Running out of time to get back on track
Head coach Jack Del Rio made it clear Monday he remained “pissed off ” about the Raiders’ listless loss in Kansas City over the weekend.
A day later, that feeling still permeated the Raiders’ locker room.
“I’m pissed off too — just as pissed off as Jack,” tackle Donald Penn said. “I think all of my teammates are pissed off, too. Very upset. Not happy at all.”
Tied for first place in the AFC West entering Sunday’s game, the Raiders fell behind the Chiefs 26-0 and lost 26-15. It mirrored previous losses to Washington and New England this season in which the Raiders came out looking flat on a big stage.
Penn harkened back to Week 14 of last season, when the Raiders went into Kansas City leading the Chiefs by a game in the division and lost 21-13. Penn cited that as another game in which the Raiders “had a chance to control our own destiny, and we gave it away.”
“One of these days, we’re going to stop giving it away when we have our own chance and we’re going to take it one of these days,” Penn said.
“Maybe me, being a veteran, I might have to do a better job of leading these guys and getting them ready and having them focused and knowing that these opportunities are short. Because I’m only playing two more years after this, so my opportunities are getting shorter and shorter. And I want to play (in) a Super Bowl, win a Super Bowl before I’m done. My sense of urgency is at an all-time high right now.”
The Raiders are still alive in the murky AFC playoff race, but are a game behind co-AFC West leaders Kansas City and San Diego, who play each other Saturday. The Raiders — who host Dallas on Sunday before traveling to Philadelphia for a Christmas night game — play the Chargers in their regularseason finale Dec. 31 in Carson.
Several players Tuesday said they’ve spent no time looking at scenarios by which the Raiders could reach the postseason.
“Honestly, man, you spend your time focusing on that, then you’re taking away from what you need to be doing,” running back DeAndre Washington said. “What we can control is us getting wins, and let the chips fall where they fall.”
Said Penn: “If we don’t beat Dallas (on Sunday), there ain’t no playoff scenarios. All I can focus on is our next game and trying to get that going, ’cause it’s been a frustrating season this year.”
That frustration stemmed from a familiar place Sunday for the Raiders’ offense, which struggled to sustain drives against Kansas City’s 30thranked defense.
“Got to stay on the field, convert big plays when we need it, keep the chains moving,” tight end Jared Cook said. “Kind of been saying the same thing for a minute.”
Against the Chiefs, it looked like the Raiders had an opportunity for a big play in the first half with Cook open over the middle on a post route. Quarterback Derek Carr instead targeted receiver Cordarrelle Patterson near the sideline for an incompletion. Carr brought up that play Monday while discussing the game on his YouTube channel.
“There’s a reason that inside linebacker let (Cook) in there — it’s because the safety back side would’ve knocked him out if I threw it,” Carr said. “Don’t read into everything that you think you see.”
Asked Tuesday if he thought he was open on the play, Cook responded: “What do you think?” Told he appeared to be open, Cook said: “Oh, OK. If you see that, ain’t no reason that a lot of other people shouldn’t see that, right?”
There were costlier plays in a game in which the Raiders committed three turnovers and had their lowest offensive output (268 yards) since Week 5.
Del Rio said he wants to see the Raiders “let it rip” over the final three games. Penn was asked about doing so in the wake of a languid showing.
“That’s football,” Penn said. “That’s what we get paid to do, so we’ve got to do that. You’ve got to man up. We went out there and laid an egg this weekend. So we’ve got to go out there and make it better this weekend.”