Chiefs Gameday Thread
It was hard to resist the request to break out the Clown Car last Sunday, but I'm inclined to give the Raiders a pass (although watching the Bengals take the lowly Jets to the woodshed today makes me wonder...). It was a bad loss for sure, and one that could haunt them in the long run. Gotta rebound against a tough opponent today. If they don't, our playoff hopes will be in peril. The secondary MUST step up! GO RAIDERS!
posted by Raider Take at 1:12 PM
21 Comments:
Looks like Derek Carr is going to be 0-5 in KC, and the Raiders are going to be 1-10 in the last 11 games against KC. Unbelievable! Now we have another "Hot" team coming in next week, the Titans. Do not think that that will be an easy game either. Raiders are imploding the last 2 games, and they look unprepared.
The possibility to end 10-6 is still there, but we are not a playoff team. I think we may end 8-8, at worse 6-10.
Raiders can't get out of their own way right now. They are in a very bad place. I don't think they recover from this one. Any more wins this season will probably just be consolation.
Gruden pulled Carr last week, and the network pulled Carr this week (The network switched to the Broncos LAC game, so I don't know what happened in the 4th qtr).
Last I heard, Raiders WRs had 1 catch for 8 yards. But it's not just Carr's fault. Honestly, I can't imagine Gruden/Mayock keeping many WRs on the current roster.
This team needs another purge.
Whitehead and Morrow will probably end up with another 100% snap count game. Whitehead was grossly over matched against Kelce. If the Raiders want to beat the Chiefs anytime while Mahomes is their QB, Whitehead will need to be replaced.
Another embarrassing beat down. From potential first to worst. What a shame!
Lets be honest, if Andy Dalton plays, the Raiders probably lose to the Bengals too.
What troubles me is the Chiefs stacked the box, like the Jets, and couldn't stop Jacobs (who passed 1,000 rushing yards on the season yesterday, btw). The WRs could not get separation against a pretty mediocre DB group, and that played into one of the two interceptions by Carr. The first one was to Waller, it looked like Carr expected Waller to go longer on the route, and he pulled up short as the ball sailed over his head. I don't know who forgot the play there, Waller or DC, but my money hinges on Waller. DC knows the playbook pretty well for him to make a mistake like that.
Basically, the Raiders saw the same defense for two weeks, and have been blown out both weeks. Granted, the Jets defense is better than the Chiefs, especially against the run. But both weeks, the Jets and the Chiefs were daring the Raiders to throw the ball deep, and beat them with the passing game, and both weeks, Gruden refused, and played right into the defenses' hands.
Raiders have shown what they are capable of this season, and now the consistency needs to come. We know DC is a winning QB, and we know he can lead this team. I blame the coaches on these last 2 games. Their game plan seemed unprepared on the offensive side of the ball. The defense held us in the game, until they ran out of gas because the offense couldn't get anything going. In the end, the Raiders showed they still have a ways to go to be the elite team that we all know they are capable of being. The crappy thing is, we are so close to being there, it's disappointing that we are not.
Can anyone explain to me how our top playmaker on offense, Josh Jacobs, has a total of 1 receiving target over the past two games? Don't you want to try to get him out in space once in a while? Other top RBs like Barkley, Elliott, etc. are getting targeted way more than Jacobs.
Indeed. Gruden bringing in Richard or Washington to replace Jacobs as a receiving target on 3rd downs has become one of the most predictable aspects of this predictable offense. With all the 3rd downs the Raiders face, Gruden is regularly and consistently taking his best player off the field.
Raiders have become an offense of unbreakable tendencies. IMO, that has contributed to the recent failures.
Nate, TV doesn't show the whole field, so it's difficult for us to see what Carr has available.
"Carr had bouts of tunnel vision with receivers jumping up and down, waiving their hands and pleading for the ball. He even pulled a Mike Glennon and dropped a snap...."
"To punish him, Jon Gruden left Carr in for the entire game rather than throwing Glennon into the mix like he did in Week 12."
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2019/12/1/20990890/sensations-frustrations-and-declarations-of-the-raiders-40-9-week-13-loss-chiefs
Raiders waived Trevor Davis. That was an easy call. Davis fumbled a return and missed (i.e., more like ran right past) an easy 4th and short yardage against the Chiefs.
Raiders will probably use one of their 1st round picks on a WR, right after Gruden drafts his next QB.
Nate,
I agree with most of your perspective. There is not a person on this blog who would have not been incredibly happy if told before the season the Raiders would be playing for first place on Dec 1st. They have some incredibly talented young players bit also some giant holes that still need to be filled. 8-8 or better on the season is a great accomplishment for 2019.
Richard is better catching passes at this point than Jacobs and should be in there on obvious passing downs. Also I think the coaches are being careful with Jacobs work load as he has a fractured shoulder.
https://twitter.com/VicTafur/status/1201636742320869376
Let's hope they win big the last two home games in Oakland. That being said it is travesty that they are playing these two teams for the last two home games versus a real rival.
It was the penalties and turnovers that doomed them Sunday. The defense played very well in spots.
Right now WR is the biggest problem on the team. We have no one who creates separation or takes the top off the defense. Carr did not play well the past two weeks but he also has had zero help at WR.
Carr is a good but not great QB. Surround him with the right weapons and he can take us to the playoffs.
Sandy
Sandy,
Agree with Jacobs too, being careful not to overwork him with a fractured shoulder will help the longevity of his career.
My problem right now lies with Gruden. When Honey Badger says they knew they were going to dink and dunk on passes, and knew by how they lined up to throw long so they jumped the route; tells me that it is Gruden's scheming to the plays that need to be adjusted. They were all over the WRs because Gruden refuses to make changes to how they line up.
This worked for him his first time around with Gannon at the helm, and it worked against the Raiders in the Super Bowl because Callahan refused to make changes to how they did things (if it ain't broke don't fix it mentality) despite Brown, Rice, and Gannon all calling for changes. Gruden is doing the same thing, the Jets and Chiefs have seen something on film that Gruden hasn't changed, and apparently is not willing to change. These 2 losses are on him, and no one else.
It's the same in Philly with Peterson. Everyone has figured his scheme out with Wentz. He won the Super Bowl with Foles because he was forced to change how he did things. Now that he has gotten rid of Foles, his opponents know what he is going to do. Yet, he cannot seem to change things up with Wentz. I don't understand this mentality; and I see this happening with Gruden. I've always said he is a scheme guy, and cannot coach to the players' strengths. Bilicheck, Harbaugh, O'Brien, Carroll, Reich, Tomlin, LaFleur, McDermott, and Zimmer are all guys who coach to the strength of their players, and are the only coaches who consistently win every year.
Carr can be a great QB with weapons, and creative play-calling. We saw it when Musgrave was here with creative play-calling. Carr is #9 overall at QB this season in the league, #9! He is having a terrific year in spite of the stupidity around him, yet people are calling him out and wanting to trade him. I swear, some noob here in Austin at the Raiders booster club, called for the Raiders to trade Carr to Cincy for ANDY DALTON! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Right now, Gruden's play calling is what needs to change. He needs to make adjustments to how they line up pre-snap, and how they motion, and open the creativity. Everyone has figured out the Spider-Y-2-Banana-in-the-tailpipe play. Time to move on, Chucky!
Nate,
Thanks for your response. I still believe in Carr as well. I think you are being hard on Gruden. I think he is doing the best he can with the weapons he has. The lack of WRs has stopped him from opening up the playbook. Let's nor forget how he out-coached Nagy, Patricia and Lynn. He has also creatively used his TEs all year.
Its not coincidence that you site Peterson, another team with all their WRs in the infirmary all year and no outside speed.
I think Gruden is a play calling savant and has showed it many times this year and has actually adapted to the talent he has---see use of TEs. Think about what a challenge it is to operated in a league dominated by WRs. I give him and Carr a pass until the offense is fully stocked.
Sandy
Tendencies have hurt the Raiders badly in the last three games, in which opposing defenses have absolutely stymied the Raiders offense... save some exceptional runs from Jacobs. Raiders tried a lot of movement early in the Jets game but disguising their tendencies didn't fool the Jets.
As some media have pointed out, Carr sometimes gets tunnel vision and telegraphs his passes. When you combine that with plays close to the LOS, defenses are now pinning their ears back against the Raiders offense. Raiders are doing very little to stretch the field.
This is where Sandy's point is well taken. The WRs are not running crisp routes and getting separation with any consistency... and when they do, Carr is not finding them.
I still believe in Carr and have given him props for at least a few solid games this year. However, it's yet to be seen if he's "Gruden's QB." Gruden is watching game film under a microscope. He knows what he sees and he knows what he wants. So it will be interesting to see what direction this relationship takes in the off-season.
NY,
You mention Raiders are doing little to stretch the field. Don't you think that is because they have no one to stretch the field? Maybe keeping JJ Nelson would have helped but he did not seem into it or healthy enough.
Unless the Raiders can have a guy like Tua drop to them in the draft, I think Gruden would best be served with keeping Carr and building the talent around him. While having a development QB behind him for a year or two and seeing if that turns into anything.
What do you guys think of Mullen he seems like he could be a legit starter next year.
Sandy
Sandy, I don't see anyone running down the field within the vision I have on TV. I have been saying for weeks that I believe they should send a WR long and throw the ball. That used to be the Raider way, to stretch the field. It doesn't have to be a completion but you keep the defense honest. It could end up a PI, which is as good as a completion. Defenses are pinning their ears back against this Raiders offense... and that's not all on the WRs.
I thought Conley would be good, but that failed miserably. Mullen looks legit but he'll have to figure a way to keep his hands off receivers so much. He was part of the penalty brigade last week, and it cost him what should have been an exceptional turnover.
PS, Rico Gafford had an unofficial 4.19 40-time. He may not be the answer at Z but he is obviously capable of the kind of separation we've been talking about.
NY Rico Gafford that sounds desperate he is practice squad material at best. Vic Tafur from the Athletic said it best. Regards Sandy
. . The Raiders miss Antonio Brown.
Shoot me, I said it. They were able to redo the playbook that was designed for Brown to have 100 catches, but they can’t replace the playmaker.
Carr’s two interceptions on Sunday were terrible, but there were also many plays where he bought time and there was no one open. I thought maybe I was being too hard on the receivers but when I watched the telecast later and heard analyst Tony Romo, I could have probably stressed this more in my story Sunday night.
And one of the biggest reasons is …
3. Tyrell Williams is not a No. 1 receiver.
Williams had two huge drops in the loss in Houston, and the growing lack of trust in Williams from Carr is visible in the five games since. Williams has 13 catches for 182 yards combined in those five games, with two more really bad drops in that Jets game. He was supposed to take the top off of defenses but that lid is still squarely on.
Maybe it comes out later that Williams is playing with a mangled foot and I owe him an apology. But Williams is making $10 million this season and I think he is playing for his contract next year these last four games. (Next year’s $11 million is guaranteed in March.)
Brown was supposed to be that guy, and he and Carr toured high schools, parks and college stadiums from Oakland to Fresno playing catch this offseason. Gruden was able to patch up the hole when Brown was let go with his creative use of three tight ends, but teams have caught on to that. Defenses have bracketed their coverage around Waller, and Carr missed the injured Renfrow a lot last week. (Gruden said Wednesday that the rookie might be back for the last one or two games of the season.)
It's easy to say Gafford belongs on the practice squad but what options do the Raiders have? He's among the fastest players to ever play in the NFL. Also, he made good on the only opportunity we saw him in live game action. If that's desperate, so be it. Frankly, it's hard to believe the Raiders can't make use of this kid, even if only as a decoy and the occasional stretch the field bomb. Nobody else is catching passes. Why should Gafford be the exception?
Raiders have among the best O-lines in the NFL; they are among the the best rushing offenses in the NFL; and they arguably have the best TE trio in the NFL. They also have access to WRs on their roster, on their practice squad, on the every other NFL team's practice squad and on the waiver wire.
Granted, they aren't going to land the next Megatron using those resources, but I don't believe the Raiders inability to score a meaningful TD since the first half of the Bengals game is just because of their need at WR.
IMHO, the current state of the Raiders offense is not a WR-only concern, despite a glaring need at the WR position.
Rumor is the Raiders are entertaining the thought of bringing a WR in familiar with DC, KING CRABTREE!!! I would love to have Crabtree back, but am not sure he will.
NY,
From Doss to Gafford in one week. lol the Raiders are in trouble.
Have a good weekend
Sandy
Trent Brown is out this Sunday, Brandon Parker starting at RT. smh
Sandy, Raiders are a $1.5B franchise. Solutions are out there. It's not my job to find them. Better decision-making by the people whose job it is to make decisions would be a good place to start.
The WR debacle started with signing a player the Raiders had no business signing, and not properly vetting that he wasn't stable. Frankly, Brown's stupidity was on full display during his time with the Steelers as well as being posted all over social media.
Add to that two would-be starters in Nelson and Grant who couldn't make it out of the starting gate before being cut. This is one of many reasons I advocate for more playing time for starters in the preseason. Instead, I get chided for suggesting as much.
Raiders have a tough challenge today. It's time to stop making excuses and start playing competitive football. The Raiders have been blown out in six games this year. That's a lot by any standard.
Here's to hoping today's game is a little more fun to watch than the last two...
GO RAIDERS!
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