Tank you very much, Jon Gruden. No really, tanks a lot. The Oakland Raiders head coach and de facto general manager gave the NFL viewing world clear and concise evidence the 2018 season is a tank job when his team got romped 27-3 by the Seattle Seahawks in London last Sunday.
Quick Slants: Gruden’s Raiders are Silver & Bleak
I even joked about the outcome the week of the game:
What if… Ken Norton Jr. Shuts down the Gruden offense in London!?#Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/P2wbFA2exZ
— Ray Aspuria (@RaynMaker82) October 9, 2018
And turns out, Gruden’s offense was shut down by the oft-ridiculed former Raiders and current Seahawks defensive boss Ken Norton Jr.
Oakland really flew out to a game overseas (a “home” game owner Mark Davis agreed to as part of getting approval for the Las Vegas move) to get lambasted by a hodgepodge Seattle squad. The Raiders better have gotten the bereavement fare price for the return trip stateside because the team died out in London.
Now Gruden and crew head into a much-needed bye week, one in which the team could say bye-bye to select players. It’s time to heal both mentally and physically before marching out to the field and enduring through very trying times.
Let’s hit those Quick Slants as quickly as the Raiders flatlined in London:
- Rashaan Melvin is seemingly the first Raider to air his grievance publicly. His tweet says it all. Melvin spent a lot of time honing the style of defense Paul Guenther prefers, but he got benched and is considering it a slap in the face.
- Gruden should ship off players for draft picks because the results will be the same (comical disaster) with or without these players.
- Gruden said he’ll play the best players and won’t go full-on youth movement. I’d argue the younger players are the ones that are talented compared to the veterans the coach brought aboard.
- If the staff is going to let Daryl Worley get torched but remain out there, give Gareon Conley the same opportunity to learn and get reps. But as an astute observer noted: Conley got the #ReggieStank.
- Wonder how Reggie McKenzie shows up at HQ in Alameda these days knowing he’s likely a dead man walking in terms of still being GM? Is the convo like: “Mr. McKenzie, Gruden benched your draft pick and is gonna trade him” ?
- Not buying the “it’s basically Gareon’s rookie year” explanation from the coaching staff in regards to his diminishing snaps. In a season where Gruden’s double-talk has been frequent and apparent, just say Conley isn’t a fit for the scheme. Transparency and honesty, please.
- Case in point, Gruden denies Amari Cooper is on the trade block, then reports surface the next day the Raiders are seeking a first-round pick for the wide receiver. Not saying Gruden outright lied, but the leaks are aplenty.
- I’m beginning to believe Gruden released Sebastian Janikowski so he didn’t have to be part of this #Raiders debacle. Jon did Sea Bass a solid.
- Sure, McKenzie’s drafts have been horrid in hindsight. But I don’t believe the outlook is much brighter with Gruden at the helm of personnel. Both are iffy at best when it comes to drafting.
- If Kolton Miller’s knee isn’t 100 percent, the Raiders should sit him a game or two. The rookie left tackle was good to begin, but his MCL injury is eroding his effectiveness. And it’s gotta be chipping away at his confidence too.
- Is Johnny Townsend’s holding ability really the only thing keeping him from losing his gig as the punter? Known for being a boomer who outkicked his coverage at Florida, the punter’s shanks sure seem like he needs to get a boot.
- Matt McCrane’s time as the Raiders kicker has to be short, no? Come to think of it, a rookie kicker (Eddy Pineiro, initially) and a rookie punter … another sign Gruden wasn’t going all-in on 2018.
- I do look forward to next week’s Captain Andrew Luck tweets in regards to the Raiders game on October 28.