Finally winning at SoFi + How to win in New Orleans

Last week, my column was going to start with “Don’t get your hopes up. Vegas started last season 1-0 too.” However, the Raiders finally did it. They finally won at SoFi with fans in attendance.

Honestly, the whole day had that winning vibe. Raiders fans always take over SoFi, no matter how much they shrink the parking lot or remind us that alcohol sales are cut off at halftime. Regardless, the Raiders showed up and showed out.

Overall, the first two games have felt like something new. Sure, we are 2-0 for the first time in five years. But more importantly, the Raiders have an energy and aura around them that feels authentic. It’s not manufactured by a name at the helm or by the players being enabled by a “players’ coach.” The Raiders have real momentum that makes this resurgence feel different from years past. It finally feels like we can expect to win again!

Now, we face a New Orleans team that is equally young and hot and is surprisingly building momentum. They are coming off a stunning touchdown victory against the Baltimore Ravens, a week after losing to the Detroit Lions in OT. The Saints look like a resilient team that the Raiders will struggle to put away. They’ve got a second-year quarterback Vegas must make uncomfortable.

Thus far, the Raiders’ pass rush has been effective. In Week 1, Kwity Paye was the star with several sacks. They mostly came from coverage, but schematically, the Raiders’ defense has operated well. Last week, Malcolm Koonce came up with crucial sacks. Nakobe Dean has also been an effective blitzer with 1.5 sacks this year. New Orleans has allowed eight sacks this year, meaning Vegas will get some opportunities.

Offensively, Raiders receiver Jack Bech will return to his home state, where he played at LSU, and to the city where his twin brother was killed in the New Year’s tragedy. Vegas will need Bech to come out with some consistency. Tre Tucker has been the Raiders’ de facto No. 1 receiver. He earned the designation with a big touchdown catch. Vegas will need both receivers to be dynamic. Vegas will get Brock Bowers back, meaning they’ll have their full passing offense for this game. Let’s see some of the double-tight-end creativity we hoped for all year.

That should also open up some running lanes for Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty is amid a bounce-back sophomore campaign, showing impact as a pass catcher and runner. I expect him to have a big game against the Saints. I’d also like to see more of Mike Washington as a change of pace. He’s a bigger, more straight-line runner than Jeanty, which means he could easily pop a few big gains if given more meaningful opportunities to play off Jeanty’s shiftiness.

Moreover, the defensive backs have been better than expected. Hezekiah Masses picked off Justin Herbert twice last week. Treydan Stukes picked off Malik Willis the week before. Vegas is going to need some turnovers this week too.

New Orleans features an offense filled with a variety of playmakers at each level. Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant are two athletic tight ends who can give the Raiders some problems. Out of the backfield, the Saints have Travis Etienne, Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara, offering all kinds of speed, versatility and explosiveness. Vegas needs its linebackers and safeties to play disciplined football.

Defensively, Saints edge rusher Chase Young already has 1.5 sacks this year. Vegas has only given up two sacks this year, both last week. This week’s defensive line is not as good as Los Angeles’, but it’s better than Miami’s. We should get a better read on our pass protection after this week.

Ultimately, these teams aren’t dissimilar. Both will try to run the ball. Both are going to try to get creative in the passing game to overcome limitations. Both have energy and play in domes. Vegas will hope its veteran QB, Kirk Cousins, gives it an edge over Tyler Shough.

However, New Orleans probably has the best pure receiver on the field in Chris Olave. Vegas will try to spam Bowers since he is back. Each team will try to control the clock with its running backs. Vegas will lean more on Jeanty, while New Orleans will use a true committee approach with no real letdown.

If the Raiders can run the ball, stop the run and get after the quarterback, they could be looking at an easy 3-0. Kansas City looks great, but a win this week could make Vegas the team to beat in the AFC West.

Otherwise, a road letdown here could easily make us feel like not much has changed. Regardless, let’s hope for the best. Just win, baby!

Let’s See How This Goes

It should not be hard to be optimistic heading into this season. The Raiders again have a change at head coach. This time, it’s a first-time, high-energy, player-focused head coach with an offensive background.

They finally drafted their QB of the future with Fernando Mendoza in the first round. Maxx Crosby is back, even after the team tried to ship him out.

Yet Mendoza didn’t win the job. The plan is for Kirk Cousins to get a shot at running the offense, despite being mid with far superior weapons in Atlanta last season. Brock Bowers is out. Michael Mayer got paid despite the team never really prioritizing him. Nobody really emerged as the Raiders’ go-to receiver. Ashton Jeanty is banged up. Mike Washington is third on the depth chart despite lighting up the preseason. Deonte Thornton is banged up. Now, we’re banking on Tre Tucker and Jack Bech to perform way above anything they’ve shown us so far. Josh Nailor also got some offseason hype, but he has mainly been a third or fourth receiver.

Defensively, the Raiders recharged their linebacker corps with two big signings. They also picked up a new slot corner. Despite needing some elite upgrades, their secondary group is pretty much the same. They’ll also have a new defensive coordinator for the first time in a few years. Patrick Graham survived three coaching regime changes. The new DC has big shoes to fill.

Overall, the Raiders have a favorable season opener versus the Dolphins at home. They will have to contain Malik Willis, who can tear them up on the ground and through the air. He is underrated and was good for Green Bay in spots. The Dolphins receivers won’t scare anyone. They’re a collective of youngins and washouts.

Expect Vegas to run the ball a ton. Expect Michael Mayer to get the ball spammed to him. Hopefully, they can get a play or two from their receiving group. If they can do that and their defense limits big plays, Vegas could actually start the season on the right side of victory. Then again, they won Week One last year, and look how that turned out.

Are you ready for the future of the franchise?

The Raiders seemingly only have one move to make tonight. You never want a draft first overall again. That’s why drafting QB Fernando Mendoza from Indiana makes too much sense.

Still, Vegas could shake things up with a trade. Both the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals desperately need a quarterback. The Raiders have a ton of voids in their roster, so they might not be able to turn down the temptation of multiple draft picks. There’s a lot of talk about next year’s draft class which also makes a trade back intriguing.

Let’s also not forget the Dexter Lawrence trade. Cinci gave up a No. 1 for a defensive tackle. The Raiders are saying all the right things with Maxx Crosby but they may trade him if the right deal comes around. Crosby dealt with injuries over the past few years. He’s approaching 30 and a new contract. His value may never be higher.

Even if the Raiders don’t make a trade tonight, they also have several additional picks in the middle rounds. They could find a development quarterback there, if needed. 

Regardless, the Raiders need a stag talent throughout their draft. Their biggest needs are offensive tackle edge, rusher, interior, defensive, lineman, receiver and linebacker. So yes, they could use a player at almost every position.

At the very least, they need players who are ready to compete at the receiver and cornerback position, as well as some developmental players at tackle and edge. If they can land that on top of the starting quarterback, Vegas will have earned a successful draft grade.

In the past, we’ve seen coaches select players that reflect their philosophies. We seen them pick players that fit certain positions in different ways. Some have even tried to collect winners, as if it is that easy to translate a winning culture. We will see a lot of that through this draft. The Raiders going to target players with winning college pedigrees. There is gonna be some high-end players that fall and you may see the Raiders take someone with high upside and godly measurables. You are also going to see them select some different seven people in seasons past since they are trying to focus on more of a 34 defense this year versus years past.

For Raiders fans, at the very least we should be able to sign relief. We got our future quarterback. I said it before, and I may regret seeing it again, but it feels like the Raiders finally have direction. Talking to the most writer fans around feels like things can’t get much worse and it’s only up from here. Let’s hope that’s the case starting today with the number one pick.

A quick catchup before facing Denver

I witnessed another ass whooping at SoFi last week. Didn’t even blog because I did not want to jinx it. It was a good time and a beautiful day, though. Raiders just never really kept it competitive. Even when it was close early, it did not feel like the Raiders were in reach.

Mind you, this came a week after the Raiders lost to the lowly Browns. Cleveland beat them with a rookie QB the Raiders passed on, to make matters worse.

Now, the voices for Pete Carroll’s job are even louder. I would hate to see a legendary coach like Pete leave after a year. I think it’s dumb to pay a fourth fired coach. But it’s hard to defend him considering he already fired two coordinators. And he brought in a lot of guys. To what? Not win a game in the AFC West? Nah, that is exactly why Pierce got fired.

That’s why the Raiders must win today. They must show grit. They need to beat the AFC West–leading Broncos.

Speaking of, the fact that the Broncos are leading the division is a joke. Up until this year, Denver hadn’t beaten Vegas. Now they are entering their third playoff run with a different core since the Raiders were last dominant?

Last time these teams played, it was a close game. Denver won by three in a game that was ultimately decided by special teams and clock management. Maxx Crosby didn’t get home, but Charles Snowden and Adam Butler did. Corner Kyu Blu Kelly got two interceptions after getting benched. Vegas needs another standout performance from their role players this week. They also need Crosby to get home.

This time, the Raiders are at home. They’ve got a shot if their offensive line doesn’t allow six sacks again. Denver applied pressure from a plethora of characters and blitzes.

Vegas also needs to run the ball better. Jeanty had 60 rushing yards on 19 attempts last time. You gotta get your o-line confident with run blocking when they are overmatched. Last week, Jeanty only got 30 rushing yards on 15 attempts. The week before he only had 50 against the Browns.

At least the passing game has shown some life the last two games. Against Denver, the Raiders only threw for 143 yards. Last week, Geno threw for 165, and the week before he threw for over 250.

This week Vegas needs a breakthrough on offense. Run the ball or pass the ball, just show some life and move the ball.

Defensively, Vegas caught the Broncos on a short week last time. Up until that point, they had shown to be a dynamic offense. Don’t let them go off in Vegas.

Ultimately, if Pete Carroll wants to keep his job, he has to get back to basics. Get these guys competing and just win. Capture that hope and excitement we had at the beginning of the year because playoffs are done this year.

MNF Shame and the Shadeur Show Arrives in Vegas

Here’s a cleaned-up, tightened version with minimal rewrites while fixing grammar, flow, and clarity:

Raider Nation is in full crisis mode after getting blown out by the Cowboys. Already, memes to fire Pete Carroll are everywhere.

Why would you take a risk on such a high-profile coach and not even give him a full offseason? Not to mention, the Raiders are still paying off their last three head coaches.

Either way, the Raiders have never needed the Browns so badly. Cleveland will start QB Shedeur Sanders since Dillon Gabriel got hurt. The Raiders get a first-person view of the QB they passed on. He was mediocre last week as a reserve, but the game plan should allow him to push the ball downfield more. Rumors said Sanders wanted to be a Raider, so expect him to play with an extra chip on his shoulder.

Vegas also needs to figure out Quinshon Judkins and Jerome Ford out of the backfield. Tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. could both have a day against a Raiders team that is historically bad at covering tight ends.

Vegas needs to generate sacks. Cleveland will be without both starting tackles. The Silver and Black got home only once last week—of course, it was Maxx Crosby. Vegas needs someone else on the front four to step up as a consistent disruptor. They had zero interceptions last week. That can’t happen against a rookie QB making his debut on the road.

On defense, the Raiders will see rookie DT Mason Graham, a favorite of theirs in many mock drafts. They’ll also get Alex Wright fresh off a new contract—psych, Wright is out with injury. The Browns still have Myles Garrett, who can embarrass any Raiders tackle on any snap. Former Raiders Shelby Harris and Maliek Collins will also have rotational roles for Cleveland. Vegas gave up another four sacks last week, and that was with extra rest and preparation.

The Raiders have another opportunity to find an identity against another struggling team. Much like the Titans game, a win here doesn’t save either team’s disappointing season. But man, would a win feel better than what the Raiders have put out the last month.

On one hand, the Raiders are a few close losses away from being near .500. On the other hand, there have been games where they never stood a chance. You hire a coach with Pete Carroll’s pedigree because you hope he can win games against teams that are struggling like the Browns.

We know the Raiders have playmakers. We know they struggle to move the ball. We know they struggle to score. We know the defense can make plays and keep games close enough to win. We know special teams can be a difference-maker, both good and bad.

Outside of that? We still have questions across the entire roster. The offensive line has been a mess of a rotation. People are calling for Geno Smith to be benched. People want to know why Ashton Jeanty is struggling. We don’t know who the best receiver is outside of Brock Bowers, despite spending multiple draft picks on wideouts. We don’t have a consistent group of five defensive backs. We feel like we can’t compete with the best teams every single week. We still don’t have a pass rusher outside of Crosby.

You spent a lot of money on Malcolm Koonce for him to sit behind Charles Snowden. You drafted Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers too high to not be able to play them on the o-line. If the Raiders can answer even half of these questions, it will go a long way toward solving this year’s problems—and give Raiders fans something to look forward to next year.

Regardless, the Raiders have to win this week. Not for AFC West standings or playoff hopes, but just to show some damn pride. We’re exhausted from watching this team lose at home, and I’m tired of losing to teams we should beat.

For all the shit people talk about Raiders fans, I think most agree the Cowboys are worse. The Silver and Black needs to beat the Cowboys in Vegas or else we won’t hear the end of it until these teams play agin in a few years.

The Raiders damn near got another bye week since their last game. I don’t know how they stacked a Thursday Night and Monday Night back-to-back but the Raiders need the extra day to prepare.

Denver secured first place in the AFC West after beating the Raiders last welk. I don’t care how good the defense looks, you can’t win if you can’t score. 188 total yards of offense is embarrassing. Starters were out on the o-line but Vegas can never give up five sacks on the road in a rivalry game. The Raiders missed Jakobi Meyers consistency after trading him, even while Patrick Surtain II was out.

It wasn’t all bad. They got two picks and two sacks. The defense showed up against an offense that has been clicking in the first half of the season.

This week the Raiders take on the Dallas Cowboys fresh off two losses. Dallas got smacked by the Broncos and followed that up with a huge upset by Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas has a revamped defense built around Quinnen Williams. They also got some speed on thedge with Jadeveon Clowny, Donte Fowler, Sam Williams and Donovan Ezeiruaku.

The Cowboys also got a good secondary with Daron Bland and Trevon Diggs. They added Logan Wilson in the middle. The Raiders struggle to move the ball on air at this point.

Honestly, the Raiders just need to show life. Move the ball offensively, show some heart and catch a few sparks. Clearly even great defense isn’t enough this year.

Just Beat the Donkeys

The Raiders got embarrassed again by the Jaguars at home. This one wasn’t as bad as some of the other losses this year — at least the Raiders showed up and competed. The offense looked a lot better with Brock Bowers back. However, it came down to the last play. The Jaguars’ defensive tackle made a play, knocking down the Raiders’ two-point conversion.

Before everyone moves on to the Seattle Seahawks, we should acknowledge the play was there. Regardless, the Raiders wouldn’t have been in that situation if they had converted an extra point earlier in the game. The Raiders’ special teams have been the one constant over the last 20 years. At one point, Daniel Carlson looked like a franchise kicker. The past couple of years, he’s been more pedestrian. You can’t have that as a winning team, let alone a team trying to establish an identity and get their season right.

Luckily, the Raiders don’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption. They will take on their AFC rivals, the Denver Broncos, today. Yes, they are on short notice. Yet this is a team they know well. Vegas dominated the Broncos up until losing to them last year. A win here could give the Raiders some hope. They desperately need it, considering they’re winless in the division.

They will be without their No. 1 receiver, Jakobi Meyers, who they traded to the same Jaguars team that beat them. The Raiders will miss him, as he has been the most consistent receiver since he came to Vegas. He is a versatile guy who can fit in pretty much any offense. My question: Why did it take so long to trade him? If you were only going to get a fourth- or sixth-round pick, the Raiders should’ve made that trade at the beginning of the season or in the draft.

Luckily, the Broncos will be without their No. 1 corner, Pat Surtain. Denver still collectively has a great defense. The Raiders’ offense is going to need its best outing. Expect much of the same formula. The Raiders are going to rely on Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty in the passing game. They will try to make some big plays to Tre Tucker. They will try to get Michael Mayer going.

The real test for the offense will be keeping Geno from making mistakes. That starts with having great protection. The Raiders allowed a few sacks last week. This Broncos defensive line isn’t quite as athletic as Jacksonville, but collectively, they play more physical and tough. The Raiders need their offensive line to have a great game.

Defensively, the Raiders gave up too many points, but they didn’t play that bad. They didn’t give up many big plays and kept Brian Thomas under 100 yards receiving. They kept Travis Etienne under 100 yards rushing, despite him getting 22 carries. They forced an interception, and Maxx Crosby got a sack.

However, the Broncos offense is playing more dynamically than years past. Bo Nix is proving he can manage an offense. J.K. Dobbins is showing he has gas in the tank. RJ Harvey has had dynamic flashes. Courtland Sutton has somehow gotten better. Vegas has a much tougher test this week. They need to force a turnover, and they need to get consistent pressure from players other than Crosby.

At the end of the day, the Raiders just need to show some pride. Their record is what their record is, but we want to see them go out there and knock the piss out of the Donkeys.

The Raiders have one job this week. Win at all costs.

Last time we saw the Raiders, they fell to the Chiefs by more than 30 points. They got no sacks and couldn’t rush for over 40 yards or pass for over 100 yards. Kansas City was literally taking shots during the blowout. It was an embarrassing loss for a team that has had plenty of shame held over it the last twenty years.

Jacksonville is their own scrap heap. One week the Jaguars look like a playoff contender, the next week they get dog raced. For instance, they beat the Chiefs, 49ers and Texans early in the year. They lost to the Rams and Seahawks in their last two games.

Vegas is coming off a Bye Week and they will be at home. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are both back too. Meyers is playing to get traded. There is no reason they can’t catch the Jaguars slipping.

Trevor Lawrence leads the league in turnovers since he entered the league. The Silver and Black need to force him into mistakes with constant pressure. Jacksonville’s defense has playmakers with Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter and Travis Etienne. Hunter cooked with them against the Rams. Thomas is trying to get back on his path from last season. Vegas needs to play discipline and not allow explosive plays and they need to create turnovers.

The Rams did an excellent job creating pressure versus the Jaguars with over 6 sacks. Vegas needs a similar impact. It’s got to come from someone other than Maxx Crosby. Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson have all had moments. Vegas needs someone to step up and provide consistent pressure, not one off pressure.

Side bar, Devin White has had a resurgent year after the Texans and Eagles left him for dead. Jamal Adams also got a sack last week after taking over for Germain Pratt. I hate to see this Raiders defense waste their presence at linebacker with weak secondary play and average defensive line play.

Offensively, the Raiders just need to show some life. Run the offense around Ashton Jeanty, that’s why you took him high in the first round and over a quarterback. Create big plays with Tre Tucker. And where has Dont’e Thornton been? For all the offseason hype, he’s been absent from the gameplan.

I know they want to sprinkle some veteran Tyler Lockett in. They just signed him, he has rapport with Geno and Pete Carroll from Seattle. However, he’s old, off-injured and borderline washed. That’s why Tennessee cut him after only a few games.

Beyond that, Meyers and Bowers should hep the Raiders stay in front of the chains. Unfortunately, they don’t really have a competent offensive line. Since Kolton Miller went down, they don’t really have any one they can count on upfront. Jackson Powers-Johnson should be that guy but they are so committed to making him a center over a guard. Caleb Rogers and Alex Cappa haven’t done much despite being coveted offseason additions. Dylan Parham and DJ Glaze aren’t terrible but I think both could be better at different positions.

Regardless, Geno Smith needs help from his offensive line. The Jaguars defensive line has high end athletes like Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen on the outside. They got established vets like Arik Armstead and Emmanuel Ogbah providing versatility and experience. Davon Hamilton is stout in the middle. Vegas will have a tough challenge upfront.

If the Raiders offense can show some life off great play from their offensive line, they got a chance. If they play bad, I’m not sure what the bottom is for this team? We should have reached it versus the Colts or Chiefs but Vegas is adamant on sticking with Geno. We’ve seen them move on from coaches quick, but they respect Pete Carroll too much. At the very least, a blowout loss here means Vegas has to blow it up by benching Geno and moving every one with value. A win here means they can keep pushing towards mediocrity and a respectable .500 record.

Beat the Chiefs and Vegas Wins

Everyone says the Raiders usually give the Chiefs one tough game a year. Last year, both games came down to one score — Vegas upset the Chiefs in 2023 and nearly did in 2022. Vegas already dropped their first AFC West matchup to the Los Angeles Chargers. Nobody wants to start the division schedule 0-2.

A win here would give the Raiders a lot of momentum. It won’t be easy. The Chiefs are getting healthy. Rashee Rice is expected to play, along with Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy. This will be the first game of the season where the Chiefs have their full slate of receiving targets. The Raiders’ corners are already suspect. Kansas City’s speed on the outside is a nightmare matchup for Vegas. They can’t afford to give up big plays or pile on penalties.

Pat Mahomes already looks back in MVP form this season. The Chiefs are relying on him to get the ball out quick. They also have former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce on staff. It would be nice to go home with a victory here.

I was fortunate to see their second win of the season last week in Vegas. Let’s hope that’s not the last one this year. It was great to see the Raiders keep Cam Ward contained. They dominated Tennessee so badly that the Titans fired their coach after the loss. At the end of the day, Raiders fans were just glad we’re not that bad.

Last week, the Raiders gave up a couple of sacks — one to interior lineman Jeffrey Simmons. Now they face another big test against Chris Jones. We know what he can do.

The silver and black did manage to register five sacks of their own. Maxx Crosby had two, while Devin White added a sack and an interception. Vegas needs both of those guys to dominate again. The team must execute collectively, and their stars need to make plays and force turnovers. That’s the only way you beat a Chiefs team more talented than you.

Offensively, it was encouraging to see the Raiders stick with Ashton Jeanty in the run game. It wasn’t super effective, but they stayed committed. Vegas also did a good job spreading the ball around. Tre Tucker made a couple of big plays, while Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer were active in the intermediate game. Brock Bowers is out again, so expect much of the same formula. The Raiders need to protect the football and get their run game going against Kansas City. Jeanty and the ground attack will help keep the Chiefs’ offense off the field, and it will make the passing game more effective if they avoid third-and-longs.

At the end of the day, the Raiders hired Pete Carroll to keep them competitive in these division games. It doesn’t take rocket science. To beat the Chiefs, the defense has to be disciplined and create turnovers. Offensively, they need to control the clock and find ways to make big plays. No one expects much from the Raiders — and that’s for good reason — but that could all change if they find a way to win today.

Quick thoughts before the Titans

Vegas got embarrassed last week in Indy. It was bad enough they did not score a touchdown, but then the Colts signed backer Germaine Pratt almost immediately after the game. Pratt was a healthy scratch versus the Colts. 

Do you know how long I wanted Pratt to be a Raiders LB? Now he goes down in history with DeAngelo Hall, Christian Wilkins,Davante Adams and the list of Raiders acquisitions that ended prematurely.

Offensively, the Raiders found some good things. Geno Smith was 25/36 on passing attempts. Minus the two interceptions off tipped passes, he was efficient. The Raiders had 7 different receivers catch a pass. Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers both got their touches. Ashton Jeanty had over 60 yards on the ground and averaged 4.8 carries. The problem, this game was basically out of reach in the second half so those stats are empty. The Raiders have got to find more ways to make big plays. They also need to find ways to convert in the red zone and third down. 

On defense, the Raiders got no turnovers or sacks. And they gave up 40 points.

This week, the Raiders need to establish an identity versus a Titans team that is rebuilding. I’m here in Vegas and we just want a win..