Well, that was something, am I right? It’s hard to tell how to feel after a game like that, obviously. Look, there is a lot of frustration as the Las Vegas Raiders appear destined for another losing season. Nonetheless, Week 4’s contest actually had some excitement.
It might be hard to believe, but the Raiders actually made some nice plays. The game felt heated despite not being as close as last week’s matchup with Pittsburgh or the opener against Denver. While the result still sucked for onlookers, watching the Raiders today did not feel as much like a chore as it has for a while now, even going back to late last season. There are definitely a lot of mixed feelings after Sunday’s loss; let’s try to process them with this week’s knee-jerk reactions.
Let Aidan O’Connell Play the Rest of The Year
O’Connell’s debut was, at best, a mixed bag. The stat line was not great with three turnovers, but some of that was out of his control (more on that later). He showed a lot of promise and a lot of growing pains. The rookie made several questionable decisions, but his ability and willingness to push the ball down the field are things that the Raiders have sorely missed.
Is ‘AOC4’ ever going to be able to carry the Raiders like Patrick Mahomes or even Justin Herbert? Probably not. His ceiling is likely just above where Jimmy Garoppolo was when he was in his prime (which was several years ago). While it is reasonable to want more than that out of the most important position in sports, that is where we are. Let O’Connell ride this year out as the guy so that he reaches his peak as soon as possible. We already know that the Raiders aren’t doing anything special with Garoppolo anyway.
In the worst-case scenario, the Raiders figure out right away that they need to get a new quarterback as soon as possible. In the best-case scenario, O’Connell rapidly improves, and Las Vegas turns things around this year. Realistically speaking, the Raiders seem to have a guy that can at least keep them competitive while they make other improvements and search for a star at the quarterback position. He is also much cheaper than ‘Jimmy G’. Don’t let those fumbles cause you to write the rookie off just yet, as the blame for those lies with the Raiders as an organization.
Jimmy Garoppolo taking back the starting job at Raiders practice this week pic.twitter.com/cdWZ7gnIkQ
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) October 1, 2023
The Raiders Officially Lost the Khalil Mack Trade
Welcome, Raider Nation, to your worst nightmare. Obviously, nobody was ever happy about losing Mack back in 2018. It didn’t help that the Raiders have nothing to show for the trade outside of Josh Jacobs (who might not even be around a year from now). However, there was some consolation in the fact that Chicago did not have much success with him either and ended up losing him as well. Even when he signed with the Chargers last year, it felt like Los Angeles had overpaid for someone who was never going to be who he was with the Silver and Black.
Consider this game: Las Vegas’ chickens are finally coming home to roost. Mack single-handedly wrecked O’Connell’s first start. He ate the Raiders’ lunch all day, and it did not matter who was blocking him. The former Raiders and Bears defensive end had six sacks and two forced fumbles against Las Vegas while wearing a powder blue jersey with lightning bolts on it. This is why you do not get rid of a guy like Khalil Mack.
The butterfly effect is a cold-hearted bitch. Speaking of defense…
The Raiders Defense is Significantly Better This Year
The results are still not there. The big plays are still few and far between. Regardless, you can see progress being made with this unit. The Raiders defense kept this game close by limiting one of the best offenses in the league to just 24 points. That is even more impressive when you consider the fact that Las Vegas’ offense turned the ball over twice deep within their own territory.
Patrick Graham’s scheme still leaves a lot to be desired, but the talent is evident at all three levels. Maxx Crosby, finally, is no longer the only guy getting a push up front. At linebacker, this is probably the deepest Las Vegas has been in a decade. Luke Masterson, the team’s third-best linebacker, is essentially a supped-up Ben Heeney, whom Raider Nation once convinced itself was a star middle linebacker. In the secondary, the Raiders looked competent today—at least once, when Jakorian Bennett was let out of the doghouse. That was despite being without Nate Hobbs.
This unit is still very much a work in progress. However, the pieces are certainly there. Rookies like Bennett and Tyree Wilson look a little better each week. Another promising young player, Trevon Moehrig, finally secured his second career interception, despite constantly being in the right position. Be patient with this unit; it could become a real strength in the very near future.
*Top Photo: Harry How/Getty Images
