Raiders Ballers & Busters at the Bye

With it being the Raiders bye week, we take a look at their Ballers & Busters so far.

Busters

HC Josh McDaniels

Many of the issues the Raiders have been dealing with were entirely predictable. The offensive line woes in particular. And if everyone else could see it coming a mile away, McDaniels should not have just left it alone and hoped the issue would fix itself. It hasn’t.

Other issues were not as predictable and have been downright mind boggling. First it was Davante Adams’s near disappearance from the offense for two weeks — both losses — then it was his decision to go for two instead of kicking an extra point for a tie against the Chiefs and thus losing the game in regulation by one point.

QB Derek Carr

Thrice a Buster, one of them a Top Buster, never a Baller. His worst game was the season opener against the Chargers. So many drives would stall on errant passes or turnovers. Carr threw three interceptions in the game and the last three plays of the game were Carr fumbling, nearly throwing a pick, and fumbling again. That ain’t clutch, folks.

The Raiders lone win of the season was won on Josh Jacobs’s legs with some timely defensive plays including a defensive touchdown.

T Jermaine Eluemunor

He got the nod to start at right tackle to begin the season. And was a Buster in each of the first three games. The third time after moving inside to guard. He managed to stay off the Buster list last week while playing every snap at right tackle, so that’s a sign of progress. Though it’s just one game, so we’re gonna have to see more before making any judgments.

G Alex Bars

John Simpson is not a world beater, but he must of done something really bad to deserve to be benched in favor of Bars. While there are a few plays you can see Bars get good push to open a hole, there are more plays in which he gets beaten and gives up the stuff. I’m sure the Raiders are looking at the past two games and saying you can’t argue the results in terms of rushing. Though the failed two-point conversion on the Jacobs run was given up by Bars.