Raiders have a lot to fix in Week 2
OAKLAND >> Well, that did not go well.
The Raiders’ 33-13 loss wasn’t as lopsided as the scoreline might indicate, but it was
100 percent a calamity for a Raiders team that was looking to start the second Jon Gruden era with a win and some serious momentum.
Instead, the Raiders furthered some already pertinent questions and raised some questions along the way.
Here’s what we learned in the Raiders’ Week 1 loss:
DINK AND DUNK DEREK IS ON THE HOT SEAT >> Derek Carr threw away Monday’s opener with his three interceptions. That’s impressive, considering that he challenged downfield two, maybe three times all game.
Technically, he threw the ball more than 10 yards in the air seven times (with one being a throw away) but the point stands. Carr was dreadful.
So dreadful, in fact, that I have to wonder if he’s fully capable of running Gruden’s offense.
Watching the game live and then once again afterward, I didn’t see anything that Carr did that a backup quarterback couldn’t do — he hit the underneath man again and again and again.
Running back Jalen Richard had 11 — count ‘em, 11 — targets Monday. Tight end Jared Cook was targeted 12 times, catching nine balls for 180 yards.
In all, Raiders wide receivers were targeted a total of nine times and had a catch total of five.
There’s being pragmatic, taking what the defense gives you and attacking a weakness (L.A.’s linebackers), and then there’s being timid.
Carr was undoubtedly the latter.
He simply refused to try to go downfield and I’m sure Gruden — as much as he loves the short passing game — will be infuriated by the game tape.
Upon further review, Carr’s solid first half, when he went 20 of 24, wasn’t that impressive. It was competent but uninspired.
THE RAIDERS COULD USE A REALLY GOOD PASS RUSHER >> Gruden actually offered this line — without irony — after Monday’s game, in which the Raiders had a grand total of two quarterback hits:
“Obviously we didn’t get to Jared (Goff) enough and we didn’t dig early enough. We will take a look at the reasons why we didn’t.”
I might have an idea … (By the way, the gall of that guy…)
Is it really a shock that a few days after trading away arguably the NFL’s premier pass rusher, the Raiders had problems getting to the quarterback? Of course not. But they better find that solution to the problem fast, because other teams won’t be as gracious as the Rams were Monday.
The Raiders’ defense was in bend-but-don’t-break mode in Game 1 and after a solid first half, it eventually broke.
That’s what happens to a secondary when an opposing quarterback has all day to throw and Todd Gurley gets good blocking.
Goff didn’t take a snap in the preseason and it was apparent in the first half, but he was on his game in the second half and that, paired with the Raiders’ woeful quarterback play, flipped the game. Ultimately, I like what defensive coordinator Paul Guenther schemed up for Monday’s game — the defense gave the Raiders’ offense a chance to win. That’s all you can ask of them this season — they’re simply not talented enough to do anything more. GRUDEN’S BACKS ARE GIVING AWAY THE GAME >> Gruden has always valued running backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield or line up out wide.
That’s why I found it strange that he kept Marshawn Lynch and signed Doug Martin this offseason. Lynch is a power runner — an elite one, if used correctly — but he’s not someone you throw the ball to, and Martin, while more versatile, isn’t a game-breaker.
They’re not ideal Gruden backs.
So, sure enough, when either of those running backs was in instead of the more classic Gruden back Jalen Richard, the Rams were able to key in against the run. When Richard was in, the Rams knew the pass was imminent.
Gruden called a few plays in an effort to keep the Rams honest, but the cat is out of the bag — Gruden is tipping plays (in the vaguest sense at this juncture) through personnel.
That’s bad news, as unpredictably (in a good way) is a tenet of a good offense.
Ultimately, though, I have no idea how Gruden handles that conundrum outside of giving Richard the vast majority of snaps for the rest of the season. Not a bad option, for sure, but there were better ones available this past offseason.
THE RAIDERS WILL ALWAYS BE THE RAIDERS >> The Raiders have always been known for their penchant for penalties. It’s one game, but 2018 looks like it will pay proper homage to the franchise’s history. Monday, the Raiders took the NFL lead for penalty yardage before the first half was over. That’s skill.
The Raiders had 11 penalties for 155 yards, with three false starts, two pass interferences, a too-many-men penalty, and five offensive holding calls going against them.