An incredible ending to an important game for the Las Vegas Raiders—to put it bluntly, they needed this win. A lateral that made no sense on a wild game-ending play gave the Raiders the most improbable victory in recent memory. Also, it’s worth noting that the Raiders also got a break from the officiating crew just before that as well. In case you missed it, we’re referring to Keelan Cole’s touchdown reception to tie the game. With all that being said, per the course, the Raiders had a lot of penalties called against them. A win is a win, but this level of undisciplined football will derail any long-term success. If the Raiders are truly looking to make a run, “cleaning it up” needs to be a priority.
Penalties were plentiful for the Raiders on Sunday
The “Sin City” boys ended the game with 13 penalties for 90 yards, and if it weren’t for the crazy outcome, the tally would be discussed more. Three of the penalties from the Raiders ended up going for first downs, and others were untimely as there were multiple false starts and delays of games that seem unreasonable for the home team. The fact that the away team’s fans had as much influence as they did in the game is not a crazy thought, but it was unusual for the Raiders until recently. That is the caveat of having an NFL team in a tourist destination, but that’s another conversation.
If the Raiders want to keep their chances going, the delay of game penalties must stop. It’s been a theme for years with the play clock running low and almost hitting zeros, and to be at home and have three go against you is troubling. If we’re speaking bluntly, the fact that the Raiders are still dealing with so many “delay of game” flags at this juncture in the season is, well, a red flag. No pun intended there at all.
Same old, same old, it seems…
When it came to flags, the defense had a solid outing. They finished with four penalties against them and seven against the offense. Special teams ended with two. There were six first-half penalties and seven in the second, but as we saw the split, the offense was really off its game. That was especially true with so many inexcusable pre-snap penalties. Though in all fairness, having Hroniss Grasu play guard is far from optimal. Injuries really caught up to this Raiders’ team on Sunday, especially the O-line.
All the penalties would’ve contributed to the loss, but they wouldn’t have been the reason for it. Regardless of the pre-snap issues, they must be fixed and looked at. There are three games left, and the Raiders are still alive, so fixing the penalties could go a long way.
*Top Photo: SB Nation/Pats Pulpit