Raiders Opinion: The Pain Lingers After Loss In Inglewood

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The Las Vegas Raiders need to shake off the inexplicable loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Question is, can they?

After the Las Vegas Raiders come from behind victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, I had jokingly suggested that the Raiders start each game with a turnover, in order to rev up the defense and keep the team locked in and hungry. Shockingly, that strategy sounds slightly better after the Raiders’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams, as the team easily marched down the field to score a touchdown on their first drive. 

Stalled Out

Following that drive, the Raiders would not score another touchdown and would attempt to field goal the Rams to death, a strategy that is rarely successful when implemented in the first quarter. From early in the year, Josh McDaniels was raising concerns that the team did not know how to win. Since the Raiders have proven they do know how to win, but they have also exposed the fact that McDaniels may not know how to close out games. 

The Loss To End All Losses

Las Vegas posted a handful of embarrassing blown leads in 2022, and it boils down to the Raiders playing far too passively with a lead. Against the Rams on Thursday, the Raiders led by a mere ten points at halftime, yet the second-half offense consisted of attempting to run out the clock. The game was never signed and sealed, yet Derek Carr was called to throw the ball only TWENTY times. This would be forgivable if the game was played in horrendous weather conditions, but Sofi Stadium is not only in beautiful Los Angeles but is also a covered stadium, keeping passing conditions perfect. 

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Foot Off The Gas

When the Raiders trail, the offensive strategy calls for taking chancesYet, as soon as McDaniels feels comfortable with a lead, he pulls the offense into its shell. Then he tries to play clock games and rely on the defense. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. This remains the strategy McDaniels forced on the team all year. As a result, like a baby being spoon-fed mashed peas, there is a major disconnect between the provider and the receiver.

McStruggles

McDaniels’ lack of awareness and inability to even attempt to change his ways should have spelled his downfall multiple times this season, but the Raiders’ 16-17 loss to the Rams, led by Baker Mayfield, who had been with the team for less than forty-eight hours, is his worst miscue. Regardless of the Raiders’ three-game winning streak or their minuscule playoff chances at the time, this is an unforgivable loss. The most unfortunate part of the loss is its timing. Many were beginning to buy into McDaniels, but it is incredibly difficult to believe he has half the support he did prior to the loss. 

One More Month

In the last four games the Raiders rode the beginning of an insane rollercoaster. Those three straight wins shot expectations and hope sky high. In contrast, the last-second loss brought everything crashing down to earth. Prior to the win streak, the Raiders looked primed for a formidable draft pick after the winning streak. The team eyed an outside-outside shot at a playoff spot. Now, they find themselves with the tenth pick, with four games to attempt to improve it.