Before we get very far let me ask you a question — and be honest: what were your expectations for the Oakland Raiders this season? It’s a simple question, but also an important one because I think it’s one we should use to understand what is happening to the Raiders right now.
Two weeks ago, the Raiders were 6-4 and in contention for both a Wild Card spot and a divisional title. Today? They’re 6-6 — still very much in contention for a Wild Card spot, but all-but-eliminated from the AFC West race. And I would argue that how you feel about everything I just said should be colored by what your expectations were.
Today, most Raider fans are upset or disappointed. This team gave them hope and has since been eviscerated in back-to-back weeks to the tune of 74-12. All of a sudden a season that was a pleasant surprise has become an abject failure.
But has it?
Heading into the season, Vegas set the over/under win total for the Raiders at six. Essentially they were saying that anything more than six wins would be a surprise to them, and yet, here we are with four weeks remaining and the Raiders have already met expectations!
Heading into the season, the playoffs were not expected to be a realistic goal. The hope was that young players would develop, the team would become more competitive and then they would look towards another year of multiple high draft picks plus cap space before really competing in 2020. And yet, what has been lost in the shuffle of the last two weeks is the fact that every single one of these goals has already been achieved.
The Raider rookies are performing at historic levels. Not only have the Raiders been competitive, but they’re also right in the thick of the playoff race — and with four winnable games still on the schedule!
So, before we rehash the nightmare that was this past Sunday in Kansas City, let’s remember to keep things in perspective and not get caught up in a bad eight-day stretch to the point we forget everything that came before it.
As for Sunday…
Defense did their job
It sounds weird to say that in a game in which the Chiefs scored 40 points, but a look at the box score provides an unexpected surprise. The Raider defense allowed just 259 total yards to the Chiefs. Think about that for a second! They averaged just 4.4 yards per play and 3.3 yards per rush on the afternoon — all of which should be considered a massive win for a struggling Raider unit.
Unfortunately, penalties and the offense didn’t do them any favors…
Self-inflicted wounds
How do you give up 40 points to a team that gains just 259 total yards? You commit 12 penalties for 99 yards and turn the ball over three times. First drive of the game? Interception returned inside Oakland territory. Second drive of the game? Fumble recovered at the Oakland 24. Fourth drive of the game? Turnover on downs on the Kansas City 40. Fifth drive of the game? Pick-six.
Five drives, three turnovers and a turnover on downs — all of which led to a 21-0 Kansas City halftime lead.
And what about the penalties? Not only were there a lot — but the timing was critical. On Kansas City’s first drive, they had third-and-goal from the seven and Patrick Mahomes’ pass fell incomplete. The problem? Benson Mayowa was offside. Try it again, touchdown.
Second Chiefs scoring drive? third-and-11 from the Oakland 29, pass falls incomplete but defensive holding on Nevin Lawson. Automatic first down. Two plays later, Mahomes walked into the end zone.
Third offensive scoring drive for the Chiefs? third-and-11 from their own 45, pass falls incomplete but Tahir Whitehead is flagged for unnecessary roughness, automatic first down (Whitehead was actually flagged twice on this play because he was also offside).
I’ll pause here, but believe me when I say that I could go on and on with this stuff.
Jacobs and Waller Shine
I’ll end on a positive here, which is that Oakland’s two best offensive players continued to ball. Josh Jacobs finished with 104 yards on 17 carries (6.6 ypc), while Darren Waller caught seven of nine targets for an even 100 yards. While questions circulate about how well Derek Carr performs in the cold — or even just in Kansas City in particular — it’s nice to know neither of these guys will have to face the same questions.
