One Postgame Take
It was the same 'ol Raiders, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Until it WASN'T. Wow! Las Vegas, nine lives and one hell of a resilient way to start the season!
posted by Raider Take at 9:02 PM
Monday, September 13, 2021
DEFENDING THE NATION!
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31 Comments:
wow, what a game.
if you want exciting and a win, that was it.
rough start, but came back to out score the ravens 33 - 13, after being down by 14.
the defense applying pressure and turnovers, it didn't seem real.
offense was rusty, but when they found their rhythm, they were impressive.
great win, very exciting and the fans were crazy, good to see.
It took the Raiders getting into FG range with 37 seconds left and no timeouts; Carlson nailing a career long 55-yarder; then overtime with the Raiders overcoming a false start at the one; an interception in the end zone through the hands of Willie Snead; Raiders defense forcing Jackson to fumble; Carlson sleeping at the practice net on the sideline and prompting a delay of game penalty when Gruden called for a potential game-winning FG; and Carr coming back onto the field to throw a 30-yard strike off his back foot to Zay Jones for a walk-off overtime win.
"Unbelievable" only scratches the surface.
Until last night, you couldn't write that without it being labeled fiction.
It was truly a great win, but let's hope the Raiders are not content with the way they played. Vegas odds are long on winning like that.
Love those takes. Anon, yours is like poetry that says it all in so few words. NY, great accounting of such a wild and improbable conclusion, and that doesn't even include somehow blowing 1st and goal at the 1 yard line to make all of that necessary.
The Raiders found a way! I was thinking after they nullified the winning TD that the Raiders would struggle to get in, and they didn't disappoint. Snead caused the INT, and the Ravens got the ball, and I was praying for the D to make a play, and they did. Nassib knocked the ball out of Jackson's hands.
I thought they were going to find a way to screw it up when Special Teams didn't get out on the field in time, and they got a delay of game. But the RAIDERS FOUND A WAY! Zay Jones did an in-and-out route, wide open because of Man-to-man coverage, TD, BALLGAME! RAIDERS WIN!!
The Raiders defense kept us in the game. It wasn't pretty, but they had consistent pressure. The frustrating thing about the games was the Ravens O-Line consistently held Crosby, Yannick, and McCoy; but no calls. On the 2 big runs that Lamar Jackson had, it came due to pressure where the O-Line was holding. Can't get a flag to save our life, BUT THE RAIDERS FOUND A WAY! Al Davis is smiling down on them today saying, "Just Win, BABY!"
That was an amazing (and emotional) game to watch, on many levels. And I love the win but I can't label the game as a huge success (outside of the win itself), nor even a benchmark for future success. Here's why. In keeping with the Vegas betting theme, it was like winning one longshot after another, one improbable outcome after another. Adding them all together is like the mother of all longshots and I wouldn't touch that parlay with a 10' pole.
IMO, Raiders need to soak in the win and regroup. This team needs to play smarter and start a streak of success that we've waited too long. The schedule doesn't get any easier.
On side note, did anyone else notice how awkward Mark Davis looked giving a fist pump? I think it was after the Raiders tied the game. That strange fist pump was as square as his haircut.
Raiders definitely need to improvement on several levels. THIS is why starters should play together in a couple series in preseason. Training Camp is not the same to fine tune with no pressure. Now, I will say, the scrimmage practice with the Rams is more like it. If you don't want to play your starters, do more scrimmage practices with other teams. It seemed like the offense needed to get used to the contact, and played scared of the contact for awhile.
I say that because the offense, and offensive line were out of sync the majority of the first half; but it started to come together the 2nd Quarter, and then we saw it come together in the Second Half and Overtime. Carr looked uncomfortable in the pocket early in the game, and was making some pretty horrible throws. He seemed to get knocked around a little in the 3rd Quarter, and got sandwiched by 3 Ravens on one play. It was that hit on him that flipped the switch. Sometimes, you just need a big hit to get you playing right, and I felt that is what did it for Carr.
Not only that, but let this sink in: they made an adjustment to the game, which is something we have not seen the Raiders do since Musgrove was OC. LET THAT SINK IN, THE RAIDERS MADE HALFTIME AND IN-GAME ADJUSTMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL!!! If the Raiders had come out firing on all cylinders, this would have been a blow out by the Raiders.
The game really started to change defensively when Gerald McCoy and Yannick went down. I hope they are both well, and come back for Pittsburgh. Yet, even though they went down, Nassib was getting pressure all game, and it started to pay off in the 4th Quarter and OT. He and Crosby wore down the tackles and caused Lamar to make mistakes. The CB/S group held up their coverage, didn't get antsy and blow their coverage wad; and helped out the D-Line in their pressure.
KJ Wright is a BEAST! I love that he is on the Raiders now. NATE HOBBS IS A MONSTER TOO! He has definitely carried over from preseason, and it wasn't a fluke. He is not afraid to hit, get physical, and go after the ball. He is something special to watch and grow, and I'm going to have to get his jersey. Littleton and Kwiatowski still struggled a bit. The young WR's struggled to get open again, but did so when it mattered. I said it in the game post, Zay Jones had been open on a few plays where DC missed him because of pressure. Zay Jones' game winning TD was the same route that Ruggs ran that set up the Raiders to tie the game at 24, and Waller ran that route several times last night. It was their go to play because the Ravens were getting toasted on that play. Renfrow is Renfrow. He had several amazing catches, and the big catch and run that set up the winning TD for Zay.
All of this, and I haven't even mentioned Crosby yet. DUDE IS PLAYING LIKE KHALIL MACK FOR US! HE WAS DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TEAMED, HE WAS HELD WITH NO FLAGS, YET HE KEPT COMING AND KEPT MAKING PLAYS! He is definitely deserving of the Captain title. There was no end to his motor last night, and he was shooting arrows.
So, yes, there is room for improvement after Week 1 of the Regular Season, and there is always room for improvement. But things are looking up, and as I said earlier, INSPITE OF THE OBSTACLES, THE DIFFICULTIES THAT IN THE PAST CAUSED THEM TO GIVE UP AND LOSE, THE RAIDERS DUG DEEP LAST NIGHT AND FOUND A WAY! I don't know about you, but that excites me! JUST WIN, BABY!
"The game really started to change defensively when Gerald McCoy and Yannick went down."
I agree, Nate. Yet, that led to one of the most critical outcomes: Carl Nasib getting on the field and causing Jackson to fumble. Without that play, Raiders probably lose.
But you have to remember, it's not just the Raiders holding key players out of preseason, it's virtually every team. The whole league is pretty on the same ground there.
I have another observation. Patrick Queen looks like a monster for the Ravens, who are stacked at the front seven of their defense. This kid looks strong, quick and versatile, defending side to side in coverage and stuffing the run.
The Raiders drafted Ruggs and Arnette before the Ravens selected Queen. And it's not like he wasn't known. Queen was listed as one of the top LB prospects in 2020.
Meanwhile, Ruggs looks lost on the field, getting manhandled by the Ravens secondary, even slipping and falling on at least one go route, and Arnette is already an afterthought on the Raiders defense for nickel and substitution. And the prize of 2019 draft, Clelin Ferrell, was a healthy scratch. He didn't even suit for the game. Thank goodness for Crosby!
The draft is so important. Many who post here have said as much.
NY,
Agreed, I was hoping the Raiders would have drafted Queen, especially after his drop. He's a beast, and led the Ravens in tackles last season. That was a miss that I wish we could get back on our side.
Ruggs' issue is the simple training and understanding of how to create separation from the DB. There was a route he ran last night that was supposed to be straight across, sideline to sideline, but he ran it diagonally. Because he ran it diagonally, his speed worked against him, and kept the DB close, and Carr couldn't get the ball to him. If he had ran the route like he should have, his speed would have created more space, and DC's pass would have been on target. He doesn't use his hands, nor good route running like Renfrow and Waller does. He is somewhat a lazy route runner who relies solely on his speed. Which when he gets a little knock on the line, it slows his momentum. This is why we needed a veteran WR, to teach these guys how to separate. I fear that Ruggs is a lot like Cooper, lazy and doesn't put in the work.
Edwards started to get the separation toward the end of the game, which is a positive. Zay Jones had been open most of the night he was on the field, and DC missed him on a few plays. The other thing, when the Ravens started blitzing, and doubling on Renfrow and Waller, these guys started to get open looks more. So I wonder how much they were doubled during the game as well. Overall, Zay Jones was targeted twice, and caught both for 46 yards and a TD. Ruggs was targeted 5 times, caught 2 for 46. Edwards was targeted 5 times and caught 4 for 81 yards. Renfrow was targeted 9 times, caught 6 for 70 yards. Waller was targeted 19 times, caught 10 for 105 yards. Carr threw for 435 yards with 34 completions, which average 12.80 yards/completed pass. They have to get better at spreading the ball in their passing game.
My take on the WRs is this.
Ruggs is not the guy. He wasn't even the best WR on his college team. He's better as a situational WR where he can find better matchups. On the outside, he's playing against some the best CBs in the NFL (meaning the world). He's not up to that.
Edwards only got hot late last night because that's when Carr decided to make it happen. Carr was over-reliant on Waller last night... for good reason. However, Edwards has shown in college and so far in his young pro career he is tough and can catch balls in traffic. If he stays healthy, the Raiders have at least one good outside WR.
I did not know until last night, Zay Jones and Carr are close buddies. That's big. Jones looked great in preseason. He has NFL experience and has Carr's trust.
Two starting wideouts should be Edwards and Jones. These guys look pretty solid.
Renfrow didn't learn his route skills in the pros, he came with that ability and has only improved his craft. This innate ability is what separates him from Ruggs.
I can't speak about Snead. I don't really know his skills, and I can't only point a finger for the missed pass last night. Carr threw that too hot. I'm not catching that one either, so I'll sit down and shut up on that one. It happens.
That's it! The Raiders ONLY carry five WRs. It's these guys or bust.
Good and McCoy are out for the season. McCoy played nine snaps as a Raider. Raiders should come to an injury settlement with McCoy and hire him as a coach.
To replace McCoy, Raiders just signed Damion Square from the Bears. I guess if you're going to find talent on the D-line from another team's practice squad you look at teams that are stacked at the position.
Ngakwoe and Mariota were both injured but no report yet on the severity of either.
Tough win. Two stars signed to pace the defense are both out.
I just read that we lost McCoy for the season. Man that is a big blow, as well as losing Good for the season. The Raiders have replaced McCoy, and I am wondering if they will call up Lester Cotton Sr from the Practice Squad to the Roster, or if they will go find a few more. If Incognito cannot play, they only have John Simpson, and Eluemenor at Guard with Brandon Parker as backup OT and Nick Martin at Center, but who has also played Guard.
David DeCastro (OG, Pittsburgh) is a free agent still, but has also been riddled with injuries, which is why the Steelers cut him. But he may be a valuable back up that may give him the rest he needs, and regain strength, the same with Joe Dahl (OG, Lions) and Ben Garland (C/OG, 49ers). Some guys I think could come in and play right now at Guard are:
Kelechi Osemele
DJ Fluker
Nick Easton
Cordel Iwuagwu
Anthonhy Fabiano
Trey Adams (OT)
J'Marcus Webb (OT)
Marshall Newhouse (OT)
Jordan Devey (C/OG)
Whoever they bring in, they need help on the O-line, and need help fast.
Lester Cotton is a mess. He was horrible against backups in pre-season. Some of the guys are your list are a little long in the tooth. Raiders definitely need help! Losing Good is a huge blow to a line with no depth.
Raiders have signed OG Jordan Simmons off the Seahawks.
This just in. Raiders have filed a complaint with the League about Ravens targeting on WR's, even when the ball wasn't passed to them. A big part of their concern centers around Renfrow. Several times (go look at the tapes) Renfrow was running a route, and Humphrey knocks him down with a hit without a flag. See one video here:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1438217425518956546
In the video, Renfrow is the WR toward the bottom of the screen. Blatant foul, not called. Raiders say they have evidence of this kind of play happening on almost every play to their WRs. If that is the case, no wonder they couldn't get open.
Chandler Jones is demanding to be traded from the Cardinals. Should the Raiders trade Clelin Ferrell, and future picks? I say yes, especially with Yannick down.
Geez! Lots going on.
Re: foul blocks on WRs, I think they did call it once, but only once. They should have been looking for it after that.
Raiders did not waste any time getting help at G. I don't know Simmons but I appreciate the fact that the Raiders bring in lots of bodies when a need arises. They are quick to react.
Re: Chandler Jones, hell yeah!
Observation: Our interior D line played admirably. I was worried that swapping Hurst for outcasts from SF and Buffalo would be a lateral move... zero sum. But I think that fear was dispelled Monday. Four man pressure was consistent. Even Hankins was getting into the Ravens backfield.
Big Ben is a pocket passer. If the Raiders bring the same pass rush as they showed against the Ravens, with more man coverage and add a blitz here and there, that could be fun to watch.
PS Jones is untouchable. Raiders would have to pay a ransom of draft picks. After a five-sack performance in Week 1, the Raiders have a better chance of getting Mack back from the Bears. Jones wants to get paid, probably meaning Mack money plus cost of living adjustment.
Raiders injury report looks like a who's who from the roster. More guys are popping up.
Steelers beat the Bills Sunday. Could be another hard hitting prize fight... J.T. Watt vs Miller, who PFF scored among the top tackles this week, only allowing two pressures.
But still. Raiders on the east coast for an early game. Doesn't look good on paper. Yet, even if they split the first two games between the Ravens and Steelers, going 1-1 is probably all anyone could expect. So we're kind of playing with house money going into this one.
Vegas, Baby!
Andre James might end up being a solid center at some point but this is partly why the position (and Hudson himself) is so critical...
"Rodney Hudson, the veteran center who arrived this offseason in a trade with the Raiders, was the one who alerted Murray to a cover zero blitz the Titans were showing on Sunday, leading Murray to change the play at the line of scrimmage. The result was a touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins."
James meanwhile had two holding penalties and a botched snap that knocked the Raiders out of FG range. Raiders were lucky to win Monday but that missed FG opportunity could have easily been the difference, had they lost.
James will get better, no doubt, but he may never reach Hudson's level... not many centers do.
For those of you who have critized Gruden as a coach you need to flat out apologize.
The man was brilliant on Monday night with his play calling resulting in 33 points and 500 yards against the very tough Ravens D, all done with a patch work offensive line.
Gruden makes average players (Renfrow) into above average, above average players (Carr) into great ones and great players (Waller) into superstars.
He loves the Raiders, has set a great culture for the team and even on the GM side has built some young talent.
All hail Chucky
Sandy
I will gladly apologize to Gruden. I said in order to win, he needed to keep the throttle down on offense, and that is what he did. Even when the Raiders were out of sync in the first half, he kept making some ballsy calls that brought us right back. It was the most excellent called game since he has returned to the Raiders. Also, a big shout out to Derek Carr for convincing Jon to let the offense win it after the Special Teams didn't make it out for a delay of game. He finally showed that he has faith in DC to make the offense run.
I don't expect James to be at Hudson's level, I expect him to protect, make running lanes, and get good snaps. I think it is the job of Richie Incognito to be at Huddy's level; we just need him to get on the field. Of all the grief Raider Nation has given Trent Brown(trout), we could do the same for Richie.
Alex Leatherwood is only going to get better too. The dude's only visible mistake was the false start in OT that set up the INT in the end zone. He also whiffed on a few blocks, but against a tough Ravens' defense, he held his ground. He has another tough defense to face with the Steelers this week, and I am excited he gets this opportunity to shut the world up and prove himself.
My concerns coming into the game are the Raiders defense playing soft zone coverage. The Steelers used a lot of WR screens against the Bills to come back last week. Big Ben did not have one pass beyond 20 yards last week, and the Steelers had a lot of yards after the catch. They have to press, and punch the WRs off the line this week. At the same time, they cannot give up big yards on short plays. Big Ben isn't mobile like Lamar, but he is hard to take down. If the Raiders can generate that kind of pressure, and the CB's cover the quick screens and short passes, we will walk away with a "W" and probably create turnovers.
Another concern is the Raiders run game. Jacobs is hurt, and will probably play, but I'd rather see him rest and get healthy. This is where putting Richard on IR hurts us, because he was at the facility today without a boot, and walking normally. I'd rather let Jacobs be a scratch this week and call up Ragas and have Drake, Barber, and Ragas while Jacobs gets healthy. With that said, the Raiders have to do better running the ball this week, against another tough defense.
Derek Carr cannot be afraid of the pressure the Steelers defense will create. He has to trust his line, makes his reads, and make a good throw. He seemed frazzled by the pressure in the first half against the Ravens. Then early in the 3rd Quarter, he was hit by 3 Ravens at once, and that shook the cobwebs off. He played differently after that. If you have played football, you know that sometimes you need that first hit to shake off the anxiety, and then you're good. I think this was Derek's case on Monday. He needs to come out unafraid of the pressure and being hit, and play with confidence.
Bottom line, I think the Raiders shock the world again, with a 31-20 victory in Pittsburgh this weekend. JUST WIN, BABY!
Apologize? What are you talking about? After one game which took one miracle after another to win?
Calling Gruden brilliant after that game flies in the face of three years of mostly failures, during which I have no apologies for making observations as they happen.
If you want me to say he was more dynamic in his play calling Monday. Sure. I saw that much. But Waller was way to focal in the offense. It wasn't until late in the game that we realized Edwards might actually be a baller.
The game summary includes 10 penalties by the Raiders. There was a botched snap that knocked us out of FG range. There was a critical failed fourth down attempt. The Raiders blew first and goal at the one that could have won the game. There was a botched FG attempt with the kicker not making it onto the field in time, causing a delay of game and sending the offensive unit back onto the field.
Make all the excuses you want for those miscues, or simply say, we won the game, but everything falls on the HC. Gruden is getting paid to win, and not make the kinds of mistakes that game was absolutely littered with. There were stupidities in that game that I don't think any of us had ever seen before.
The only apology I will make is having to repeat the insanities of that game, which was otherwise an emotional game to watch and ended with a much needed win.
Raiders 1-0. It's just one game!
Vegas, Baby!
Nate, Raiders had to play zone. They needed their DBs to face Lamar Jackson in case in ran, which he did regularly. I would expect more man coverages against the Steelers, even some blitzing. Raiders had the fewest blitzes of any team in the NFL Week 1. That wasn't an accident. It was because of the threat of Jackson's mobility. Raiders front four deserve a lot of credit for keeping pressure on Jackson.
Leatherwood played admirably but he was left flat-footed a few times by Ravens edge rushers. As his rookie first game, you have to give him a pass but he got burned a few times, and also cost the Raiders what should have been an easy TD in OT. He'll be okay.
As for the Steelers. Raiders on a short week, traveling to the east coast, playing an early game, with an injury list that's looks like an entire NFL roster.
We might need another miracle.
NY = Hater Supreme
Gruden is a great coach a leader of men, inspiring, his players love him and his schemes are brilliant. His offense was top ten last year and will be this year as well.
I am convinced you are happier when the Raiders lose if onyl to validate your negative vitrol. They have a momumental victory and the majority of your posts are complaints with a few smatterings of Go Raiders sprinkled in.
Are you still bellaching about Hudson and Ruggs lol. Foolish statements ike complaining they were not going to Edwards early? Yet in an earlier comment you say Carr was right to focus on Waller with good reason. I subscribe to All 22 and I can assure you Edwards was not open in the first half and Waller was.
I suppose Gruden botched the snap too, was he stepping in at center for James on that down--lol.
How about recognizing some positive truths here are a few
1) Crosby has more sacks since he came into the league than Mack
2) The 2019 draft was awesome save Ferrell---Crosby, Renfrow, Mullen, Moreau and Abraham seems to be turning the corner
3) Carr has never looked better than since Gruden came to the team.
4) The team is unified and like each other not like the crap under Del Rio
5) Gruden is a true Raider and that counts for a lot, he respects and embraces the history, loves the former players and its fans
6) Yannick and Heyward look like brilliant low cost FA signings.
At least you seem to have gotten over losing Hurst lol which you spent a number of offseason posts whining about.
Take my previous advice and subscribe to the The Athletic for $2 a month it is the best coverage. They have a writer named Ted Nguyen you can check out his twitter feed he breaks down Gruden's play calling this week and shines a light on how he schemed all the key plays of the game.
https://twitter.com/FB_FilmAnalysis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Nate I appreciate your honesty in giving Gruden his due. Richies is the key to the run game as I said here but don't compare him to Trent Brown. Richie is not on the field because he is injured. He is a leader and never dogs it. I worry that being 38 years old his body will not cooperate. Trent Brown was a sucky child who once he go tpaid checked out.
Sandy
I forgot to add Jacobs to the spectacular 2019 draft
Sandy
Sandy, attacking me personally isn't going to change the facts. You were all over the Raiders poor drafting during the off-season. We were actually in agreement on many of your points. Suddenly, one game has completely flipped your perspective?
The Raiders draft retention is among the worst in the league. Go back and look at the drafts.
Meanwhile, here's a different perspective for your 6 points.
1). Crosby's a star but his sack totals are about the same as the Raiders as a team.
2). Ferrell was the #4 pick. The Raiders can't afford to miss at #4.
3). Carr was a top-two MVP candidate under Musgrave until he broke his leg. Did you forget?
4). Yes, the team is unified now. That's great but it's one game. The last two seasons the Raiders started fast and fell flat on the faces. Hopefully, we don't test that chemistry in a threepeat.
5) Gruden is now the face of the Raiders, just as AL was when he was supreme leader. But he's getting paid to win. No? Anyone can open a museum and chronical the Raiders great history.
6). Ngakoue and Heyward were necessary additions. Why do they have to be low-cost to make sense. Are you bargain shopping for the Raiders?
Don't be mad at me, just be honest. Nobody will fault you for that.
Shame the NFL would squash this but how fast could Mark Davis put together a pool of investors to buy a plot of land and develop a Raiders themed casino? Frigin' Disney Land for Raiders fans.
The NFL would kill that in a nanosecond.
Vegas, Baby!
(The countdown begins to me hopping a flight and going to a home game.)
NY
Regarding your rebuttal of each of my points, you are incredibly adroit at being negative. Kind of proves my point. When it comes to the Raiders I am a positive person who likes to support and enjoy my team and look at the glass as half full. You prefer to wallow in misery when it comes to the Raiders and accent the negative even disproportianlly to the facts. Sorry its not personal just an observation and I am hopeful you are more smiles and sunsine in your life outside this board
Have a good weekend
Sandy
NY per your dumping on Ruggs see screen shot from all 22, this would have been an 80 yarder. Just an example of there are many ways to look at situation not just negative
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E_gV5HeVQAMB-m4?format=jpg&name=large
Sandy,
If you look at my posts, I was elated about winning the game Monday. Here's my reaction after I'd had a short time to soak it all in...
"That was an amazing (and emotional) game to watch, on many levels."
It's a bit ironic that you label me as being negative but you are the only one making personal attacks.
Here's the rub; I can't tell if you're intentionally stirring the pot with your, 'you owe Jon Gruden an apology' which I reject on its face, or you just prefer to ignore the nuances of Raiders football. It's like you expect me to ignore everything that's happened over the past 18 years (or even the past 3 years) and recognize an epiphany of one win.
It was a miracle, I'll concede that much.
Perhaps you could focus your observations on the Raiders instead of on me. I can assure you this; I will be rooting equally as hard as you for the Raiders to beat the Steelers this Sunday. I've watched every single game for the past 30-35 years (good and bad), since the advent of satellite tv in local taverns. I plan to keep that streak going as long as I can use the mens room without assistance.
Cheers!
This game scares me more than the Ravens game. Ravens have a good defense but the Steelers D is better. Their 54 sacks last year is almost 3x Raiders sack production. They shut down the Bills high-powered offense in the second half while scoring 17 points in the 4th quarter to win in Buffalo last week.
Raiders are traveling after a short week and decimated by injuries. Raiders offense is not the same without Jacobs, and the line is a mess. Both guards are subs, and James struggled in run and pass blocking last week. Leatherwood was okay but he also got caught flat footed giving up the edge. That won't work against J.T. Watt and Co.
Steelers first home game of the season... crowd noise will also be a factor for the Raiders offense with an inexperienced O-line, particularly at center. Raiders had at least 10 penalties last week, mostly false starts and holding calls by the O-line.
This is only Week 2, and Carr and Waller are probably going to have to carry the team again. Even if they can, that's not going to play out well in a 17-game season.
On defense, Ferrell is a huge step backwards if Ngakoue can't play, or is limited, and Nassib is injured too. Ferrell doesn't possess the quickness or moves to play edge.
IMO, Raiders can't play defense the same as the Ravens game, which was four man pressure and mostly zone coverage. Defense should play much tighter coverage (more man-to-man) and blitz Big Ben. Otherwise, he will kill the Raiders with passes underneath the coverage.
I'm not making a prediction but I'm definitely nervous about this one. Same rules apply as last week... anything can happen in a game.
Vegas, Baby!
For folks who believe officiating is uneven and against the Raiders, this article with video evidence proves it. It starts with some really bad hits on Renfrow last week.
https://www.raidersbeat.com/ravens-go-undisciplined-for-hits-on-hunter-renfrow-which-is-becoming-a-trend-for-baltimore/
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