Raiders Questions: Two Down, Fourteen Left

After two weeks, the Raiders sit at 0-2. While many reasons exist for the winless record, questions do arise as to how this team arrived here. With fourteen games remaining, the team could still right the ship and pull out of this slide. However, issues need immediate addressing.

Why the Carr criticism?

Granted, Carr played a wretched game versus the Rams. He looked nervous, displayed happy feet, and did not have the 2016 confidence. Criticism after that game remains appropriate. However, yesterday, Carr played within himself, and performed well. Completing ninety percent of his passes for 288 yards show that he can excel in Jon Gruden’s system. Yet, if you scan social media, fans somehow made the game about him. Provided that they are blessed with sight, they should have seen Carr calmly execute. Yet, it doesn’t fit their narrative. This is where you can separate fans into groups. If you truly know the game, the Rams game fell squarely on Carr for the interceptions. Conversely, the Broncos’ game is nowhere near his fault. If Keith Smith catches that pass on 4^th-and-1, this convo does not look the same.

Will Doug Martin continue his play?

When Doug Martin signed, no one expected him to do much of anything. Coming off an up-and-down tenure in Tampa, Martin looked to spell Lynch.  While fourteen touches may not seem like a profound impact on a losing team, Martin handles his business. Averaging four yards per carry is all that anyone should ask of him. If he can keep this pace, the Raiders could have a solid backup whenever Lynch hangs up the spikes for good.

Why does Seth Roberts continue to astound, elate, and frustrate?

If you have followed Seth Roberts’ career, the path veers in a myriad of directions. While Roberts does provide strong downfield blocking, he will draw a holding call. In Sunday’s game, his unnecessary infraction cost the Raiders chink yardage. When many will chastise him, Roberts will redeem him. Although he only snared three catches for 43 yards, his 20-yard touchdown reception slipped between two defenders. Roberts makes the difficult catch but will drop the basic passes. With that said, despite criticism, he never stops working.

In reality, the 0-2 Raiders will probably struggle defensively. On the other hand, if they can generate a consistent level of offense, Oakland can eke out a few wins.