Losers
Brandon Parker
Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker continues to have moments that beg the question: how is he even on the field?
Obviously, he’s the Raiders’ best option. And that speaks volumes regarding how poorly Las Vegas has managed its personnel over the last few years.
In the second half, after a 16-yard run by Jacobs provided some optimism for the Raiders offense, Parker badly missed a block, leading to a tackle for loss for the Bengals that stifled Las Vegas’ modest momentum.
SAM THE MAN đź’Ş
Watch on CBS pic.twitter.com/0Xsa4U2der
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 21, 2021
Watching a replay of the snap during the game (14-second mark in the clip above), my jaw dropped. Parker simply does not look like an NFL offensive tackle on the play, and it’s not the first time that’s happened.
He shouldn’t be allowed to protect the Raiders’ skill players, unfortunately. Even more unfortunate, he’s the best the Raiders have at a time when they need much more.
Zay Jones
Wide receiver Zay Jones has struggled to make an impact all season long. Early on, however, he lacked snaps. Now he’s getting all the snaps any receiver could ever want but barely producing at all.
He had just one catch, and it was in garbage time. Carr targeted Jones just twice out of his 27 total attempts. Jones was more noticeable on special teams than on offense.
The Raiders have been talking Jones up for years now, but he’s done next to nothing in his Las Vegas career. And right now, the Raiders badly need one of their wideouts to step up. It appears Jones is nowhere close to the answer in that department, though his special teams play was solid.
Quinton Jefferson
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson got one of the Raiders’ three sacks on the day, but he still lands on the losers’ list. He’s here to represent Las Vegas’ multiple costly penalties against the Bengals.
Jefferson lined up offsides on a first-half 3rd-and-12 play for Cinncinati that ended in a Ngakoue sack, which was of course wiped out due to the penalty. Later in the drive, cornerback Brandon Facyson (who was tested all day and had an uneven, gritty performance) was called for a late hit, further aiding the Bengals march, which ended in a touchdown from running back Joe Mixon. The TD gave the Bengals a 10-6 lead they would not relinquish.
A roughing the quarterback penalty on Ngakoue was also costly, and Las Vegas had seven penalties to the Bengals’ one, and seemingly all were costly for the Raiders.
A couple of desperation plays from Carr led to two late turnovers for the Raiders and the rout eventually arrived. It never felt as though the Raiders had a legit chance to win this one, however, especially after that first blown opportunity to start the game.
Perhaps there was hope briefly after Moreau’s touchdown, but the offense, which was 1-for-7 on third down, never seemed fully engaged or in sync (perhaps best illustrated by a run on a 3rd-and-6 play in the first half). And the run defense struggled yet again.
Now, Las Vegas will face the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. After three straight stinkers, the Raiders clearly have a lot of issues to address on a short week. Coming out ready to play is the least they can do for fans that will spend part of their holiday watching the silver and black, hoping their squad can still make a move in the AFC.
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