Welp, that’s probably it. The Las Vegas Raiders’ slim playoff chances became minuscule after losing to the Los Angeles Chargers and dropping their third game in a row.
Thursday Night Football is THE WORST
In a normal year, Thursday night games are typically lousy. This year, COVID-19 restrictions have made it even harder to prepare for these short-week contests. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles looked awful Thursday night. That was one of the worst matchups on TV this year. It felt like it dragged on forever. Sure, it was a bummer to see the Raiders lose, but, honestly, it was a relief when the game finally ended.
Raiders DC Rod Marinelli is not the answer
We don’t blame you if you lost count of how many plays I saw where Chargers receivers caught passes without a black jersey within five yards of them. That was some of the softest coverage ever. The Raiders were missing a lot on defense, but that was still unacceptable. There are only two logical explanations for last night’s performance.
A: Marinelli had no faith in the defense and just decided to play prevent and bend over for quarterback Justin Herbert.
OR
B: The Raiders defenders had no clue where they were supposed to be for most of the game.
It is hard to say which one is worse, but both reflect poorly on Marinelli.
Related: Raiders: Marcus Mariota can’t close the deal in 30-27 overtime loss to Chargers
Mariota looked like an expensive backup
In his Raiders debut, the former Heisman Trophy winner was solid. He led the Vegas offense up and down the field for most of the night, which is expected against a less than stellar Chargers defense. Now, let’s keep this in mind, he was solid, but not spectacular. This was clear by the fact that Gruden does not entirely trust his ability to make the super tough plays. It was a very simple offense. For the most part, it did work. That is what is important. The Raiders season did not seem over when Carr left the field like it did in 2016. Mariota looked well worth his hefty price tag. That does not mean that he should be any threat to take Carr’s job.
You May Also Like: Raiders get blasted on social media after 30-27 loss to Chargers
Thanks for reading, you can follow me on Twitter at @blackman_dalton.
Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images