The Good:
Raiders DE Max Crosby and crew forced three turnovers which included a spectacular game-saving interception by cornerback Amik Robertson. Just Win Baby never felt so good!
The Bad & Ugly:
So, what made the Raiders Monday Night Football game so ugly and offensive? Offense, of course, or lack thereof. The Raiders have yet to score 20 or more points in five games. Their offensive play-calling looks conservative and predictable, their offensive line looks porous, their quarterback(s) and running game struggle behind a porous O-line, everything offensively looks out-of-synch. Yes, it starts up front.
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Observations:
When it comes to an underachieving or inconsistent team, responsibility falls flatly on the head coach. Many have pointed to Raiders second year coach Josh McDaniels as the problem. He has three Super Bowl victories as offensive coordinator of the Patriots and was considered by some to be "one of the top offensive minds in the NFL."
Yet, it's the Raiders offense that has weakened their chances of winning four of the five games they've played so far this season. Josh McDaniel must bear the blame for conservative play-calling and a number of questionable calls throughout games, two in last night's win.
He and/or his handpicked QB Jimmy Garoppolo seem unwilling or unable to utilize their full complement of receivers. One sports radio show host pointed out the slowness with which the Raiders offense operates. From plays getting sent in, to players getting on and off the field, to huddling and calling the play. He stated everything about the team overall just looks slow. And if you look at a winning team, you'll notice they play fast, confident, mistake free football, with an overall identity. The Raiders have shown none of these 'winning team qualities' so far this season.
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Questions:
With the Raiders record at 2-3, and twelve games left in the season, do you fire the Head Coach and/or his handpicked Offensive Coordinator Mike Lombardi? In putting together his coaching staff, McDaniels pulled much of it from New England Patriots personnel he had experience with. Same with free agents he brought in.
With starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo looking "lost in translation" in the pocket, do you give rookie Aidan O'connell another start after his turnover-filled debut game while filling in for concussed Jimmy-G in week 4? The kid did bounce back in the second-half of that game, but his third turnover sealed the teams' losing fate. There are rumors out there that teammates might want to see O'connell get another chance this season. Most Raiders fans also wanna see the kid at the helm. Raider Nation has likely seen enough of Jimmy-G to know that, "that dog just won't hunt."
With last night's impressive Defensive showing, do you continue with the same offensive formula of play while leaning on the defense, and hope that in time O-line play improves and things come together overall offensively? After all, a lot can happen in twelve NFL regular season games. Is the O-line issue a coaching/scheming problem or a personnel problem?
And lastly, does majority owner Mark Davis begin looking for a replacement head coach now instead of later? Maybe let McDaniel finish out the string and bring in a new HC for next season? The Raiders haven't had any real consistency at head coach since . . . John 'freakin' Madden. We can blame Big Al for a lot of that. After all, it was he who forced two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Tom Flores into a front office job, and it was he who forced the trade of head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Well Mark, what's it gonna be? You're in Las Vegas Now. Are you gonna Hold'em or Fold'em?
Win, Lose or Tie!
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