As the Las Vegas Raiders prepare for a quick turnaround with a game this Friday, let’s catch you up on all things Silver and Black, including Sincere McCormick’s performance and a certain AFC West QB sounding off.
At this point, most Raiders fans are ready for the NFL draft. Let’s be honest, Antonio Pierce’s first season as a head coach has gone awry. Despite all the losses, especially against a particular AFC West rival, there are some positive and intriguing developments worth noting.
Do the Raiders have something special in Sincere McCormick?
This season, the running back position has been quite unpredictable. The Zamir White experiment has flamed out; the former Georgia Bulldog simply isn’t cut out to be a lead back. On the other hand, Alexander Mattison has made the most of his opportunities—he’s racked up four touchdowns (three rushing and one via the air). Speaking of opportunities, McCormick has also made an impression of his own.
Sincere McCormick got his flowers from interim OC Scott Turner this week. He certainly made the most of his five carries (33 yards)—averaging nearly seven yards per attempt (6.6) is notable. Maybe it’s time you let the youngster handle most of the workload moving forward; you… pic.twitter.com/tbHG2vxvoh
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) November 27, 2024
While addressing the media ahead of the Raiders’ next game on Friday, interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner heaped praise on McCormick. Perhaps, moving forward, the Raiders can emphasize getting McCormick the ball more—why not see what they have in this young running back?
“You see it all the time in this league: a guy that’s kind of been on the practice squad, been around a few years, really just kind of trusted the process, worked hard, and then when he got his opportunity, he made the most of it. He’s got good vision. He was decisive with his run reads, and the line did a great job of blocking people, and he saw it and hit it and was able to gain yards.”
Well, it appears McCormick won’t be the only Raiders player who’ll get more playing time starting this week.
Can Aidan O’Connell beat the Chiefs again?
Who remembers when the Raiders pulled off one of the biggest upsets last season? Aidan O’Connell led the Raiders at that time, using just nine completions to defeat the current Super Bowl champions. With a special edition of Black Friday football coming up this week, Raiders fans are likely hoping AOC has more of that magic left in him despite an otherwise disappointing 2024 campaign.
Regardless, Turner discussed his relationship with the young Purdue prodigy, specifically explaining his confidence in his abilities.
“Football is really important to him, and he’s really smart. He has a good football IQ and feel for the game. So the guys I think immediately had a respect for him, just the way he approaches his job. So for him to go in there, they know that if he says something, then they know that he knows what he’s talking about, and the guys will listen. And he’s got a little natural leadership to him that way. I think he does a great job of throwing the football. He makes quick decisions so the ball comes out, and he has the ability to push it down the field a little bit.”
Speaking of quarterbacks, some interesting things were said out of Denver this week.
Bo Nix swept the Raiders this season…
The Denver Broncos’ dominance over Las Vegas this season has undoubtedly infuriated Raider Nation. Largely a one-sided rivalry favoring the Raiders the last couple of seasons, it appears even that has come to an end. The arrival of rookie signal-caller Bo Nix to the AFC West, who is expected to be around for the next decade, has played a significant role in this change.
As far as sweeping the Raiders goes, Nix was rather tame when talking about it—in fact, he was rather respectful (and to think, Raider Nation didn’t want him).
“It’s huge. It’s what your goal is going into the season. They’re a good football team. We played them two tough games. We got two good wins out of it. I know after last year, it was the opposite. It was good for us to find a way to win this game and find a way to go into a hostile road environment against a divisional team. They’re fighting every week. They’re a good football team. It was a good win for us. I’m happy for the guys.”
However, it wasn’t all sunshine for Nix on Sunday, apparently.
What did Tyree Wilson say to Bo Nix?
A final note about Sunday’s game was that there was apparently some jawing between Wilson and Nix. During third and seven in the third quarter, Wilson and Maxx Crosby engulfed the rookie quarterback, forcing Nix to throw away the ball. If you watch the encounter closely, Wilson must’ve said something as Nix gave an intense, eye-popping look. Wilson clapped and retreated to the sideline, leaving us to decipher his words.
What did Tyree Wilson say to Bo Nix to get this reaction? pic.twitter.com/EhPPkDKEw8
— Pro Football Post (@ProFootballPost) November 25, 2024
Well, whatever was said, Nix had the last laugh.
*Top Photo: The Raider Ramble
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