At 2-6, the Las Vegas Raiders are undoubtedly one of the biggest disappointments of the NFL season so far. Coming into the season, there were a lot of expectations put on this team, especially offensively. On paper, the collection of offensive talent on this Raiders roster is the best since the Rich Gannon-led teams of the early 2000s.
But things have yet to click for these Raiders, and there are a number of reasons why. Injuries on both sides of the ball and failures to win the turnover battle have both played a role, amongst other things. But one thing Rich Gannon won’t point toward is head coach Josh McDaniels.
Gannon took to Twitter to state his disappointment in the Raiders season so far, but in expressing his belief in the team’s ability to turn things around, said that the players must take ownership for the shortcomings as well:
Extremely surprised & disappointed w @Raiders record at this point in the season but I believe they can & will play better in the 2nd half of the season. So common nowadays to just blame the coach. At some point the players have to take ownership of the team & find a way to win!
— Rich Gannon (@RichGannon12) November 8, 2022
The Raiders players certainly have not shied away from the disappointment in how things have gone so far this year. Both Davante Adams and Derek Carr have been outspoken about things needing to change while also continually expressing belief in the players on the roster and their ability to turn things around.
Gannon, like many others, sees the potential this roster has and expected a great season, especially coming off of last year’s push to the playoffs, despite a ton of distractions both on and off the field. And even though the playoffs seem like a near impossibility, the talent on this roster still gives this team a chance to make a run.
The fact that the Raiders have been able to get leads of 17 points or more in four games this season is proof of how explosive the offense can be. Their inability to hold on to those leads is what needs to be addressed, and considering that running back Josh Jacobs is enjoying the best season of his career, the pieces are there for this team to succeed.
While Gannon may point to the players, the onus will be on both them and the coaching staff to identify, fix, and execute so that this season can be salvaged.
