J.T. the Brick, the Las Vegas Raiders radio host, interviewed Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler. Ziegler was very candid and gave his thoughts on where they were as a team and what the plan was moving forward.
“We need to continue to improve,” says the Raiders GM.
Every one of the Raiders’ four losses have all been by one score. Furthermore, the Raiders offense has possessed the ball with a chance to produce the go-ahead score in fourth-quarter comeback situations and has come up short in every loss. Meanwhile, ill-timed penalties have sprung up and been a factor as well. In addition, not being able to execute in critical moments in the red zone has also hindered the Raiders’ offense.
“We need to make plays in critical moments, and that’s what we haven’t done, plain and simple.”
According to Ziegler, the Raiders are not shying away from their reality. The team is 1-4, and they know a couple of games slipped away when they could have shut the door. Learning how to win games in the NFL is a difficult process. The margins of victory in “a game of inches” have shrunk from seasons past. All 32 NFL teams have gotten better than they were last season.
Identity crisis over?
“Josh Jacobs has been a tremendous football player in every sense of the word. He loves the process, loves to practice, loves to work out, takes care of his body, does an excellent job with ball security, and he’s running hard and playing physical. It’s been a joy to watch him and watch his development. See what type of football player he is Monday through Saturday, where games are often times where the games are won… and the preparation that needs to go into it.”
Jacobs has been the one to carry the offense for the last three weeks. In the offseason, Jacobs didn’t get his fifth-year option, nor did he receive a contract extension. Davante Adams, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, and Derek Carr all received major contract extensions this offseason. However, Jacobs is the one who has exploded over the last couple weeks. As evidenced by the fact that Jacobs maintained his status as the NFL’s third leading rusher through the Raiders’ bye week, Jacobs hasn’t done it alone; he’s had help from a much-maligned offensive line.
When it came to the offensive line’s development, Ziegler had high praise for his young group. “They’ve done a great job. We’ve been very excited about the development of the offensive line. There are going to be ups and downs. The group that’s been playing, they play good assignment football. That’s a big part of it. Doing the right thing, going to the right guy, understanding where the blitz is coming from, the right blitz pick up. I’ve been very excited about Dylan… and Thayer is coming along nicely.”
Ziegler hasn’t given up on his playmakers and thinks a lack of continuity is the missing piece for the offense to fully gel and reach its potential.
Developing from within
“We have a lot of explosive playmakers [and] we have a lot of opportunities to move the football. We have a lot of opportunities to spread the football around to different people to make plays… There is a high ceiling with this offense, and I think we’ve started to form a bit of an identity over these last couple weeks.”
For those expecting big moves prior to the trade deadline, it would not be wise to hold your breath. The return on investment for skill players is typically low. Usually, it takes three to four weeks to get acclimated to the change in scenery. If the Raiders are going to make a move for a player, chances are he will be a system fit who has familiarity with the coaching staff.
The plan moving forward is to draft successfully and develop undrafted or acquired players successfully. There is a weekly meeting to address the 2023 roster moving forward. The goal is to only have to go after two or three free agents when free agency starts.
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*Top Photo: Las Vegas Sun