Losing is never fun. Nobody ever wakes up in the morning, excited to lose. Unfortunately, the Oakland Raiders lost again on Sunday, this time, in brutal fashion against the Minnesota Vikings, the team they beat to win their first Super Bowl, a lifetime ago.
The Vikings seem to have held onto a bit of that resentment because they punished the Raiders terribly on Sunday. However, without fail, I’m here to try and find the silver (and black) lining in the loss.
The Silver (And Black) Lining: Raiders Week 3
Sad But True
Raiders fans don’t want to hear this, but this team was never going to be a playoff contender. Even before the drama of the off-season, this team lacked pass rushers, cornerbacks, and had to go on the world’s worst road trip against the NFL’s hardest schedule. The Raiders were expected to lose this game and they did. I know that doesn’t sound like something to be optimistic about, but all it really means is that everything’s going according to plan. The Raiders are adding pieces like Clelin Ferrell, Maurice Hurst, and our next subject matter, Josh Jacobs.
Josh Jacobs
Another week, another strong showing from Josh Jacobs. My favorite thing about Oakland’s rookie tailback is that he runs with violent intent. He doesn’t skip out of bounds, he doesn’t try to get flashy with his hips, he embraces contact and keeps his legs moving. It might not have showed up on the stat sheet for Sunday, but that’s mostly because the Raiders fell behind early and inexplicably split carries with DeAndre Washington. Raider Nation wants to be excited about wins, but maybe they should settle for knowing they have a really promising talent at tailback.
Walling Out
Also, it seems obvious, but Darren Waller is a bad, bad man. He was the only player on Oakland’s offense that produced on Sunday afternoon, and with the exception of one ugly drop, he was fantastic for the Raiders. He should be the team’s starting tight end for as long as they can afford him, regardless of who is under center.
Uh… It’s Almost 1/4th of the Way Over
Losses like these are really, really hard. But hey, at least we’re almost to week four, so we’re almost 25% of the way done what so far, looks like a lost season. Next year brings Las Vegas, no income tax, and, I never thought I’d say this, maybe a different quarterback.