Oh, sweet salvation! The Las Vegas Raiders finally got there first win of the 2022 season by downing the Denver Broncos 32-23.
In spite of the much-needed win, there are going to be some knee-jerk reactions to Sunday’s victory. Let’s take a look at three in particular.
The Raiders’ Offense Will be Elite
The offense had a tough task ahead of them, going up against the league’s second-ranked scoring defense. That didn’t seem to bother the Silver and Black one bit, as they dropped 26 points and probably should have scored more. They marched up and down the field pretty effortlessly for most of the game. The rushing attack proved especially effective. Keep in mind that this was done without Hunter Renfrow, Foster Moreau, and an ever-changing group of offensive linemen. None of that stopped the offense from dominating.
This group is finally starting to click. Derek Carr is getting more comfortable in this offense each week. It seems he has now discovered that opposing defenses are daring him to run, and he is taking advantage. The offensive line is finding a groove despite the inconsistent groupings. With that, Josh McDaniels is beginning to trust them more with running the football, especially in crucial situations. There were certainly growing pains, but this unit is vastly better than what it was in Week 1. If this trend continues, it won’t be long before the Las Vegas offense is considered one of the best in the league.
Extend Josh Jacobs Now!
Heading into the season, it was reasonable to take a wait-and-see approach with Jacobs and decline his fifth-year option. His production had been inconsistent, and it was unclear how he would fit into the new offense. Well, it is becoming quite clear that Jacobs fits the system just fine. He has looked dominant out there despite average-at best blocking. Yes, McDaniels’ offense doesn’t typically use a bell cow like Jacobs. Yes, they did draft Zamir White, who has looked pretty good so far. None of that matters. When you have a guy this talented, you keep him around. Not doing so sends a bad message to the locker room.
Melvin Gordon Is Washed…
Speaking of running backs… we got to see the continued fall of Melvin Gordon. Raider Nation has seen a lot of the former Charger, now Broncos, running back over the years. Most of that time, he was seen gashing the Raiders on the ground. What we saw on Sunday was a sad, empty shell of what used to be a great back. His fumble led to a crucial Amik Robertson scoop-and-score. Between that, dropping his lone target, and his paltry three carries for eight yards, Gordon did his team far more harm than good.
You hate to see it. As this Raiders blog post was being written, it was announced that the Broncos’ star running back, Javonte Williams, will be out for the season with a torn ACL. This likely means that Denver will have to rely on Gordon even more. Yikes.
*Top Photo: NBC 3 New/Las Vegas
