The Oakland Raiders will be hanging their heads low for the next few days after a disappointing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. While there are still two games left in their 2019 season, the Raiders’ playoff hopes are fading by the week.
The Raiders were hoping that their final home game in Oakland would end on a high note, instead, the team allowed the Jaguars to come back and earn a 20-16 come-from-behind victory. The Raiders season has by no means been perfect, but this was clearly one of the lowest points.
For breakout defensive rookie Maxx Crosby, he wanted to win this game badly and understood that the city of Oakland wanted it just as bad, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
Maxx Crosby: “We had the game in our hands until the last 30 seconds. We really wanted it. The whole city wanted it. It sucks.”
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) December 16, 2019
Oakland led for most of the game and had a chance to run out the clock, but an officiating blunder led to the Jaguars getting the ball back in time for a game-winning drive.
With that, the game was over and so was the Raiders’ time in Oakland. Although as Crosby mentioned, the Raiders had the game in hand until the final couple of minutes, there is plenty of blame to go around in this one.
The Raiders defense has had its ups and downs in 2019 but has had the makings of an elite NFL defense. Players like Crosby and fellow rookie Clelin Ferrell are starting to become formidable pass rushers.
However, that defense could do little to stop Gardner Minshew and the Jaguars in the second half of the Week 15 matchup. In yet another tale of two halves for the Raiders as they allowed just three points in the first before giving up 17 in the second.
As the Raiders depart from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for the last time, there will be plenty to think about. Their remaining two games may lead them to a playoff berth if they win, but it would take some luck to get them in.
More than that, the Raiders are hopefully focusing on how to make Las Vegas a better chapter than the previous. While Oakland will always remain a Raider town, the team did not see too many playoff appearances during their second stint in the Bay Area. For better or for worse, it is time to move on.
