A season ago, the Raiders struggled mightily after halftime, prompting an obvious question: has the game passed coach Jon Gruden by? Defensive coordinator, Paul Guenther, faced the same scrutiny, and rightfully so.
But in 2020, Las Vegas has gotten its act together in the all-important third quarter. It was especially evident in the Raiders’ win over the Chargers. Gruden’s crew outscored LA 14-3 after intermission.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders were dead last in third-quarter points scored in 2019. This year, the club scores the ninth-most points during that frame. The defense has improved there, too. It allowed the second-most points last season and has tightened up to allow the fourth-fewest points in 2020.
Gruden says it’s an emphasis for the coaches and gives credit to quarterback Derek Carr for leading the way on the field.
“To start the game and start the third quarter is always emphasized. It’s a credit to the quarterback, No. 1,” Gruden told reporters on Wednesday. “When you’re moving the ball and scoring points, you always start with the quarterback. He’s playing great. He’s not playing good, he’s really playing great for us. I think we have a better supporting cast this year, not even close to be honest with you. These guys are really in it, they’re on it, so I think that has a lot to do with it. But it’s only midway through the season. It’s not where you line up, it’s where you wind up.”
Carr doesn’t play both sides of the ball, but the offense’s success helps the defense to stay fresh. The supporting cast is certainly not to be overlooked, either, but the club is still thriving lately without some starting offensive lineman, making matters more difficult.
But most importantly, the Raiders have to keep this trend going, as Gruden said. The team is in the playoff hunt now, but it’s no time to lose sight of the details, such as starting each half strongly and turning that into an advantage consistently.