a different animal than college football.  As a Raiders fan, thank you Khalil Mack for being the franchise-altering player we've waited for since 2003. And if they find a talent that matches the talent you have, I hope they get it sooner than later. By any means!



*Well, at least the Lakers bought out Luol Deng's fat contract finally.*