Dolphins Gameday Thread
I'm a little late to the take here, but the Raiders are down 14 to 5 at the moment and this has the hallmarks of a classic Raiders letdown game. Need to rev it up and get to 3-0 while the Chiefs are down at 1-2!
posted by Raider Take at 2:02 PM
42 Comments:
Just so I'm clear, are we calling this game another brilliant coaching display?
The Raiders win and the only comment you post is a dis against Chucky. Thank you for proving my point once again. Seriously bro get some therapy for your sourness.
Raiders 3-0. Receiving core was lights out.
Regards,
Sandy
They pulled it out, just win.
Another rough start and another big comeback win.
Raiders set a record, starting out 3-0 vs 3 teams that had at least 10 wins the previous season. Miami lost big the week prior, but they still have a good D (Top 5) and Carr threw for 386 yds and Barber runs for over a 100.
This was a game that past Raider teams would have lost. Can it be considered progress?
Some of Gruden's decisions left me scratching my head, but he more than made up for it the rest of the way. And, they won and that is all that matters.
Those young WR's are really taking shape, turning out to be very good picks. 1st time Raiders have started off the season 3-0, since 2002.
No team is perfect and there will always be something to criticize, but Raider fans have to be feeling a different feeling this year, chemistry, character, they play hard and they want to win as much as any other team. Seeing some good young players maturing, a lot of positive in Raider Nation, these days.
Going on 4th and 1 from their own 30 in the 1st Qtr seemed arrogant and stupid, considering Jacobs was out and Raiders have a tattered and inexperienced O-line whose weakness is run blocking. That was more than a headscratcher. That turnover on downs was a coaching mistake and cost the Raiders 7 points.
And what's with trying run out the clock with over 6 minutes remaining? That's a little early to put on the brakes. Raiders ran the ball 3x and went 3-and-out. A first down there could have changed the game and prevented OT.
I was also disappointed to see Bradley go into soft zone with a lead at the end. That resulted in a very predictable outcome. Fins marched down the field with one pass after another under the coverage. Bradley rarely blitzed, even when it was obvious the Dolphins were throwing deep. Then he was guess-wrong and blitzed when the Dolphins were playing screen pass.
The reason these things are worth pointing out is because the Raiders are better than that. Yet they needed almost 500 yards of offense and 5 quarters to put away a reeling Dolphins team playing with their backup QB.
IMO, the coaches need to take a hard look at the game film and hopefully correct the mistakes that were made.
Good news is, the WRs were clutch. Ruggs and Edwards both pulled in critical passes, Barber had some key runs and Carr was, once again, the difference maker with yet another game-winning drive.
3-0 is a great start.
One coaching decision worth mentioned was why Zay Jones was playing defense on the Dolphins 4th and 20? He was actually the closest defender to TE Gesicki.
Sandy
Raiders should have beaten the fish last year except that Arden Key sunk the world.
Had the same grim feeling when fish converted the 4th and 20. But this time Raiders pulled it out.
Was it a thing of beauty, no, but it's still is a win.
Actually, i think this year the Raiders offense might be able to out score enough teams to make the playoffs.
The defense still looks like a great big piece of swiss cheese to me.
Sandy, I wasn't aware of that. Does that mean Zay Jones played DB while former pro bowler Ha Ha Clinton Dix stood on the sideline?
Where I watch the game, we have no sound for the Raiders games and it's usually busy with chatter about all the games. Therefore, I sometimes miss things like this.
I think Arnette was defending the receiver on the 4th and 20 play and we all saw the result.
NY
My bad it was number 5 not number 7. So it was Deablo who was the closest in coverage to Gesicki.
Here is a link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n48KpTOh4t8
Sandy
That makes sense. I saw #5 on the field but I didn't know who it was.
Crazy thing, I can only remember Carlson missing two extra points, and both were at home against the Dolphins... in back-to-back seasons.
Glad to have that game behind us.
Since everything pretty much revolves around probability in Vegas, here's an interesting stat (take) on the Raiders 4th and 1 call.
After Carr's pick-6, Raiders win probability dropped to 40%. Here's the next significant even described in terms of Win Probability.
The Situation: The Raiders face a 4th and 1 on their own 34, with 4:55 left in the first quarter.
Pre-Play Raiders Win Probability: 40%
The Play: Last season’s short-yardage issues rear their head, as Peyton Barber is stuffed for no gain.
The decision to go for it was 'shrewd,' but Raiders’ inability to effectively run block doomed a predictable playcall. The turnover on downs in their own territory lowered the Raiders WP by 11 points, making them heavy underdogs at this point.
Post-Play Raiders Win Probability: 29%
I don't know if, or how subjective the probabilities are, but I guess if we were to place numbers on how stupid the call go on 4th down was, that pretty well sums it up.
Yes those things happened and the odds were low, just win and they did.
IMO, Gruden was sending the team a message. Maybe it woke the team up and sent them to victory? What if that play doesn't happen and the team continued to play in a slumber? Do they win?
Bottom line is, 3-0 and setting a record for beating 3 teams in a row to start the season, that had 10 wins or over the year prior. Is that progress? Or is the team going to collapse again? This start to the season couldn't have been scripted better, keep it going Raiders.
That was one ugly win, but a win nonetheless! 3-0 for the first time since we went to the Super Bowl. I'm super stoked about it right now, but hope we finish strong. Now we have to prepare for our first Divisional game against the Chargers, on Monday night, at our 2nd home; who are coming off an amazing win against the Chiefs in KC. I believe this is the first time that Mahomes has lost back-to-back games.
Doncos plays against Baltimore this week, which I think they will lose, and the Steelers in week 5 before playing us. We will see what kind of team they really have next week.
Enough, back to the Raiders. The play-calling wasn't the only horrible thing. Andre James' play at Center was horrendous. There was a play on the goal-line where he was bowled over from the snap and pancaked. His snaps were all over the place, and it seriously looked like he has never played Center in his life. He was the reason why the Raiders did not convert on 4th and 1 on their own 30 in the first quarter. Go back and watch the replay, his run-blocking ability (or lack thereof) is horrendous. Remember, we let Hudson go because his run-blocking was less than stellar. Andre James is 3 times worse. Here is the youtube link to highlights, around the 45 second mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyGDrrkL8Nc
In spite of Andre James, Peyton Barber did run for 142 yards and is a candidate for the FedEx Ground player of the week. Go vote!
One other note on the games yesterday. Justin Tucker with a 66 Yard Field Goal for the Ravens to beat the Lions is just an incredible video to watch. I always thought Janikowski could have done that and be the first to kick a 70 yarder. Congrats to Tucker.
Monday Night next week against the Bolts, JUST WIN, BABY!
Setting probabilities aside for a second, I can't remember any team ever going on 4th down inside their own 35 (FG range for the opposing team) in the middle of the 1st quarter. There's a simple reason for that; it's incredibly stupid. I merely posted the odds to show a mathematical solution for just how stupid.
I don't think the Raiders needed a message. They were playing okay, moving the ball well in the previous drive. Carr had an unfortunate pick-6 which he generously took the blame even though it may have been more Moreau's fault. The score was only 7-0.
IMO, Raiders need to be smarter. Gruden takes unnecessary chances. That's my point, the Raiders don't need to take chances to win. They are talented enough to play the percentages and stay in their lanes.
Even after that crazy play, Raiders blew an 11 point lead in the 4th quarter. They were lucky to win this game. A non-call on PI against Abrams in the end zone ended up being the difference. Most of the folks I was with watching the game believed it was interference. For all the ref-bias that Raiders fans complained about over the years, hard to believe they didn't call it.
Here's the line on Andre James... Nick Martin, anyone?
[James had a run blocking grade of] 47.7 grade, which currently ranks 30th among 33 centers for the week. The Raiders had nine carries for just 22 yards and no first downs when rushing behind the center.
James wasn’t much better in pass protection. While he only allowed one pressure, he earned a 19.8 pass-blocking grade, which the errant snap has a lot to do with, but a grade that low also means he was losing frequently and quickly, even if it didn’t necessarily lead to pressure on the quarterback.
James has not lived up to his pre-season hype. Martin is average, at best, but probably a significant upgrade.
Here's Leatherwood. Tom Cable has his work cut out for him.
Leatherwood has surrendered 13 total pressures on the year, which is tied for the fourth-most at the position, his pass-blocking efficiency rating of 93.5 is the sixth-worst and a 25.4 grade in pass protection ranks 76th out of 77 qualifying tackles. In other words, it hasn’t been a great start for the first-rounder.
NY
Complaining non stop and the victory is not even 24 hours old. Preseason you whined about how the D-Line was just a reshuffling of talent, lateral moves I think you called it. You were very wrong. You had many exchanges with me about how the WR room is too thin no veteran, who is going to replace Agholor and Ruggs sucks. You were terribly wrong.
Can you even explain those pass blocking stats, I sure as hell don't know what they mean. Good work on the cut and paste. Here is what I do know. The O line blcoked well for the run or did you not notice Barber going 100 plus. Sure it would be better with Good and Incognito, I myself noted how important Richie is.
Give it some time it needs to gel, 3 out of 5 o lineman have made but a handful of starts in the league. They just played 3 of the top 5 or so defenses in the NFL
Dude the team is 3-0 have a cocktail enjoy, 8 posts in 24 hours 7 negative or critical you are on fire. lol
Sandy
Don't shoot the messenger. Those numbers are from PFF. I agree they don't tell the whole story but I think it's interesting and revealing that the Raiders line is grading at the bottom of the NFL. If I remember correctly, you were insistent that James would be fine as a replacement for Hudson. Perhaps he will someday, but he's a mess right now. His ineffective blocking and his botched snaps tell us that much.
You've made many blind assumptions about players and coaching, now offer your selective "I told you so." That's convenient.
So let me get this straight, when no player measurements were available, you insisted all was well, but when measurements become available, you refuse to acknowledge or discuss them.
I don't follow PFF much, their scoring scale is not up to par. Look, James didn't play well. He had bad snaps, he was beat in run-blocking, he even blocked air a few times. He had a bad game that cost the Raiders on a few plays, but the Raiders still won. These are the kind of plays that have cost us in the past. Not saying he is always this way, he was above average the first two games, he had a bad game.
Moreau did not have a good game either, completely stopped running on the route that cost DC a pick 6. He has had a few catches, but is consistently getting beat.
I will tell you who I am impressed with so far, OG's Jermaine Eluemunor and John Simpson. They are balling out! Leatherwood has struggled, but he is a rookie, and he is balling. Remember Kolton Miller struggled, but was balling his rookie season too, and then he hit the groove. I believe Leatherwood will do the same here. He is about to hit a groove.
I believe Drake will be gone when Jalen Richard comes back, and they will keep Barber. Drake has been unimpressive and appears to have lost a step.
Darius Philon, Solomon Thomas, Quinton Jefferson, and Jonathan Hankins have been balling on the D-Line too. I will say, I was not a huge fan of Hankins, and thought it was a waste of space to re-sign him in the offseason, but he has impressed me the first 3 games. He has been working on the pass rush part of his game and it shows. It is great to have DT's that will work to get pressure and take advantage of Crosby and Yannick getting doubled.
3 and 0 for the first time since 2002 when we went to the Super Bowl! I'm so excited about this, but we have a long way to go. JUST WIN, BABY!
Well said Nate 75 there is plenty to be happy about. NY likes to focus on the negative but that is nothing new.
Yeah the o-line is a work in progress is anyone shocked by that? Of course not we knew that would be the case when we jettisoned our overpaid and old vets. Let's not forget they are down two starters and with the exception of Miller not much starting experience to begin with. I trust in Cable. Trent Brown has already missed two games.
Your sensless rambling on how bad the WR group was looks foolish now. I was saying the opposite. Waller, Ruggs, Renfrow and Edwards each have over 200 receiving yards — making them the first team in NFL history to have four players reach 200 yards receiving in the first three games. I guess Gruden does know a ittle something about finding good offensive players and scheming for them. BTW Agholor has 110 yards this year, you still upset we did not hold on to him? How about your boy John Brown you whined about him getting cut, last I checked he has not been signed.
If I my assumptions are blind (lol) yours are deaf, dumb and blind. I should just call you Tommy---can you play pinball? I hope you can continue to be wrong, as that would mean the Raiders are winning, try to enjoy it.
Sandy
Let's not forget that Hudson demanded to be traded and left that hole at center.
James is fairly new to his position as well. Cable told us it takes time for the line to come together and should improve as the season carries on.
Agree that Miller struggled as well in his 1st year and look at him now, a complete stud. Leatherwood is playing RT after being a LT in Bama, he also has started the season against 3 of the top D's in the league. It will take a little time, but he can be a good player.
And let's not forget that the Raiders are in 1st place after beating 3 top teams.
Thanks Anon, good post. I was about to say thanks for being positive but really it is thanks for simply stating the facts.
Check out this move by Renfrow, he is brilliant what a steal for the Raiders getting him in the 5th round
https://twitter.com/i/status/1442248276481232899
Sandy
Raiders have a tough one Monday Night vs the Chargers. When was the last time the Chargers were relevant? Dan Fouts? Justin Herbert is going to be a very good QB for a very long time. The Chargers big question mark is their defense, can they stay healthy? Bosa is already dealing with an injury, and is about to play in back to back division games. They were able to cause Patty Mahomes to make mistakes, but all they had to do was double Kelce and Hill. Who are you going to double against the Raiders?
Raiders defense will have their biggest challenge this game. Lamar Jackson has been their biggest challenge this season, Herbert can run the ball, but he has a passing attack. Ekeler is going to be the difference maker here for the Chargers. Raiders have to keep him in check. We have good matchups for Williams, Allen, and Jared Cook with Heyward, Mullen, and Moehrig/Abram. If we can take away Herbert's initial read and get the QB push from Maxx and Yannick that we have been getting, game over. The Dolphins were able to capitalize on that pass-rush with their rushing game. Our D-Line cannot over-pursue trying to pass rush every down, and our LB's have to step up and fill the gap. This is going to be a great game, and another BIG challenge for the Raiders. Hopefully, the Cardiac Kid's are not done.
Doncos will lose this weekend vs. the Ravens. KC will bounce back against the Eagles. This is a must win for the Raiders. Just Win, BABY!
Waller, Renfrow, Ruggs, Edwards, Jacobs, Abram etc looking the part too, all of them are showing to be very good acquisitions by the Raiders.
Raiders are drafting players with raw talent/skills and are molding them into the players they want.
It has taken a while, but the Raiders finally have a team full of talent and the coaching is close to tops. Gruden cleaned house, brought in most of the talent he wanted and now it looks as though it could be a playoff year.
Raider fans should be feeling pretty darn good right now.
Nate, Anon, Grumpy NY,
Check this out Baldy is hillarious and is a huge fan of THE CONDOR
https://twitter.com/i/status/1442598854944190475
watch the video you have to click on the View setting
he preys on QBs
Sandy
I saw that too Sandy. I love Baldy's Breakdowns.
I know they don't mean much, and are hugely based on opinion. After seeing a few horrible "Power Rankings" floating around, here are my top 10 NFL teams 3 games into the season. Again, my opinion:
1) Rams. They have dominated on both sides of the ball and blew out Brady and the Bucs. They deserve this rank, and Stafford is finally on a team that is going to give him support.
2) Cardinals. I can't wait for the Rams and Cardinals to play their division games, it is going to be a slobber-knocker, but I think the Rams have the advantage.
3) Raiders. Raiders have played excellent. They have given up some points, mainly to the Dolphins and Ravens, which despite their record, the Dolphins are not a bad team. I hope this train keeps going.
4) Bucs. Tom Brady and that defense. Their defense is up and down, but as the season goes, I place money they get stronger, barring injury of course to their old men. May be scarier if they sign Richard Sherman.
5) Bills. Strong Defense that helps the offense. They are beatable if you can control Josh Allen, but they are a tough team.
6) Chargers. I said it above, the Raiders toughest challenge is this next Monday Night. I have not seen a Chargers team like this in a long time. But they are on this list.
7) Ravens. Almost the same as the Bills here. If they can get a consistent RB and 1 WR, they would be nearly unstoppable. My pick to win the AFC North.
8) Cowboys. Weak division, better defense, good offense.
9) Browns. Great defense, and potentially good offense. OBJ is their achilles heal, and the fact that we don't know which Baker Mayfield is going to show up. They have to do better at managing the clock on offense when they have the lead.
10) Broncos. Undefeated with a great defense that has only allowed 26 points against 3 weak offensive teams combined for an 0-9 record.
Not bad Nate-Dogg,
I'm surprised you were leaving the Chiefs out of your top 10.
Sandy
Lol, I'm getting gang tackled for discussing important concerns which we can only hope the coaches are reviewing game film and addressing. 3-0 is an amazing start, for sure, but the Raiders didn't make it to the playoffs just yet. Lots of work to do, and that's worth discussing. No?
Nate, I'm sorry but I disagree with you on these statements:
"James was above average the first two games, he had a bad game [in the 3rd game]."
James botched a snap in Game 1 and his blocking kinda' speaks for itself. Carr made reference to his high snaps in his post game presser and did everything he could to not throw James under the bus. I would guess if James continues to play that way, he might be another bad game or two from getting benched for Nick Martin.
"I will tell you who I am impressed with so far, OG's Jermaine Eluemunor and John Simpson. They are balling out! Leatherwood has struggled."
They are balling out?
I appreciate that's your opinion but are you watching the breakdowns in the middle of the O-line? The PFF grades I posted are for all three games. Again, the line blocking kind of speaks for itself. Aside from run blocking, my biggest concern is that Carr is regularly under pressure and may get hurt. It's a long season.
"I believe Drake will be gone when Jalen Richard comes back."
Based on what? Raiders gave Drake $11M guaranteed in his 2-yr contract, which had an $8.5M potential cap hit entering the season. He's probably not trade-worthy with that salary. IMO, Drake is a change of pace RB, like Richard. Jacobs is the man.
Here's one for you guys..., as long as we're passing out "I told you so's" I'll gladly take credit for supporting Hankins when nobody else here would. Hankins has been the man in run defense since he arrived.
Cheers!
Let the NY bashing continue....
Crosby is becoming a super star. Consider the following: He had 14 quarterback hits as a rookie and 13 in his second season. This year he has 12 knockdowns in three games.
Mad Maxx
The autumn wind is a Condor sacking QBs just for fun. His long wings will knock you round and upside down and laugh when the Raiders have won.
Sandy
Sandy,
I left the Chiefs off for now due to the fact they are in LAST PLACE! I will be surprised if they are in the cellar all season, but I'm going to relish the moment that they are not a top 10 team right now, and rub it in their faces. It is the same with the Doncos. I regret that they are in the top 10, only because of their record. As undeserving as they both are, I will be surprised if they are in this position all season. Chiefs have better talent than the Doncos and really no one expected them to be 1-2 in the cellar, but here they are. The Doncos are about to have a dose of reality this weekend against the Ravens. It will all come back to balance, but for now, I'm enjoying this moment.
NY,
In spite of the pressure, the o-line has played extremely well against 3 tough defenses. It is not going to get any easier the next few weeks with the Charger, Bears, and Chiefs either. I will say, they came into the season as backups, and have stepped up and played beyond what has been expected. Eluemunor has been pancaking people, and getting the most consistent push on the opposing D-line. John Simpson has done the same.
Besides his snaps to Carr, James has done a decent job blocking in these 3 games, he just had more mistakes against the Dolphins than the other three, and they were glaringly obvious. I'm not saying they are perfect, they have made mistakes. But I am saying they are doing better than I expected, and they are doing a helluva job keeping it together. I don't need PFF grades to see that on film. Yes, Carr has to work the pocket more than he has the past few years, but to be frank, I think it gets his competitive juices flowing, and it is causing him to make better plays.
As far as Drake, they may have given him all this money, but he hasn't produced. Gruden is not afraid to cut guys who aren't producing. Drake isn't living up to his money value.
"Gruden is not afraid to cut guys who aren't producing.'
I would tend to agree with that, to an extent. Money talks. Otherwise, I imagine Littleton would be gone. Time will tell but I am confident that Drake and his $11M contract are safe. Barber played well but, like Ragas, he's a fringe player and will come and go on the roster as needed. At best, Barber secured his roster spot over Ragas', not over Drake's.
I find it interesting that nobody else has given props to Derek Carr, who has carried this team to its 3-0 start and is being mentioned around sports media as an early top-5 candidate for league MVP. He leads the league in several passing categories, including total yardage. The pick-six Sunday was clearly not his fault.
Carr has, at times in virtually each game, overcome high snaps, botched snaps, ineffective run- and pass-blocking, inexperience players across the O-line and at the WR position, a defense that's improved but has still yielded 30 pts per game and squandered lead(s) that led to 2 of 3 games going to overtime. Carr calls plays at the LOS and has total command of the offense.
For all the righteous foot stomping about the O-line and the WRs, no mention of Carr and his obvious maturation and ability to lead the team to three mostly improbable wins?
Crickets?
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I think what Carr has done is obvious. He keeps doing things and putting this team in position to win, and now he has the supporting cast to produce those "W's". I have always been a Carr fan, dude is a stud. I always wanted his brother, David, to play for us when we were struggling to find a QB as well. I thought David was the same way and had that killer instinct; he just never found a place that would utilize that the way Del Rio and Gruden have done for Derek. He is on pace to throw for 6,000 yards this season, and we may have 4 players with a 1,000 yards receiving. YIKES! If he can't get love from the media for his play now, he never will. Let's hope that the Carr haters in Raider Nation will see his work and appreciate it. I knew he was going to be special when he was drafted, and he hasn't proven me wrong.
Carr had a big rookie season and really took off under Musgrave in 2016, but he struggled physically and mentally to come back from his leg injury.
That's all water under the bridge now. He's older, smarter, maybe stronger, and he and Gruden seem to have good chemistry.
Carr leads the lead in passes over 20 yards, and I don't think it's even close.
Carr missed Ruggs on a long bomb on Sunday. Ruggs had a few steps on his defenders and Carr overthrew him. It was a rare miss for Carr this year. He's been lights out when the game is on the line. Talk about clutch!
Anonymous!!!
Gruden bought in the talent he wanted?
BUT!!!!!! I thought Reggie "cleaned house" and bought in talent he wanted?
I thought Al ruined the team for years to come and that REGGIE rebuilt the Raiders?
Why would Gruden have to "clean house"?
Raidernation listened when the media said Al ruined the Raiders and how Reggie would rebuild the team. Now again, we have another rebuild by a guy hired/ fired by the man who ruined the team '18 years ago.
What have Reggie-, Gruden/ Mayock done since they got here? and why didn't they just keep building the team together-a team that was supposed to already be good after Reggie's work?:
1. Reggie got rid of some very good players.
2. Although Reggie had better draft and UDFA than Gruden/ Mayock have so far, the team was terrible for most of his era.
3. Both eras have caused Raiders legendary units (DB's-D-lines, WR, ST) to be mediocre.
4. Chuck Bresnahan? Since the new era the Raiders' D has been one of the worst in team history.
* When you "clean house" you get rid of problems, overly expensive players and members that won't work with you. Not pro bowlers, stars and good front office people- But they did it too many times.
Yea, both have a BAD habit of "cleaning house". Reggie got rid of a lot of guys that could've won for him (M. Bush, Kelly, Goethel) and Gruden/ Mayock, Wow!....K. Mack, Irvin and Cooper?!
But worse is the claim that Al lost his touch drafting good players. Then we see Reggie draft whiffs and Gruden/ Mayock giving away draft picks to the Steelers and Patriots sometimes even sending high picks to them where they didn't even ask Raiders for them.
No, the Raiders aren't winning because of some draft picks, UDFA and FA's or coaching. Its' good coaching, Veterans and playing teams that have issues with injuries and other things like ruined game plans and Coronavirus.
They don't look like a playoff team but are playing like one so I hope they keep it up. It would've been huge if Reggie had kept most of Al's last roster and Gruden/ Mayock kept K. Mack, Hudson and a vet WR like J. Nelson or N. Agohlor then we could see the reasons they are winning.
They need to make trades and spend money to make the playoffs this year.
We've all seen Crosby elevate his game so far this year. He looks unstoppable at times, but his stats fell off against the Dolphins, and may have dropped him out of D player of the month. That honor went to Von Miller.
In Sept, Miller had eight tackles, six tackles for loss, six QB hits and four sacks.
It's close...
Crosby had nine tackles, three tackles for loss, 12 QB hits and two sacks.
Crosby's stats against Miami were more pedestrian: one tackle and two QB hits. Brisett was pretty efficient against the Raiders, and led the Dolphins to tying TD and 2-pt conversion that sent the game into OT. That was a significant breakdown in the Raiders defense.
NY
Crosby's stats fell off against the Dolphins because he was being held almost every play. He still leads the Raiders with QB Pressures and Hits, but not in Sacks; and that is a good thing.
As I said earlier with regards to Carr, he has had to work the pocket more than he has the past few years, but to be frank, I think it gets his competitive juices flowing, and it is causing him to make better plays. I also think it's his hair. Not sure if you guys have seen the picture floating around Twitter, but someone photo-shopped him with Stabler's hair. Its an amazing thing to behold too. I will have to find it and post the link.
Anon,
Reggie and Del Rio put together a winning team (Carr, Cooper, Crabtree, Mack, and the O-line). They needed to get rid of Norton as DC and keep Musgrove as OC. While this was happening in 2016, Mark Davis was convincing Jon Gruden to come back to coach. According to Mark Davis, before the off-season began, he reached an agreement to bring back Jon Gruden, but wanted Del Rio to finish out. Mark Davis threw Reggie and Del Rio under the bus for all the work they did. Reggie cleaned up the Salary Cap mess on players like Tommy Kelly, who went to the Cardinals for a few years after he was cut, and didn't make waves there either. Reggie and Del Rio built a team and playbook according the strength of the players they had, and we saw the results in 2016.
Jon Gruden is a "My way, or the highway" system coach. He got rid of Reggie, all of the players he drafted (with exception of Carr), and we are now starting to see the fruits of his labor now that he has a defense. I disagree that Reggie has had better success than Gruden and Mayock in the draft. Reggie had the one good year with Mack, Carr, and Gabe Jackson. Other players that he drafted that has faired well are: Sio Moore, Latavius Murray, Justin Ellis, TJ Carrie, Amari Cooper, Jon Feliciano, Karl Joseph, and Jihad Ward. That is 11 players from 2012 through 2017 (5 years).
Gruden and Mayock have hit the jackpot with Jacobs, Renfrow, Kolton Miller, Nate Hobbs, Maxx Crosby, and Trayvon Mullen; and the jury has yet to come in on Amik Robertson, Alex Leatherwood, Moehring, Koonce, Deablo, Ferrell, Gillespie, Ruggs, Edwards, Abram, Moreau, and John Simpson; but these guys are showing that they can play and have a lot of skill. That is 18 players from 2018 to 2021 (3 years). The difference wasn't Gruden, it is Mayock. Mike Mayock deserves the credit here.
The Raiders are winning because Mayock and Gruden are drafting good players to fit Gruden's system, and they brought in Gus Bradley, and guys that fit in his defense this year. The offense has always been there with Gruden. This is the first time he has a decent defense.
Derek Carr named AFC Player of the Month. He has over 1200 yards in three games. That's insane, and demonstrates the lack of run offense the Raiders have had, especially, Weeks 1-2.
Sandy?
Crickets?
How long can you go before acknowledging Carr is carrying this team to victories?
Hater!
DONCOS lose!!! They lost to a team they said was overrated because they lost to the Raiders, and not only did they lose, they got a beat down! They will blame it on injuries, but let's not forget, they were down 17-7 when they lost Bridgewater (a QB who I have a lot of respect for, even before he was with the Doncos).
This is a MUST WIN tonight for the Raiders. Chiefs won to pull to 2-2, if we win, they and the Chargers will be tied for last, and we will be on top alone. If not, a 3 way tie for first with the Chargers and Doncos, with the Chargers having the upper hand.
I don't want to say the season hinges on this game, but we will see what kind of team we have in a tough division game tonight.
I don't know if he is CARRYING them but he is leading them and using ALMOST everything he can to win.
Is he now Tom Brady or Joe Montana? I don't think so. I think Brady, Mahomes, Ryan and Big Ben are still our top QBs'- Carr is doing great but has a lot to get to and prove before being called an elite QB.
That is an NFL/ media thing, hyping the labels of players instead of whether they are winning or not. Al and many others set THAT standard. You can be great or mediocre but if you are helping team win that matters more than the labels.
The Defense (?), Carr and Waller are leading the Raiders. No, Carr isn't Brady yet, able to hit all his receivers pro bowlers, average and mediocre guys.
It would be smart to trade or sign a veteran WR maybe two, then we could see how Carr could lead the Raiders.
This CHEAP system is part of the NFL's owner-created idea of how to save money.
Again, I think Al's guys were talented and SHOULD'VE won many playoff games over that 9 year slump. The new Raiders are mediocre but are 3-0.
You win with a good QB and only pay him and FEW others. Not spend to win like some teams did in the past.
I think Al not only wanted to run Raiders his way but also avoid the politics and corruption of the NFL.
That's system was about PARITY and saving money and they were upset with Al, J. Jones and Snyder because they refused to stop trying to find stars to win.
The Raiders are winning with a mediocre roster and that's great but the NFL wants to that being cheap and having a franchise QB with great coaching is the only way to win. Just because Belicheck could do it doesn't mean that's the only way to win.
We should support the Raiders but we don't have to buy what the NFL/ media tells them.
No. It's not an NFL / media label. It's not a conspiracy. It's me watching the games and calling what I see. Carr is maturing into a franchise QB, without whom the Raiders would not be 3-0. Carr IS leading the Raiders, and he's doing it with a makeshift O-line and without a vet WR.
The roster ship has sailed. More than a vet WR, Raiders need to gel on the O-line. Derek Carr is capable of leading this roster to the playoffs, but he needs protection. If Carr doesn't have time or gets injured, it's all over. Also, he could use a more balanced offense.
Right now the Raiders are leading a one-dimensional offense and Carr is the man.
I have an uneasy feeling about tonight's game. However, if the Raiders win, I'm guessing Derek Carr will be one person we can thank.
We need all hands on deck, and a little more magic from Carr.
Vegas, baby!
I have to say, how does a Raiders QB pass for 1,200 yards (400 yds a game) in winning three straight games and get so disrespected on a Raiders blog?
Yet a guy who catches 11 passes for 200+ yards is elevated to elite status.
Carr leads the National Football League with 1,203 yards passing and was selected American Football Conference Player of the Month for September.
Carr has led the Raiders on 26 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime since he joined the Silver and Black in 2014 [including two this year], more than any NFL quarterback during that time.
That's an amazing stat when you factor in the Raiders defense the past 6+ years. It boils down to who gets the ball last. If it's Carr, Raiders have a better than average chance to win.
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