Tag: cowboys

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.