Getting Right For Winter?: Raiders' Victory Could Signal Surge -

The Las Vegas Raiders needed Sunday’s blowout win to regain any semblance of positive momentum.

After a well-timed bye week allowed the Las Vegas Raiders to recover and refocus to potentially right the ship before their playoff chances completely vanished. The Raiders started their game against the Houston Texans concerningly flat. The Texans felt like a bit of a get-right game, yet the score stood tied 10-10 at the half.

Slow Start

Typically, a team will emerge from their bye with a bit of zip, being well-rested and eager to get back to football, but the Raiders came out sleepwalking. Quarterback Derek Carr got banged up and hurried early, and fumbled a snap which he fortunately recovered. Las Vegas’ offense felt stale, like an exhausted team attempting to crawl into their bye week, and the Texans saw their chance to cause some chaos and cause chaos they did.

Around Full Press Coverage

OPINION: Morten Andersen: The Toughest Place To Kick? For Me, It Was This Place

NFL: NFL 2022: Five Key Statistics for Week 2

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs Stock Report: Week 2 2022

FULL PRESS BETS: NFL MVP Odds: Patrick Mahomes Leapfrogs Josh Allen For Top Spot

FANTASY FOOTBALL: Fantasy Football Value Picks In Every Round

PODCAST: Full Press NFL Podcast Ep 54: Chargers At Chiefs Preview

Rebounding Before The Half

Houston found the endzone first and maintained a lead until the weaning seconds of the first half when Carr found Mack Hollins on a beautifully placed touch pass from twenty-six yards out. Despite the halftime break, the touchdown appeared to recharge the Raiders through the second half, as playcalling creativity and general intensity appeared to increase in the second half.

Ep 161: Lions Dissapoint; NFL MVP; Week 12 Discussion
by Full Press Coverage on November 27, 2023 at 12:12 am

MORE PODCASTS From FPC

Surprising Composure

The Raiders waking up on the back end of the game was inspiring for future games, but the slow start was horrifying. Coaches will typically script the first dozen plays or so, just to get the offense rolling, before actively adjusting playcalls and game schemes to match what the opponents are showing. Concerningly enough, the plays Head Coach Josh McDaniels most likely scripted were some of their least successful plays of the entire game, unless, of course, he intended the Raiders to play as though they were giving the Texans a chance. McDaniels’ slow-starting offensive schemes will work against some of the teams on their schedule, as the Raiders’ talent can carry them enough to beat lesser teams, but the decision-making could put the team into an early hole against a more competent offense.

Pick-Six Clincher

Speaking of competent offenses, the Raiders should be incredibly thankful they were not facing a particularly threatening one on Sunday. Allowing more than 300 yards to Davis Mills spells career days for better quarterbacks with more intimidating targets. During the second half, Duron Harmon swiped an ill-advised pass from Mills and took it back to the endzone. The interception was the Raiders’ second defensive touchdown in three games.

Throwing Haymakers After Halftime

While the second-half Raiders came out looking like a completely different team than the first. Carr connected with Hollins and Hunter Renfrow on passes over twenty yards, but the offense lacked explosiveness. Even with Josh Jacobs logging a three-touchdown, 143-yard masterclass, the Raiders do not appear equipped to engage in shootouts. The scoreboard certainly can deceive, as the Raiders’ win was more so an example of a better team wearing down a lesser one. The game forces them to get more desperate than anything else.

Jacobs Carries Team

Although the Raiders entered the season indicating that Jacobs may not play a major role in the team’s offense moving forward, he shocked them. Jacobs is currently the team’s most consistent piece and deserves significant praise for the Raiders’ wins. Despite previous beliefs, it is now clear that Jacobs not only deserves to be paid but to be paid by these very Raiders. Jacobs established himself at least as a two-contract back.

Harbinger Of Future Success?

Perhaps the Raiders needed a half to shake the cobwebs off. Now, they can come out of the gates firing. Yet, if this team wants to go on a bit of a run through a below-average schedule, they will have to play all four quarters with the intensity they showed in the second half. A matchup with New Orleans looms, and the offense will have to be significantly more efficient as points should be much more difficult to come by.