Let me take you back. To October the 21st of the year 2020. The Raiders had just finished up a bye week after a big win over the Chiefs in their house and they were returning to work to prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Or at least some of them were.
That day, instead of carrying the confidence from their big win at Arrowhead into Allegiant to face Tom Brady and the Bucs, they were instead taking the practice field without their entire starting offensive line and their starting safety.
Trent Brown had tested positive for COVID-19 and hadn’t been wearing his tracking device around the facility while his offensive linemates were not wearing their masks around him. So, they all were sent home.
All but Brown and safety Johnathan Abram were cleared to play in the game Sunday after testing negative five consecutive days. Then they started the game and looked completely out of sync. The result was the Bucs strong run defense stifled the Raiders and Josh Jacobs averaged just 1.7 yards per carry on ten carries.
After the game, several players and coaches cited the lack of practice for the issues the offensive line had in the game. It clearly was a major factor, especially against one of the league’s top run defenses.
Now, imagine that same thing happening to the defense against the league’s top offense coming off a bye week.
Actually, you don’t need to imagine it because it is happening.
Today the Raiders placed seven players on their reserve/COVID-19 list. Those players are S Johnathan Abram, DT Maliek Collins, DT Johnathan Hankins, DL David Irving, CB Isaiah Johnson, DE Arden Key and DT Kendal Vickers.
This coming a day after the team had placed DE Clelin Ferrell and DB Lamarcus Joyner on the list. They joined LB Cory Littleton and T Trent Brown who were already on the list.
That makes six defensive starters who will at very least miss the entire week of practice for close contact. With Ferrell and Littleton expected to miss the game having tested positive.
Being down six starters and several reserves for an entire week of practice would be bad news in any situation. Let alone the situation they’re in, which is facing the reigning Super Bowl champs coming out of a bye week and looking for revenge after the Raiders represent their only loss of the season.
The Chiefs have been using that loss and the Raiders taking a victory lap around their stadium after the game as bulletin board material. They have plenty of motivation for this one. And they have everything going in their favor to get their vengeance in primetime on Sunday Night Football.
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