Another Las Vegas Raiders season, another campaign with double-digit losses on their record. When things continue like this, squeezing out a win late in the season does nothing for you. Well, at least some people think that.
Beating an AFC West rival is always a great feeling for Raiders fans. Who can forget that massive win at Arrowhead, headlined by Jack Jones’ legendary interception of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Denver Broncos, Sunday’s incoming opponent, have had some legendary bouts with the Raiders in December. However, most of that is ancient history now.
Something has to change with the Raiders…
Let’s be frank, the Raiders haven’t been good enough to be a playoff contender since the mid-2010s when head coach Jack Del Rio and signal caller Derek Carr resurrected the team. Conversely, the team hasn’t been “bad enough” to earn a top pick—thereby missing out on elite quarterback prospects, Jayden Daniels, anyone? Many people, including JT The Brick, the alleged voice of Raider Nation, simply don’t believe high draft picks warrant “losing” games.
“You want to win the games in your rivalry; you want to do it,” said the Raiders radio host. “We’re going to get a high draft pick… can we get that topic out of the way, too? Because I don’t do draft talk in December and January. We’re going to get a really good draft pick, right?” Well, that’s precisely what people are doing—studying film on college prospects, generating mock draft scenarios, and even looking at possible free agency solutions, too.
It’s shortsightedness like that from the team’s talking heads no less, that’s irked Raider Nation to the point that morale really is at a historically low. You have even had podcasts with massive followings questioning beat writers—the disconnect between the organization and their fanbase is at a fever pitch.
Brick did go on to point out that this year’s class doesn’t have a big name, which isn’t too far-fetched, either. “You might be right if Joe Burrow is coming out or Jayden Daniels is coming out. They’re not coming out. Mendoza, some of the others who are coming out, yeah, they’re pretty good. We’re all going to get a great pick. The pick is going to be fine.”
No one wants to lose but…
The problem is that by winning games late in the season that have no bearing on the season’s outcome hurts your chances to even be in the conversation for a Burrow or Daniels. That’s something that the Raiders have become known for. Putting “band-aids” on the quarterback position year in year out is exactly why Pete Carroll’s first season as head coach has been a disaster. It’s why Josh McDaniels flamed out as well.
We get it, a flagship station will never advocate for losing, much less “tanking.” At the same time, you have to be able to recognize things are what they are without insulting the intelligence of the masses by trying to convince them they “must” win after you have double-digit losses.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images