Raiders Reviews: Bye Week Musings

While the Las Vegas Raiders enjoy their bye week, we can look back and admire the 5-2 record. Also, first place in the AFC must feel fantastic. Yet, no team is perfect. If the Raiders possess any strong desire to get to the playoffs, they will need to shore up the weak points and continue to perform at a high level. As a result, we’ll take a look at the good and bad.

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Jacobs Worry

After sixty carries and seventy-four total touches, combined with his running styles sees Josh Jacobs hobbling. For the entirety of his Raiders career, Jacobs appears bitten by the injury bug. Is it his fault? Of course not. Injuries remain a part of the game. However, Jacobs can’t seem to make it through the season unscathed. Granted, the running back position does nothing but batter your body. Yet, can the Raiders fully trust him for the rest of the year? On the other hand, hindsight, being the luckiest of phenomena, brought Kenyan Drake into the fold. As the weather turns and the Raiders set to play in colder climates, a downhill back like Jacobs means the world. Whether his touches fall to about a dozen or so, he needs monitoring.

469 Yards

In his second year, Henry Ruggs grabbed attention and targets. With 469 yards, the second-year players lead all Raiders in receiving yards. After a flat, rather uneven rookie campaign, the Bama product improved and apparently gained the trust of Derek Carr. Ruggs runs sharper, crisper routes and flows to the ball with a veteran’s confidence. While many, including yours truly, criticized Derek Carr for fixating on one wideout, he’s been an integral part of Ruggs’ development. Ruggs stretches the field and will win on underneath routes.

Late-Career Lockdown

Show another 32-year-old cornerback that appears better than he’s ever played so late in his career. By the widest margin, Casey Hayward has been the best Raiders corner in years. First, he doesn’t allow an abundance of completions, allowing only a 47.8 completion percentage. Hayward makes every target an adventure for wideouts. He will use his eyes and feet before his hands, perplexing teams into wanting to feast on the other side of the field.

Analysis

The Raiders sit at 5-2. To their credit, this team endured a litany of drama and injury. Yet, they sit atop of the division with an abundance of hope and confidence. Now, with ten games remaining, Vegas must continue the strong path forward.