While the team is riding high after an exhilarating Week 1 victory, not all is well in Las Vegas. As always, injuries have reared their ugly head in the NFL. The Raiders, are no exception.Â
Veteran Leaders Go Down
Gerald McCoy signing to the Raiders was a feel-good signing across the league. After missing all of 2020 with a ruptured quad, he was back in the NFL for 2021. However, the six-time Pro Bowler was carted off Monday night. Currently, it is being described as a knee injury. The front office did little to dispel the notion that McCoy would miss time as they signed defensive tackle Damion Square off of the Bears practice squad. While McCoy likely would not have had much of an impact on the Raiders, it’s sad to see the potential Hall of Famer’s career end this way.
The other injury is much more impactful for the Silver and Black. That would be none other than Yannick Ngakoue. Not much news has currently been released on his status but he was seen on the Raiders sideline toward the end of the game. If Ngakoue were to miss any amount of time, it has the potential to kill any progress the Raiders defense has made.
Offensive Woes
The biggest reason the Raiders felt comfortable trading Gabe Jackson was Denzelle Good. One of the Raiders’ most improved players in 2020, he was supposed to be a starter in 2021. Alas, he suffered a torn ACL in the first quarter of the first game. A brutal turn of events for the veteran, Good will be missed greatly along the offensive line.
The other is backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. Typically a backup quarterback going down is not huge news. For the Raiders, however, they planned to use Mariota in specialty package all offseason before he was injured on a 31-yard scamper in the first quarter. Mariota is a valued member of the Las Vegas offense so his absence will cause some adjustments moving forward.
Despite Being Hobbled, Raiders Run Game Makes Presence Known
*Top Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images