Category: Game Day

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.. 

Raiders vs Colts Preview

The Raiders absolutely blew it last week. They should’ve beaten that Bears team at home. Instead, they gave Caleb Williams and company way too many opportunities. It all came down to a last-minute field goal. Even if it hadn’t been blocked, it was a long attempt that could’ve easily missed. I don’t want to see my offense in that situation. The Raiders should’ve put the game away long before that final snap. They looked way too comfortable settling for a kick instead of pushing for a touchdown.

That was the theme of the day. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was shaky, throwing three interceptions and finishing with just 117 passing yards. That’s not an explosive offense.

Defensively, the Raiders did enough to win. They just needed more help from the offense to avoid costly turnovers. Tyree Wilson got a sack, the unit collected eight tackles for loss, and Maxx Crosby even came up with an interception.

Now, they’ll take on a Colts team that got robbed by the Rams last week. Indianapolis had the Rams on the ropes but couldn’t close. Daniel Jones and the Colts offense have been one of the surprises of the season.

Stopping Jonathan Taylor will be the Raiders’ top defensive priority. Taylor already has over 400 rushing yards this season. Tight end Tyler Warren and wideout Michael Pittman Jr. will attack the middle of the field, while Adonai Mitchell—who had huge plays last week—may be limited. The Raiders’ best chance is to disrupt Jones early and often.

Offensively, they’ll be without Kolton Miller and Brock Bowers, two of their better players. That means leaning heavily on Jeanty and the run game. They also need to rediscover their big-play passing attack. Tre Tucker has to stretch the field and change momentum with a deep conversion.

If the offensive line can give Geno Smith time, this is a winnable game. If not, it could be another long Sunday.

Raiders Reactions and How to Beat the Bears

The Raiders haven’t done much competing lately. First, they got smacked on Monday Night Football against the Chargers. The offense couldn’t find the end zone. They were dominated by a Chargers team that played without Khalil Mack (for the first half). The Chargers looked like a contender.

Everything got worse six days later: the Commanders (or whatever you call them) ran the Raiders out of the building. The worst part is, former Raiders backup Marcus Mariota carved up the defense. Meanwhile, ex‑Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols gashed the Raiders for a big run. Overall, the team was dominated by some “practice squad” type players.

So far, all the blame has fallen on offensive coordinator Chip Kelly (Las Vegas Raiders). People are making jokes because he hasn’t used Ashton Jeanty in the past game. Others point to the offensive line. Media keep asking about Jackson, who is playing guard. (Everybody cites that he won the “best center in college” war, but Vegas likes his bigger body at guard.) Raiders fans are making quarterback jokes about Geno Smith — but it was all good just two weeks ago.

Now the Raiders are tasked with a “get‑back” game at home versus the Bears. Chicago reworked their roster in the offseason, particularly at skill positions and along the offensive line. Caleb Williams has looked a lot better in Year Two compared to Year One. The Bears still have their low moments, though — their defense has been up and down. The Raiders should find opportunities to push the ball downfield.

Of course, the Raiders haven’t beaten the Bears since they were in Oakland (in 2019). The Bears have beaten the Raiders the past two matchups.

On defense, overall the Raiders have been decent. They haven’t put themselves in too many bad spots. There have been growing pains with a new unit, but they’ve looked more physical than past Raiders defenses. They’ve been finding ways to force turnovers and get stops. The team is swarming to the ball for the most part.

Up front, the Raiders haven’t been good enough lately. In the past two weeks they allowed too many sacks. All season, they’ve permitted too much contact on the edge. Last week, Tre Tucker blowing up people’s fantasy lineups was the lone bright spot.

As for the pass rush, it’s been reduced to what we’ve often seen: underwhelming. In the Commanders game, Maxx Crosby was the only player to record a sack. Against the Bolts, Jonah Laulu had two sacks. The Raiders must find ways to generate pressure from multiple players. You can’t rely on just one guy — Crosby is great at improvising, but you need more.

They recovered a fumble in each of the last two games; however, they haven’t produced any interceptions. The talk of training camp was about the Raiders’ defense. We all expect more. The secondary will be tested with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze at receiver for Chicago.

Offensively, expect more of the same. Jeanty, Meyers, and Bowers will set the tone, with sprinkles of Tucker. Can we also get some Déonté Thornton?

At the end of the day, the Raiders just need to win. Protect the home field and get back to .500.

Chatgpt edited this voice transcription.

Considering what the Patriots did to Miami yesterday, the Raiders should feel good about last week’s win over a revamped New England coach with Mike Vrabel at the helm. The highlight was Ashton Jeanty’s run. I’m sure you heard the stat of him having 44 YAC with only 38 yards from the day. Brock Bowers balled out with 100 yards on five receptions. Vegas held rookie phenom TreVeyon Henderson to only 27 yards on 5 carries. 

Otherwise, the Raiders offense showed an explosiveness not seen in years. Dont’e Thornton caught a couple of big passes. Tre Tucker caught a touchdown and another big pass. Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer were effective. Jack Bech also moved the sticks. Overall, the

On defense, the Raiders got a pick from Isaiah Pola-Mao. The pass rush came up big with sacks from Tyree Wilson, Malcolm Koonce, Jonah Laulu and Maxx Crosby all walked away with sacks. The defense was as advertised. 

Now, the Raiders will take on their AFC West rivals the Los Angeles Chargers. Los Angeles looked great popping the Chiefs on Friday in Brazil. Justin Herbert carved up Kansas City for three touchdowns and over three hundred yards. Quentin Johnston caught two of the passes. Omarion Hampton showed some sparks. This passing offense seems to have taken an another step in Year Two of Herbert. 

You can expect a Jim Harbaugh team to run the ball and play physical defense. Harbaugh and Carroll know each other well. They played against each other in the Pac-12 and NFC West. Carroll has won five of the last six. Harbaugh popped USC. Both guys want to compete as well as play smart and physical football. 

Let’s bring Pete Carroll a win for his 74th Birthday!  The Raiders need to establish Ashton Jeanty and the offensive line. They also need to prove their offensive line can maintain that offensive explosiveness in every game. It’s great to see Geno Smith spread the ball around. The tight ends must continue to be factors every week. 

Defensively, the Raiders need to find ways to create turnovers. The goal is to make Sam Darnold uncomfortable and force him into bad throws. If the defensive line can play as well as they did last week, they have a good chance. Overall, you want to see the Raiders establish their home field advantage in the first year.