Even for the Las Vegas Raiders, that was a pretty spectacular way to lose a football game, and that’s saying something, as Raider Nation has seen its beloved football team lose in every possible fashion.
The Raiders in one sentence
“Mock Draft Season has begun.”
With the most recent loss, the Raiders officially eliminated themselves from playoff contention. So, it’s time to fire up the ole mock draft simulators and get to work. A lot of questions remain unanswered heading into the offseason. The biggest is whether the Raiders stick with Derek Carr or go get a young quarterback? Mock draft season and RaiderNation Twitter will be a good start to finding all the answers before the team itself decides them.
Name the game
‘FitzMagic’s Magnus Opus’
Ryan Fitzpatrick has made a career of being a bridge quarterback while sprinkling in moments of sheer brilliance. Nevertheless, we attested to his greatest act Saturday night. After replacing Tua Tagovailoa in a middling Miami offense, ‘Fitz’ orchestrated 13 total offense plays that resulted in 13 points. The most notable play was the no-look bomb he threw while being face-masked. That play set up the game-winning field goal, and a dagger in the heart of Raider fans far and wide.
Stat of the game
Raiders offense- zero for two billion on third down.
Okay, maybe that’s not an official stat. But the Raiders were abysmal on third down and in the goal line. That blame is going to fall primarily on two people: Head coach Jon Gruden and Carr. Gruden is getting $ 100 million over ten seasons, and the offense can’t convert a third down or score in goal-to-go scenarios.
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CarrFax
Carr did well in Week 16, playing turnover-free football and adding a TD on the ground and in the air. However, there is still plenty of things to gripe about. As mentioned above, the Raiders just plain sucked on third downs and in the red-zone. Carr didn’t make enough big-time throws and wasn’t aggressive enough in those two situations. DC4 wasn’t the reason we lost but let’s quit acting like he doesn’t deserve some heat.
Good and bad news
This offseason will be exciting. A lot of possibilities for the 2021 Raiders, from potentially getting a new quarterback to a loaded wide receiver market.
This Gruden-led squad has made a habit of finding ways to lose. This is not ideal for a team with its coach locked up for seven more seasons.
Random thoughts about the Raiders
- This loss was so bizarre that Danial Carlson is somehow escaping blame for it.
- When he missed that extra point, was there any doubt it was going to come back and bite the team?
- Ole Man Witten- Five targets. Henry Ruggs- Two targets.
- Ruggs never should’ve been taken over Lamb. Raider fans have tried to convince themselves it was somehow the right move. But the truth is, that was idiotic.
- The Raiders’ defense tied a season-high three sacks in Week 16.
- Seriously, three sacks is the season-high for a game.
- Raekwon McMillian and Cory Littleton both played good games at linebacker.
- Can anyone on Earth explain what Damon Arnette was doing on the Fitz miracle bomb?
- I’ve lost three hours of sleep trying to figure it out.
Apology of the Week
Yeah, I’m not doing this. At the beginning of this season, I started this category because I was going to use it to troll, as I thought the Raiders were going to be a playoff team. I made the mistake of believing in this franchise that has committed itself to losing of late. This one is on me. I apologize for that. So, I guess that’s the apology of the week.
One Prediction about the Raiders for next week
The Sun rises in the East, sets in the West, and the Raiders lose again. On the bright side, they are better than the Denver Broncos. However, I can’t bring myself to bet on them after what they’ve shown recently.
It’s still Go Raiders.
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Top Photo: Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports