The Raiders pissed down their own leg on Black Friday. They literally fumbled the bag on the last play of what should have been an upset win. Instead, they went home with buyers’ remorse.
Antonio Pierce might have been right when he said this team is allergic to winning. Unfortunately, that might not save his job. At the very least, the team showed up and competed on the special edition broadcast.
Vegas finally cracked 100 rushing yards. They honestly should have given the ball to Sincere McCormick more. Aidan O’Connell threw two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Tre Tucker made a big deep catch. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers were consistent. Meyers flirted with 100 receiving yards while Bowers racked up 10 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. This felt llike the first time the Raiders offense showed life in weeks. Yet, they left too many points on the board. Chris Jones’ two sacks were also a huge difference-maker.
Defensively, the four sacks were crucial. Mahomes only threw one TD and registered 20 incompletions. No player caught more than 100 receiving yards. Kansas City did not have a hundred-yard rusher. You can’t ask for a better game from the Raiders. They kept the offense off the field. K’Lavon Chaisson resurged with 1.5 sacks. Let’s see if he can help them again versus better tackles this week.
The Raiders don’t need any moral victories or help securing a draft pick. They need to reverse their losing culture.
Now, they travel to the East Coast. Tampa Bay features a top-ten passing and rushing offense. Running back Rachaad White and tight end Cade Otton offer tough match ups the Raiders coverage. Mike Evans is a living legend at receiver, Baker Mayfield has played hero versus us before and receiver Jalen McMillan had had flashes. This game could get ugly fast, especially if the Raiders come out flat. You remember the stinker they played versus the Dolphins the last time they went to Florida.
Linebacker Yaya Diaby, DB Antoine Winfield Jr. and defensive lineman Vita Vea give the Buccaneers a playmaker at each level of the defense. The Raiders offensive line had one of its best week, minus the last offensive play. Hopefully, they can carry that momentum.
The game plan should remain the same. Vegas needs to convert some big plays in the air. The Raiders need to control the clock with their running game. Ride Sincere and Abdullah. Some more help from special teams, again, would be be great. Keeping Baker Mayfield uncomfortable and forcing him into turnovers helps too.
Even if the Raiders should play for a draft pick, Raiders fans deserve a victory Monday. No let downs or blow outs this week. Execution is key for the Raiders to compete today.
