A REAL SWITCH UP
Raiders’ linemen back after COVID-19 scare pushes up start time vs. Bucs
The Raiders have been swatted on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.
We’ll see what kind of dog they’ll be in the fight today against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The matchup was tantalizing enough to be scheduled for “Sunday Night Football,” but the threat of a COVID-19 breakout on the Raiders precipitated a change this week. Curiously, instead of postponing the game a day or two — that’s what the NFL has done in four previous instances — kickoff was moved up to 1 p.m.
Raiders fans love a good conspiracy, but good luck trying to prove it this time. After accruing more than $500,000 in team and individual fines stemming from violations regarding coronavirus protocols, the Raiders didn’t exactly get the benefit of the doubt when their entire offensive line and safety Johna
than Abram went on the COVID-19 reserve list this week.
Tackle Trent Brown, who tested positive for the virus, reportedly without symptoms,
won’t play. Neither will Abram, who was in contact with Brown on Tuesday and couldn’t get in five days of negative tests during his quarantine period
Four other linemen — left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard Denzelle Good, center Rodney Hudson and right guard Gabe Jackson were cleared to play although they haven’t practiced other than a light session Monday.
Both the NFL Network and ESPN reported no new positive tests from the Raiders on Friday, and the linemen were removed from the COVID-19 reserve list Saturday.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden seemed optimistic Friday he’d get those linemen back after a week of “virtual” practice.
He’ll need them to have a chance at beating the Buccaneers, who are 4-2 and coming off a 3810 defeat of previously unbeaten Green Bay.
Keep in mind since the Raiders (3-2) are coming off a bye, and took their foot off the gas after beating the Kansas City Chiefs, those four linemen could be one of two things: 1) Extremely fresh; or 2) Unprepared to play with requisite crispness
If you’re of the belief that practice matters, it’s easy to see this one slipping away against Brady and Co.
But the Raiders gained a lot of confidence in beating the Chiefs. While Abram will be missed, they’ve grown used to being without Brown, who has missed nine of 21 games (including one threesnap game) since signing before the 2019 season.
The most likely candidate to take his place is veteran Sam Young unless other linemen go down, and then it would probably be Brandon Parker.
“We played four games without Trent,” Gruden said. “We used four different right tackles, so we’re experienced at adjusting and we’ll have a right tackle that’s prepared and experienced and ready to play.”
As for Brown, who reportedly spent time without his mandatory tracking device, wound up with the virus and inadvertently put his teammates in a bad situation, there are no outward hard feelings from Gruden.
“I have talked to Trent. He is feeling better and hopefully we get him back soon,” Gruden said. “He’s a big part of this team.”
Five ways the Raiders can beat the Bucs and silently thumb their nose at those responsible for stripping their Sunday night game and determining they weren’t worth a one- or two- day delay:
1. JOSH JACOBS PIERCES THE TAMPA RUN DEFENSE >> The Buccaneers have given up 386 yards and 22 first downs rushing in six games and just 3.0 yards per carry. No team has gained 100 yards against Tampa Bay, let alone an
individual runner.
So whatever form the Raiders offensive line takes, they’d better be at the top of their game to deal with a front seven that includes Ndamukong Suh up front and inside linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White as inside linebackers in a 3- 4 alignment.
The Raiders have also promised to utlize Davontae Booker more often, and ideally he gets seven to 10 carries and 40 yards or more.
2. CARR OUTPLAYS BRADY >> Derek Carr has played better headto-head than both Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes, and don’t sleep on Teddy Bridgewater in the opener either as he’s having a heck of a season.
Everyone knows the formula by now for Carr to be at his best — a relatively equal split of running plays to passing plays. And even if the Raiders aren’t getting a ton of yards with those runs, the attempts themselves matter.
As for Tom Brady, he’s in the unusual situation of mastering a new system at age 43 and there were times early on where you wondered if maybe he was finally showing his age.
Never mind.
In the last four games, Brady has 11 touchdown passes, one interception and has completed 63.7 percent of his passes. He’s been sacked only eight times in six games. Those aren’t Jameis Winston numbers.
There are dangerous targets outside in Mike Evans and Chris
Godwin, and it looks like tight end Rob Gronkowski is coming around after a slow start following a one-year retirement.
It is the Raiders’ good fortune that Antonio Brown, whom the Bucs signed Friday, won’t be active.
3. PUTTING THE RUSH ON BRADY >> As good as Brady has been in winning six championships, the teams that have success against him pressure him throughout. The Giants did it two him twice in Super Bowls, and even though he put up huge numbers against the Eagles, it was the pass rush at the end that closed the deal.
The only way that happens is to shut down running back Ronald Jones, the NFL’S fifth leading rusher with 492 yards on 97 carries. If that happens, and the Raiders can get after Brady the way they did Mahomes, it’s a game-changer.
Mahomes managed to escape trouble although the pressure in the second half reduced his effectiveness. Brady, although nimble in a small area in the pocket and adept at getting rid of the ball, won’t be nearly as difficult to contain in terms of creating plays.
Clelin Ferrell, coming off the signature game of his young career, was asked if he’d thought about sacking Brady.
“Always. I’ve been thinking about that since I was a little kid,” Ferrell said. “I’ve always been a Tom Brady fan. Just to walk out there and the field, get a look at him as somebody I really want to
devour, it’s going to be good. I’m excited.”
4. GETTING RUGGS MORE THAN A CAMEO >> Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians talked with reverence about the Raiders’ “Big Three” of Jacobs, Darren Waller and rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
That’s a lot of respect, considering Ruggs has only eight touches in three games. But he’s caught six passes for 177 yards, and is already well known among defensive coordinators as a touchdown waiting to happen on any snap.
You wonder what would happen if the Raiders could get the ball in his hands eight times in a single game.
Ruggs should be as ready as he’ll ever be, getting a bye week after torching Kansas City for 118 yards on two receptions, so it’s time to really take the Ferrari out for a spin and see what it can do. 5. PLAY THEIR CLEANEST GAME OF THE SEASON >> Tampa Bay is coming off a game in which it committed no sacks, had no penalties and no turnovers.
Common sense says they won’t do that again. But what about the Raiders? As promising as their start has been considering the level of competition, we haven’t seen a complete game yet in terms of offense, defense, special teams and execution.
If you’re going to beat a team led by Brady, it almost always means making fewer mistakes. Few are better at taking advantage of sloppy football.