For years, the Las Vegas Raiders have held the reputation as one of the most penalized teams in the NFL. A truly undisciplined bunch.
Entering head coach Jon Gruden’s third year of his second stint, the Raiders are turning the course. The Silver and Black are playing some of their cleanest football in years even if it’s only two weeks into the season. In addition, despite offseason concerns of sloppy playing in the regular season, Gruden’s team has gone the other way.
It also helps that the team’s opponents are the ones shooting themselves in the foot. Take Monday night as an example, the New Orleans Saints committed 10 penalties, totaling 129 yards to the Raiders. When your opponent is making mistakes like the Saints were, you take advantage and this Las Vegas team did just that.
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Referees have only penalized Raiders six times
#Raiders have been penalized 6 times this season. Only the Patriots have fewer with 5. Raiders opponents have 15 penalties (tied for 2nd) for 194 yards (2nd most).
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) September 22, 2020
The Raiders have only been penalized six times in 2020 according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press as he pointed out via his Twitter.
Their upcoming opponents, the New England Patriots, are the only team with fewer penalties with five. And to the point of Raiders opponents shooting themselves in the foot, they received 15 times while giving up 194 yards.
The #Raiders have committed the 2nd-fewest penalties through 2 weeks (6).
Let that sink in and welcome to the Year 2020.
— Maurice Moton (@MoeMoton) September 22, 2020
Achieving the level of discipline it takes to play such clean football takes time. For Gruden, it couldn’t have come at a better time. As Maurice Moton of Silver and Black Today Tweeted out, it really is a new day here in 2020 as the Raiders are one of the most disciplined NFL teams.
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*Top Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports