Good Bye: Raiders Plan To Build Momentum After Break

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Although the team started 1-4, the Las Vegas Raiders still believe they can make a run after the bye.

When the Raiders 2022 schedule was released, a Week Six bye seemed incredibly early for a team that made a habit in 2021 of turning their weekly matchups into grueling battles that may have led them to hope for a later bye to recover and prepare for a potential playoff run. However, after a crushing 1-4 start, the bye week could not have come at a better time. 

Flashes In The Pan

Las Vegas has shown sparks of high-level play, such as establishing twenty and seventeen-point leads against the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, both double-digit leads would turn into heartbreaking losses. It had appeared the Raiders learned from their loss to the Cardinals that no lead is safe, and that taking their foot off the gas before the clock hits zero rarely increases their win percentage, but their loss to the Chiefs leads many to believe otherwise. 

Started Well, Fizzled Out

Against Kansas City, the Raiders did a better job of keeping the intensity up but took significantly fewer chances while maintaining their 10+ point lead. Seeing as the Raiders defense is not coming close to entering the “best defense of all time” conversation, the age-old adage of “play like you’re losing” many youth sports coaches hammered into their players continues to carry weight as impeccable advice to all teams. 

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Get Well Games

With the Raiders’ schedule featuring the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in their next three games, there should be multiple opportunities for the team to learn how to operate with a lead. With such a negative start, it is certainly difficult to remain positive, but the season is still fairly young. The team’s new coach Josh McDaniels must have a very good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each player on his team, and Josh Jacobs’ increase in usage is a perfect example of McDaniels being willing to make adjustments moving forward. 

Glass Half Full

It must be noted that the Raiders are not that far off from being 3-2, 4-1, or even 5-0. Even in their bad games, the Raiders are losing close. In fact, the team only has a -five-point differential and their point differential in losses is only 14 points. To be fair, the Raiders are not playing their best and simply getting unlucky at the end of games. The team is losing some of their games while having a win in hand, making each dropped game a bit more painful than the last. 

No Margin For Error

Throughout the rest of the season, the Raiders must go 9-3 after the bye to match their record from 2021. However, with the AFC West (and AFC in general) not being as intimidating as initially projected, a 9-8 record (will need to finish 8-5) could at least put them in the hunt when the final weeks of the season roll around. Like an Oreo, the Raiders season features a soft middle, with the front and back ends being much harder, which could lead to a stunning turnaround. 

Long Road Ahead

When Las Vegas returns from their bye, they will immediately land in a pocket of very winnable games. If the team does its job, closes out games, and does not get too cute with a lead, the Raiders could find themselves back at .500 (4-4) before Week Ten, which will not clinch a playoff spot but will certainly improve their outlook for the rest of the season.