Raider Week

[MileHigh64]

It's officially here and early in the 2018 season. Watching the Raiders tonight on MNF and I'm a little impressed that Oakland is playing as well as they are against the Rams (through one half). Lynch, Cook, Carr and Cooper are off to a pretty good start and the Raiders defense is surprisingly better (so far) than I thought they would be without Mack.

One can never make too much out of one game and this one's not over yet but I'm excited to get the Raiders into Denver next week. I figured we might as well start a Raiders week thread, so post your hate here!

 

[SpiritOf77]

Cook looks unstoppable ..

He ran over Talib for that first down like a 1977 Delta 88 plowing down a row of rickety mailboxes

( not that I'd know anything about that )

 

[cdumler7]

I'm interested to see how the Raiders handle the size at the skill positions of the Broncos. Rams seem to be struggling in the red zone but have very little size to win some tight window opportunities like what I think the Broncos can do. Also the weakness of the Raiders offense is the Tackles and well the edge guys are the very strength of the Broncos so could be a fun matchup.

 

[MileHigh64]

I'm interested to see how the Raiders handle the size at the skill positions of the Broncos. Rams seem to be struggling in the red zone but have very little size to win some tight window opportunities like what I think the Broncos can do. Also the weakness of the Raiders offense is the Tackles and well the edge guys are the very strength of the Broncos so could be a fun matchup.

Agreed. Also curious to see how the Broncos game plan for Beast Mode and Carr's quick dump offs. Always better to play an opponent in week 2, so we can get some game planning film on them.

 

[MileHigh64]

My early read is that Oakland is giving 100% to this MNF game. Coming into Mile High next weekend is going to be a rough challenge for the Raiders. Play our game (minus Keenum's interceptions) and the Broncos should be victorious. That's my story for now anyway!

 

[cdumler7]

Agreed. Also curious to see how the Broncos game plan for Beast Mode and Carr's quick dump offs. Always better to play an opponent in week 2, so we can get some game planning film on them.

Beastmode will get a couple of decent carries for sure but as much as they have talked about him in this game he still only has like 40 yards. he doesn't have that burst to get away when he does break a couple of tackles.

Also seeing the Raiders have no pass rush makes me excited to see what this passing attack can do. Rams haven't hit the deep balls in this one but there will be some nice opportunities down the field.

 

[MileHigh64]

Raiders seem to have also given their A effort in the first half and are fading fast. Wait til they get a fresh taste of altitude and Miller/Chubb and company coming at them!

 

[cdumler7]

Raiders seem to have also given their A effort in the first half and are fading fast. Wait til they get a fresh taste of altitude and Miller/Chubb and company coming at them!

Rams made adjustments to take away the quick passes and Carr is the type of QB that struggles with pressure in his face. His best year in the league was when he had maybe the best OL in football. He doesn't have that this season by any means with both tackles struggling and Gabe Jackson just not looking like his old self one bit.

 

[SpiritOf77]

You had to know that Wade was going to make adjustments .. And I think as important is the fact the the stadium was electric in that first half - that good start by the Raiders was cathartic for the crowd - and probably the Raiders' players - after losing Khalil Mack ... There was this flood of "hey, we can do this" - and that was the perfect scenario for Gruden and his return ..

But the wind came out of the sails, fast - esp after Carr's disastrous INT ...

Carr appears to get thrown off his game when he makes a mistake - he doesn;t seem to have the moxy to forget it and move on .. He going to be feeling the pressure all year after Gruden came out and said that they can't pay two mega saleries, and Mack was the one to go ..... Trying to put my homerism aside, I don;t think Carr has what it takes ... Musgrave had that offense on the rise, and there is a good chance that we've seen the best that Carr can be ..

The playing field will be very different in Denver this upcoming Sunday - that opening night emotion - the honeymoon will end very very fast if we take it to the Raiders ... The Mack deal could hang over that team for a long time if the wheels start to fall off

 

[Draft Crazy]

The Raiders started on a little high. The Rams started a little confused not playing together with a new group of guys on defense. This was a game you were hoping the Raiders wouldn't sneak away with early on because you knew by week 4 the Rams would have no problem with them.

 

[Mingo]

Shouldn't the thread title be: Raider's Weak?

Go Broncos

 

[CEH]

Rams made adjustments to take away the quick passes and Carr is the type of QB that struggles with pressure in his face. His best year in the league was when he had maybe the best OL in football. He doesn't have that this season by any means with both tackles struggling and Gabe Jackson just not looking like his old self one bit.

Who doesn’t struggle with pressure in their face?

 

[Draft Crazy]

Who doesn’t struggle with pressure in their face?

Paris Hilton.

 

[Mingo]

Paris Hilton.

I should not reward this with laughter - but I did.

 

[cdumler7]

Who doesn’t struggle with pressure in their face?

Good point but I would say there are QB's out there that handle it better than others obviously. Carr turns into a pumpkin with pressure. Those two major injuries have him a bit gun shy so to me if the Broncos can get early pressure in this game then they should be able to walk away with a win. Can't let Carr get comfortable.

Personally i would take away the short passes that he loves so much and force him to beat you holding onto the ball knowing that Von Miller is coming after him.

 

[iknowftbll]

If both teams play their A game the Broncos win by 10. Of course, if the Broncos play their A game on defense the Raiders won’t be able to play their A game.

On offense the key is on Keenum protecting the ball. If you think about how the unit looked last week, those picks he threw stopped that game from being a blood letting. This week I don’t think it’ll take 470 yards of offense to get 27 points. It’ll be a more efficient looking unit.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Who doesn’t struggle with pressure in their face?

The problem with Carr seems to be not the actual pressure (although that does cause problems too), but that he often senses "phantom pressure". He can panic just by thinking he's being pressured even in times where most QB's wouldn't sense a problem.

 

[cdumler7]

If both teams play their A game the Broncos win by 10. Of course, if the Broncos play their A game on defense the Raiders won’t be able to play their A game.

On offense the key is on Keenum protecting the ball. If you think about how the unit looked last week, those picks he threw stopped that game from being a blood letting. This week I don’t think it’ll take 470 yards of offense to get 27 points. It’ll be a more efficient looking unit.

I would also add to this the Raiders don't have a great punter so the Broncos shouldn't have to drive the full length of the field to score like they did against the Seahawks. That punter for them is something special.

 

[cdumler7]

The problem with Carr seems to be not the actual pressure (although that does cause problems too), but that he often senses "phantom pressure". He can panic just by thinking he's being pressured even in times where most QB's wouldn't sense a problem.

Once he got hit in that Rams game he looked at his first read then went directly to his checkdown. It was either that or he started looking for an escape out of the pocket as soon as he saw his #1 target covered. He is not the same player since this last injury.

 

[cdumler7]

Since that last back injury he has thrown I think 15 TD's and 15 interceptions. Again just isn't trusting his OL to hold up, afraid to get hit so won't step into throws decreasing his deep ball accuracy that was pretty good before last year, and is just looking to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. Not what you want out of your franchise paid QB that just cost you a top-5 defensive player in the league.