Tag: Panthers

Last Week was a Joke but this Game versus the Browns is not

Last week was a total abomination. There is no reason to lose to a desperate Carolina Panthers team. I don’t care if Andy Dalton took a stroll back to his Bengals’ days. The head coach’s lack of accountability after did not help.

Tackling was an issue in the run game. The offense has yet to find any consistency outside of two quarters in Baltimore.

Talk about business decisions and effort. Aren’t these the same players that banged the table for AP? Jack Jones’ performance last year damn near got AP the job. Now, Jones is being called out for his effort?

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The only thing that adds up is that it keeps happening to us. Between the bad drafting and coaching, it looks like the Raiders are wasting the primes of Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams. Both will be out with injuries these week. The Raiders will also be down their starting tackle and some other key rotational pieces.

All in all, the Raiders will show their true identity this week. Are they the team that willed their way to a win over an underperforming Baltimore Ravens team? Are they the squad that got clipped by the Panthers? Will they bounce back and respond for Antonio Pierce?

Another blowout loss would be almost as bad as Detroit last season. Down his top players, AP is coaching for his job. I am not saying they will fire him after this game, but a 1-3 start does not sxream playoff contendee. Double that if the team loses and/or loses bad here. Contract obligations alone should keep Pierce safe. I doubt the Raiders pay another coach to not coach again this soon. However, they might if it gwrs much uglier.

Either way, I get on here every week and write the same keys in a different column. Vegas needs to push the ball, control the clock with the run game, create turnovers and sack the QB. This is Raiders’ football and the brand AP pitched to us. If they do play this style, they are tough to beat. Unfortunately, that style is also hard to play with many players hurt.

That is also the problem. The Raiders draft like they’re a single player away each year. They sign mid-level free agents like they have so much talent on their roster. Last week was a reminder that rosters in the NFL are closer than they appear. Vegas may need an actual full rebuild if they stumble any lower.

Luckily, the Browns have problems of their own. Tight end David Njoku will sit, which is a relief for the Raiders. Tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills are both ouf. Starting guard Joel Bitonio, running back Jerome Ford and backup tackle Dawand Jones are all banged up. Even if they play, the Raiders defense should benefit from this hobbled attack.

Cleveland starts QB DeShaun Watson. Watson is again in off-field distractions. However, he does have Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy. Both players have had their success versus the Raiders’ in the past. It is hard to imagine a bounce-back game given how great Carolina’s receivers looked last week. Then again, maybe that is why coached called out the Vegas defense.

Defensively, Cleveland is not playing at the same level as last year. But they are still stout with Myles Garrett and Za’darius Smith on the edge. Former Raiders Quinton Jefferson and Shelby Harris play opposite Dalvin Tomlinson. The Raiders’ interior offensive line needs to step up. Zamir White has not done anything through three games.

In the secondary, the Browns have yet to register an interception. All five starters registered INTs last year. Not the case this year but that could change. Especially with Adams out, guys like Denzel Ward can take bigger chances.

At this point, the Raiders need to lean on Brock Bowers heavy. He is the biggest mismatch on the field. They also should look to get Jakobi Meyers or Tre Tucker going early with some trick plays.

Vegas canot afford any turnovers given the missing fire power. At home, they need to get their ground game in rythm.

Defensively, it all comes down to the defensive line. Vegas must apply pressure versus the banged up Cleveland line. Christian Wilkins needs to earn every bit of his huge contract with Crosby out. Perhaps we see him at end even. Tyree Wilson needs to play like a top-10 pick from a year ago. He needs to use his hands and find fhe ball.

Otherwise, Janarius Robinson has been a nice find. John Jenkins and Adam Butler were similar vet finds last year. Butler and Jenkins should be relied on even more versus the Browns. Cleveland is going to at least try and establish the run.

Finally, the Raiders secondary needs to find a way to make a play. They need to tackle well and play discipline. After last week, this unit needs to be perfecf.

In the end, the gameplan should not change much. Last week was a gutcheck moment. Will Vegas bounce back or will they fall further into losing habits? This is an even bigger game since it is against a better team, the Raiders are coming off a loss and this is a conference game.

Regardless, Vegas does need to show some heart at home. Just Win Baby!

Keys for starting a win streak

Vegas secured a somewhat surprising win on the road last week. Here is how they can win their home opener.

At some point in the fourth quarter, it seemed like the Raiders were not going to outlast the Ravens. The Ravens established the run with Derek Henry finishing the day with 84 rushing yards on 18 carries. Vegas starting runner Zamir White struggled again. He finished with only 24 yards on 9 carries.

The Silver and Black were efficient in the passing game. Gardner Mishnew completed 30-of-38 passes for 276 passing yards and one touchdown. Davante Adams finished with nine receptions for 110 receivng yards. Rookie toght end Brock Bowers finished with 98 receiving yards on 9 receptions. Mishnew completed passes to four other Raiders players too. It was about as solid of a game as one could expect in the air. Of course, minus the five sacks and one interception Mishnew registered in Baltimore.

Defensively, the Raiders held Lamar Jackson to 247 passing yards and 45 rushing yards. He found the end zone only once. Maxx Crosby found a way to register two sacks, despite the defensive group being banged up. The Raiders won with their defense on the field. This close game reminded me of the Seth Roberts games versus the Ravens last decade. Vegas found a way to win.

Now, they open the 2024 season against a Carolina Panthers team that made headlines for their decision to bench 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. Carolina got blown out by both the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints. They’ve scored 13 points combined over the first two games. The Panthers expect veteran QB Andy Dalton to help their fortunes.

Dalton is not known for his big arm. He can manage an offense and get the ball out. Receivers Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson have had success in the league. Jonathan Mingo and Xavier Legett bring some youth out of the slot. Carolina also has versatility out of the backfield with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.

The Raiders need to play discipline and tackle well. They can not afford to give up any big plays to an offense that is desperate to find some rhythm. It could be a long day if Johnson converts a big play. Thielen or Sanders could also extend a short pass.

Otherwise, the Panthers invested in their interior line this offseason. They added guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in the offseason. Neither Sanders or Hubbard have been effective runners. Young was also sacked six times over the first two games. Young is more mobile than Dalton at this point. The Raiders must get home to the QB.

Of course, Christian Wilkins, Tyree Wilson and Crosby are all listed as questionable for this game. Malcolm Koonce is done for the year. The Raiders need to create pressure to force Dalton into bad throws, no matter who plays d-line. He is a rythm passer.

Defensively, the Panthers are not the same unit as years prior. Defensive lineman Derrick Brown is on IR. They let Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos walk. Carolina is left with veterans like Jadaveon Clowney and A’Shawn Robinson. Second-year edge DJ Johnson does bring some speed, which the Raiders tackles could struggle against.

In the secondary, the Raiders should have favorable matchups. Outside of Jaycee Horn at corner, Carolina fields a bunch of veterans. Safeties Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller are proven starters. However, they lack the size and ball skills against the Raiders’ TEs. Troy Hill and Mike Jackson are the other corners. Jakobi Meyes and Tre Tucker bring the explosiveness to win those matchups. Adams size and physicality should also dominate this corner group. Mishnew needs to keep getting the ball out to his playmakers, efficiently.

Otherwise, the Raiders have yet to really establish their running game. All their key players should be good to go today. At home, Zamir White needs a big game. Ideally, White needs to help the team sit on a lead and control the clock.

Vegas should absolutely win this game if they can run the ball, throw the ball efficiently, play discipline defense, and pressure the quarterback. A 2-1 start would feed the Antonio Pierce bandwagon. It should give them some momentum headed into a physical matchup against the Cleveland Browns next week.

The Raiders cannot afford to overlook the Carolina Panthers. They cannot underestimate this winless team. You don’t want to play down to their level. You do want to continue to establishing your identity. Vegas needs to set the tone and showcase their identity as a playoff contender.

Raiders Rants: Week Two 2020, Aldon Smith and More

Imagine almost blowing a double-digit lead to the re-tooled Carolina Panthers? That’s exactly what the Raiders almost did last week versus the Carolina Panthers.

They pulled out the Week One win which we will take but they almost lost it due to a second half run. This gives Raiders fans PTSD considering they haven’t been great in the second half under Gruden or JDR.

This week the competition goes up a step versus the New Orleans Saints. NOLA quietly has a conclave of Raiders Nation but this game will be the first one in Las Vegas. It will be sans fans.

A Win in Perspective

Nonetheless, the Saints have been a perennial contender. They looked like that again in Week One. They welcomed Tom Brady to the NFC South with a few interceptions. New Orleans also kept the running game in check in Week One.

However, Tampa bounced back versus the Panthers in Week Two. They got Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette back on track. I tell you that to show you where Carolina, the team the Raiders got their first win against, stacks up in the NFC South.

Anyways, Vegas is still looking to establish themselves. In Week One, the defense left something to be desired with only one sack and zero interceptions versus the Panthers. Tampa Bay made a couple of interceptions and sacks versus Carolina.

Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson went off for triple digit receiving yards and a touchdown versus the Raiders and Buccs. McCaffrey did his thing in Week One with two TDs and more than 100 yards from scrimmage. He did the same in Week two, although he got hurt.

Also for Vegas, Nelson Agholor took some money out of people’s pockets by scoring the Raiders only receiving TD versus the Panthers. Derek Carr took some shots in that game and finished with a pretty consistent stat line.

Carr Driven By Others

Carr will need more help from his young receivers this week versus an established New Orleans secondary and pass rush. Agohlor is the vet of the bunch and should get more looks.

Either way, Vegas will need to lean on Jacobs to control the clock. Jacobs finished just short of the hundred yard mark versus the Panthers but finished three drives for the Raiders. The Raiders offensive line will need to establish Jacobs early to neutralize an aggressive NOLA d-line.

Otherwise, New Orleans thrives in a dome shootout. Their defense likes to take chances and play aggressive with a lead. Shout out to Dennis Allen, the former Raiders coach we all try and forget about.

Still, the Raiders haven’t proven they have the outside talent to keep up in that scenario. The Raiders’ best weapon will be keeping Drew Brees and that offense off the field. They can challenge this Saints defense by keeping the game close and making them play discipline football.

Defensive Keys

On Defense, the Raiders get some help with Michael Thomas expected to miss this game. Raiders LT Kolton Miller played pretty well in Week One. He’ll have an even bigger test versus the Saints edge Cam Jordan.

Regardless, Brees and the Saints have proven they can find receivers. Emmanuel Sanders knows the Raiders well from his extended time in Denver.

Jared Cook was also a Pro Bowler with the Silver and Black. Alvin Kamara can impact the game as a receiver and runner much like McCaffrey in Week One. New Orleans also utilizes the Tay Train, Latavius Murray. Any of them could have a big game versus the Raiders defense with Thomas’ touches.

Keeping that offense in check will be a matter of disrupting Brees and the backfield. The Raiders defensive line has to keep improving. Please get a sack or a pick this week.

BTW, the Raiders are paying their linebackers and safeties a lot of money. Let’s see some turnovers to give the offense an advantage.

Will the Saints March Into Vegas?

The point is, the Raiders face an incredible challenge versus the Saints this week. It’ll take incredible discipline and everything going right to stay competitive.

What the Raiders do have going for them is momentum from a Week One win and the hype for opening a new Stadium and market. A win here could have the Raiders looking like a contender again as they were early last year. A loss could have them stumble to the middle of the pack with only a win over Carolina.

The good news is that it is still early in the season and the Raiders have more non-division opponents after this game. That gives them plenty of time to establish themselves before the games mean a little more in the AFC West.

More from the AFC West

Speaking of which, what if I told you rookie Justin Herbert almost lead the Los Angeles Chargers to a win over the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. That shouldn’t be surprising since the Bolts have been playing the Chiefs tight the past few years.

Still, Herbert looked good. He took chances that kept drives going. He showed his toughness and leadership on scrambles. Their running game also continued to look good as well as their receivers. The Chargers could quietly have the best QB not named Mahomes if Herbert keeps developing.

One Final Shoutout

Also, shoutout to Aldon Smith. The former Raider who only played a half a season before receiving an extended ban returned to the field for the Cowboys. He lit up the Rams in Week One with a sack, TFL and several more tackles.

Smith came back to reality in Week Two but just seeing him return to the field after battling alcoholism, D.V. allegations, weed and a bunch more stuff is great. I’ve been rooting for him since Day One so I had to shoutout his success one-time.

Anyways, I’m ready for some football and I think Vegas is too.

Week One Welcome Back

There’s a lot to talk about ahead of Week One 2020.

Unfortunately, I haven’t met my duties as a Raiders blogger this offseason. Between COVID and taking in my two brothers and sister, I’ve been busy. I was covering the Lakers, doing a two-times weekly podcast and started my own newsletter. 

However, that all came to a stop when my 14-year-old brother couldn’t go anywhere else and when my 16-year-old sister felt so abandoned by her adopted mother that she ran away 2,000 miles across the country without telling a soul. Them two and my twelve-year-old brother are home with me now.

Football takes on a whole knew meaning when you’re in the Dad life. It’s no longer just entertainment. It’s the time of the week to see friends and be left alone. It’s a past time to share with your family. 

Anyways, back to the Raiders. The Silver and Black have long been my Sunday escape. I probably need it more this year than ever.

New Defensive Era, Please

I am looking forward to finally having a steady group of linebackers. We know the two big free agents Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. They should make not covering the tight end a legend left in Oakland. I am also interested to see Raekwon McMillan in the mix as a run stuffer. 

The defensive line should also improve with another year experience and some dead weight let go. Maliek Collins has been one of the talks of camp. They gave a lot of money to Carl Nassib who should see a lot of snaps. Arden Key and Mo Hurst got to show some gains to stay in the rotation. Maxx Crosby needs no sophomore slump.

Speaking of which, I still would’ve signed another vet like Jadeveon Clowney. They still need that massive disruptor that makes every one else better. I’m not sure if Clelin Ferrell is that guy but they need to give him opportunities all on the d-line to find out.

The back end should also be interesting. The Raiders didn’t make a move there based on the development of Trayvon McMullen and the potential of Damon Arnette. LaMarcus Joyner also go double-digit million reasons to improve. Jonathan Abram needs to stay healthy and deliver on last year’s Hard Knocks hype too.

Offense Leading The Way

On Offense, there’s no excuses. Jon Gruden and Derek Carr Year Three. Plenty of talent. The Raiders have an elite back in Josh Jacobs and line to support Carr. 

His receiver group will miss Tyrell Williams’ size and speed. They will start rookie receivers in Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards for the first time since the DHB and Louis Murphy era.

A Thought On Drafting

Which BTW, Las Vegas needs to stop drafting developmental talent like Lynn Bowden Jr. If they are unwilling to do everything to develop him. They traded him for a future pick the same offseason they drafted him despite knowing he was a gadget guy who would take time go hit the field. 

As for the tight ends, the Raiders have a top group. Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Jason Witten and Derek Carrier give them the right blend of size, blocking and pass catching.

This Raiders team is positioned to run the ball and take shots. It will be up to the play caller to make those calls and the QB to execute.

Week One Matchup 2020

Nonetheless, the Raiders face a formidable opponent in Carolina. Teddy Bridgewater is a fellow member of the 2014 Draft class like Carr. Jacobs is not on McCaffrey’s level but both are threats any time they touch the ball. 

The Raiders must do whatever it takes to own the line of scrimmage to disrupt Bridgewater and McCaffrey. Ball will be out quick guaranteed in Matt Rhule’s offense. Shout out to former Raiders receiver Seth Roberts who is on this roster.

On defense, the Panthers are also retooling. They will start two highly regarded rookies. Vegas should dominate these guys early and often.

Carolina also replaces one of the best backers in this generation with Tahir Whitehead. Raiders fans know his liabilities in coverage. Again, circle our tight ends all day. 

Ultimately, this should setup as a nice test for where the Raiders are versus another young team in the middle of a retool or rebuild. It is still hard to look past them given we haven’t seen their offense in the NFL yet. 

Not to mention, we last Bridgewater helping the Saints take command of the NFC. McCaffrey is also the league’s biggest x-factor.

Vegas Days

Regardless, there is no reason the Raiders can’t start the Vegas era undefeated. With or without fans, 1-0 in a new stadium is what our fans deserve. 

We’ve had this looming over us for years, decades really. We finally have a home that is uniquely ours and we can’t even see a game. Damn. I’m also not sure how COVID will impact our tackling or blocking. Will we see more injuries? 

Either way, the Raiders gotta start the 2020s and their tenure in Vegas by Just Winning Baby! This Carolina game sets up exactly like that but it could easily be a trap game if Vegas doesn’t handle business urgently. We are gonna need that confidence from a win versus the Saints and the rest of the AFC West.