Well, there hasn’t been much to like about the Las Vegas Raiders’ season so far. There have been flashes, but they only come in halves. Head coach Josh McDaniels talked about his team learning how to win. “We are going to have to learn how to play for a full 60 minutes and earn the right to win,” McDaniels said to the press in his post-game conference.
McDaniels is right on that, as the Raiders have yet to play a full 60 minutes, resulting in zero wins. In the Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Raiders came out flat in the first half and came alive in the second. But their hole was too deep for them to overcome, and they ultimately lost the game on the last possession of the game.
Things were the same during their Week 2 collapse against the Arizona Cardinals, except they switched the halves where they played well. After a 20-0 first-half lead, everything looked good for the Raiders, but they ended up losing the game in overtime after an embarrassing meltdown from the whole team.
The same pattern plagued the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3
You see the pattern here? Their Week 3 loss against the Tennessee Titans was a tale of two halves, once again. The Raiders came out flat and went down 24-10 heading into the break. The defense woke up and pitched a shutout during the second half, but it wasn’t good enough to overcome their first half woes.
McDaniels told reporters that you get tired of losing. “You know, these guys, they compete hard, they play hard, and the coaches coach hard, but you have to earn it, you know, and there are good players and good coaches on the other side. We’ve got to learn how to start well, play well in the middle, and finish well, and right now, we’ve not figured out that formula yet,” McDaniels said.
Well, coach, if you are really tired of losing, it is time for some change. The lack of being able to play a full game comes down to the preparation of the team. He has to look in the mirror because he has talent on this team, but he has to get them ready. Something just isn’t right with these Raiders.
McDaniels will need to get this group ready rather quickly as they host the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Against a division rival, McDaniels and the Raiders are going to need to play the whole 60 minutes to give themselves a chance. If not, an 0-4 start will lead to more rumblings about the future of many people within the Las Vegas Raiders, the head coach included.
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*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images