After defeating the Cardinals, the Oakland Raiders flew east to take on the Baltimore Ravens. In addition, Derek Carr proclaimed that he wants to keep winning. During the week, Carr bashed critics that accused the team of tanking. Meanwhile, the Ravens defeated the Raiders, 34-17. Once again, Oakland sputtered offensively. Moreover, the defense failed to contain the Ravens on the ground.
Carr
As mentioned, Derek Carr entered the game with a little bit of boldness. During the game, he did not back up these words with great play. Against a stout Ravens defense, the Raiders’ QB threw for 194 yards on 16/34 passing. Combined with drops and poor line play, Carr could not get a rhythm. While the receivers did him no favors, Carr himself, struggled.
Offensive Line
Granted, Kolton Miller fights through mounting injuries, the Raiders protection looked porous. On the other side, Brandon Parker did not fare well. Facing a Ravens rush, Parker surrendered three sacks to Matt Judon. In addition, Terrell Suggs scooped and scored with a fumble. With Carr enduring serious abuse, what does the future hold for OL coach Tom Cable? With a veteran interior, the Raiders need to perform better upfront.
Containing LJ
When the Raiders arrived in Baltimore, talk centered on rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. With 26 carries last week, the Ravens wanted to get Jackson up and running. Meanwhile, the Raiders provided no answer for Jackson. Although his rushing attempts dwindled, Jackson managed to run and throw for scores. On the other hand, the Raiders picked the rookie twice. Nicholas Morrow tallied eight tackles and two TFL in run support. As a result, the hope remains that Morrow sees extensive playing time down the stretch.
Crabtree
During his three years in Oakland, Michael Crabtree served as Derek Carr’s favorite target. However, in Baltimore, Crabtree struggles. With a rookie passer that prefers to run, Crabtree does not see many targets. In this game, Jackson targeted the veteran wideout six times. Of those, three found his hands and one found the endzone. After the game, Crabtree expressed grace and appreciation for ownership and the fans.
Up Next
In reality, the Raiders face their second of three impossible 2018 contest. After flying home, they welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to O.co. The Chiefs score 36.7 points per game. Regardless, the Raiders still need to show up. Who knows, a lucky bounce here or there, things could happen.
