Raider Nation had to sweat it out a bit, but the Raiders came through in the end and pulled off the win on national television. It was an up-and-down game. There was a lot to feel really good about, but plenty of concerns still exist. Let’s sort it all out with this week’s knee-jerk reactions. We’ll start with the negative, but I promise it’s mostly positive this week.
17 Again: A Raiders Sequel
No, not the 2009 film starring Zac Efron and Matthew Perry — I’m talking about the Raiders offense. This unit put up just 17 points for the third time in five games in 2023. In the other two games, they put up 18 (basically the same scoring, but with a two-point conversion) and 10. This offense is brutal; it is a big reason why Las Vegas has a losing record this year.
What makes matters worse is, not only does the offense fail to put up points, but it is painfully boring as well. Even their gadget plays are unimaginative and predictable. You could count on one hand how many “shot plays” we have seen so far. In this game, the Raiders had a great opportunity for one after a nine-yard run by Josh Jacobs on first down set up second-and-one.
What did Josh McDaniels dial up? A quarterback sneak. Bland offenses can still be effective; bad game plans can still be fun to watch. Unfortunately, the Las Vegas offense is both bland and bad.
There is no excuse for it either. The Raiders have arguably both the best wide receiver and running back in the NFL in Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs (more on him later). Yet, McDaniels refuses to push the ball down the field to Adams. That, in turn, makes it easy for defenses to load the box to stop Jacobs. Until something changes, get used to seeing 17 points on the Raiders’ side of the scoreboard. Now, let’s get back to Jacobs.
Josh Jacobs Is The Best Running Back In The NFL
No, this is not hyperbole. Yes, I am aware that Christian McCaffrey exists. The slow start notwithstanding, Jacobs is the best back in football. Bar none.
This game was a great example of what Jacobs can do regardless of the situation. The way he has managed to get positive yards despite often having to make a guy miss before even getting back to the line of scrimmage has been more impressive than anything he did last year. Whenever he did get to the line clean, he showed that he is still the same guy that won the 2022 rushing title with several good runs. However, because those runs have been hard to come by, Jacobs has still managed to salvage his production by essentially becoming a slot receiver.
Jacobs has faced loaded boxes all season. He is dealing with a putrid, unimaginative offensive scheme. That offense is led by a quarterback with a wet noodle for an arm. Despite all of that, he is finding ways to produce. That is more impressive than what a guy like McCaffrey is doing in the perfect situation. If you put Jacobs on a team like the Eagles, he would be an MVP candidate. Speaking of which, the Raiders have one of their own, but he is on the defensive side of the ball.
Maxx Crosby Is The Most Valuable Player In The NFL
You can respectfully buzz off with any nonsense about sacks, wins and losses, or that the MVP is a quarterback award. The only test that matters is the eye test. You simply cannot watch Maxx Crosby running around like a maniac on every play and not see what he brings to the table. He is different.
He is a problem on every play. It doesn’t matter where the ball is going — Crosby is on the hunt. Offenses continue to find new ways to neutralize him, but he keeps finding ways to be disruptive. He is just too strong, fast, and athletic to contain. Even if you do find a way to limit his individual impact, it likely makes it much harder to stop the other 10 guys on the Raiders’ defense.
The thing that truly separates Crosby from every other player in this league is his motor. His relentless pursuit of the ball is a nightmare for opposing offenses. You can’t attack him, and you can’t avoid him. ‘Mad Maxx’ wrecking your game plan is as inevitable as Thanos.
That is the main reason why the Raiders have two wins this year despite having a bottom-five scoring offense and a defense that is below average outside of their star EDGE defender. Crosby is carrying this team more than any other player on any other team in the league.
*Top Photo: Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports
