Kurtenbach

the 2020 season, and following an impressive 3424 win over the Saints on national television, I think it’s fair to say that there’s something cooking there.

It took a few years and a big move, but it looks like Jon Gruden — three years into his 10-year contract — finally has the personnel to run the schemes he wants to play.

There’s been some adaptation to the modern era of football, but truth be told, the formula from Gruden’s last go-around as a head coach still works in 2020.

Some things never go out of style.

Gruden’s 2020 Raiders have a do-it-all running back, Josh Jacobs, running behind a big, beefy, and powerful, athletic offensive line. Jacobs ran for 88 yards on 27 carries Monday night, and the Raiders’ offensive line,

despite being a smorgasbord of starters and backups, controlled the line of scrimmage (and beyond) for most of the game.

The wide receivers could use more seasoning, sure, but you can see how those pieces fit in the puzzle.

But who needs great wide receivers when you have an elite tight end and some more-than-capable backups?

Anyone who watched the Raiders last year knew that Darren Waller was a superstar, but after a 12-catch, 103-yard, onetouchdown performance, the nation is now in on the secret.

The big question remains: Is quarterback Derek Carr the game manager that Gruden wants under center?

After two games, it’s hard to say that he’s not.

There’s a long way to go, but Carr looks in control and a bit more adventurous in 2020. So far, he’s 50 of 68 for 521 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

That will certainly do. And it’s not like you can argue that the Raiders are at full strength, buoying his stats. There’s a reason the wide receivers on this team are so young.

Of course, this is football, and the only constant is injuries. Well, that and the Raiders having a bad defense.

But defense doesn’t seem to matter much in the NFL these days.

The next few weeks for the Raiders will be hellacious. At New England, the Bills in Las Vegas, and then Kansas City on the road. We’ll have a much better read by midOctober (which is still early by NFL standards).

But if Carr is proven correct for taking an early-season victory lap — boy is he currently happy to issue a verdict on the “haters” (aka anyone who has seen him play the past few years) — the Raiders might be taking an extra lap or two after the regular season is over.