The Las Vegas Raiders came away with another victory on Sunday over divisional rivals, the Denver Broncos. The Silver and Black are itching a bit closer to clinching a playoff birth. Nevertheless, there are a few red flags that are huge concerns and must be addressed next week.
Concern No. 1: The Offensive Line
In Sunday’s game, Derek Carr was sacked a total of two times, one of them resulting in a fumble. If the team wants to continue to win, they must protect Carr at all costs. Those two turnovers nearly cost them the game. Going up against the pass-rushing duo of Shelby Harris and Bradley Chubb shouldn’t have been a tough assignment for the line considering they’ve been playing pretty well lately. If these mistakes continue on into the Indianapolis Colts game, Darius Leonard is going to have a feast of his own, and Kolton Miller and company must be able to hold their own.
Along with keeping Carr upright, maybe the offensive line can continue the momentum they began with the run game.
Concern No. 2: Can Josh Jacobs Be Trusted?
Another issue that should concern fans is running back Josh Jacobs and his fumbles. Yes, he did erupt in the second half with a touchdown and finished the game with one hundred and twenty-nine rushing yards. However, ball security has continued to plague Jacobs. While putting up the performance he did on the ground made up for those early mistakes, Jacobs needs to do everything in his power to correct them.
Concern No. 3: Derek Carr
The last concern sits with quarterback Derek Carr. It’s not his performance but his health status. During the third quarter, Carr went into the medical tent to observe his chest injury, and everything seemed fine, but then again, late in the fourth quarter, when he attempted to convert on fourth down, it appeared that his knee was hurt.
Nobody is questioning his toughness, as this is the same person who broke a finger during a Carolina Panther game and continued to play and deliver a victory. As it turns out, during the presser, Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia reported that “Derek has sore ribs and is good to go.”
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*Top Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images
