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 Green Bay Packers, the team Oakland lost Super Bowl II to, a lifetime ago.Â
Raiders: The Silver (And Black) Lining: Week Four
Cohesive Offense
Obviously, the plays that we remember are the bad ones. Derek Carr fumbling out of the endzone for the second time in three years, Green Bay’s goal-line stand, and the interception in the endzone. But it’s worth noting that this offense did some things really, really well. Firstly, Carr was on the verge of having a great game. Obviously “what if” scenarios don’t matter, but Carr very nearly had 300 yards, three passing touchdowns, and a rushing score, despite both Tyrell Williams and Zay Jones being inactive.
Meanwhile, Josh Jacobs continues to cement his case for runaway (pun intended) Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Darren Waller might be establishing himself as one of the better tight ends in the game of football. He’s not as sexy of a name, but Foster Moreau is also establishing himself as a big part of this offense.
Game of Inches
Absolutely nobody wants to hear this, but the Raiders really could have been in this game. If Carr scores instead of fumbling, they probably go into half-time with the lead. Sadly, he fumbled, and a three-point lead turned into an elevent-point deficit, and then the Packers got the ball to start the second half. Just saying, the Raiders could’ve gotten the ball down four instead of down 18, and it would’ve been significantly more competitive. Even with a defense that is absolutely putrid, the Raiders can still compete with good teams.
A Bright Future
The Oakland Raiders play Gareon Conley and the Houston Texans this Sunday, and I’ll level, that’s probably a loss. But after that? The Raiders play the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals, who are a combined 5-20-1. Keep your head up, Raider Nation. It’s not as bad as you think it is. Especially if the team makes a move or two before the trade deadline.