Busters

Busters for Raiders Week 8 loss to Chiefs

The Raiders had their chances to make this game more competitive, but could never capitalize.

The Chiefs ran away with this game just before the half and never looked back. A 10-7 Raiders lead turned into a 17-10 deficit in just two minutes time. The Raiders had their chances to come back, but couldn’t get out of their own way or were just outmatched.

OC Luke Getsy

So many wasted opportunities in this game. Let’s start near the end of the second quarter. The Raiders had just fallen down 14-10 with under two minutes left. They had the chance to at very least be the last to have the ball. But instead they went three-and-out. First play was an end around the Chiefs sniffed out for no gain. Then a two-yard run. Then a blitz by the Chiefs that wasn’t picked up, forcing Minshew to throw it away. The Chiefs only needed to use one of their timeouts to get the ball back with a minute left. They used that time to drive for a second score in the final two minutes of the first half. That’s how to suck the air out of the building.

The first possession of the third quarter, the Raiders AGAIN went three-and-out. And it happened in much the same fashion as the previous one – run for minimal gain, short catch for no gain, and free runner on a blitz leading to an incompletion.

Next possession, the Raiders got a gift. First the defense stopped the Chiefs for a three-and-out with just one yard picked up. The punt was fielded near midfield by DJ Turner and returned to the KC 43. A late hit out of bounds tacked on another 15 yards, starting the Raiders out in field goal range at the 28. And despite getting some help from a KC holding penalty, and driving all the way to first and goal at the four, they still couldn’t punch it in. First play inside the five, Getsy had Tre Turner blocking a defensive end, leading to a four-yard loss on the run. Then on third and goal from the seven, he had John Samuel Shenker and Ameer Abdullah trying to block George Karlaftis, who brushed past both of them to get the sack.

Next possession the offense got an even bigger gift. An interception put them right back in first and goal inside the five. A second chance to get right what they got wrong the previous trip. They had the ball at the three, ran it three straight times and were still at the three. Minshew then ran right into a sack for the turnover on downs.

Understand what happened here. They had been abysmal at running the ball all day, with their backs averaging less than a yard per carry. So, they, of course, ran it three straight times and were held out of the end zone. This time last week, they were having some success running it against the Rams. And in this same situation, they abandoned the run, opting to pass it three straight times and were likewise kept from getting in the end zone. It’s like the only question when it comes to what play(s) to run is what will they least expect. Even though the reason they may not expect it is because it’s just a very bad idea that doesn’t play to your own strengths.

The only times the Raiders were able to score a TD in this game were the opening scripted drive and after they were down by two scores late. Any positive offensive numbers have to take those facts into consideration. That’s not winning football.

LB Robert Spillane

This was tough. On paper, Spillane had a great game. He led the team with 12 combined tackles (six solo) with one for a loss. But just three of those 12 tackles were inside four yards and didn’t result in a first down or touchdown.

He gave up a 13-yard catch on the first third down of the game to open up the Chiefs first touchdown drive. Their second touchdown drive, he again gave up the first down catch on their first third down. Then on third and goal from the five, he gave up the touchdown catch to Travis Kelce over the middle.

The Chiefs got the ball back with just under a minute left until the half. And Spillane gave up a wide open catch to Kelce along the way to them adding a field goal to go up 17-10. He later gave up chunk runs on each the Chiefs’ last two scoring drives.

T DJ Glaze

He gave up run stuff on the opening drive and a sack along with another run stuff that threatened to upend the Raiders’ second scoring drive. Then on their third scoring drive, he was tossed to give up a run stuff for a loss, and was flagged for illegal formation on third and goal. The Chiefs got a sack on the play, but no matter what, the Raiders weren’t scoring on the play because of the Glaze penalty.

CB Jakorian Bennett

Bennett also gave a 20-yard catch and a third down conversion. He just did it on three straight catch to lead out the Chiefs second touchdown drive. He then gave up a 16-yard that put the Chiefs in Raiders territory at the 40 in the final seconds of the second quarter, setting them up for their third score and the second in the final two minutes of the first half.

RB Alexander Mattison

Mattison finished with just 15 yards on 14 carries. Several times it seemed he left yards on the field. And a couple times perhaps even a touchdown. The big one was on third and goal from the one, where it appeared as if, had he run it straight up the gut, he would have just had LB Nick Bolton to go through to cross the goal line. But he went out right instead and was met by half the Chiefs’ defense where he was stopped for a loss.

DT John Jenkins

Credit to Jenkins for getting the tipped ball that led to the Raiders’ only takeaway. But other than that, it was that a great outing for the veteran defensive tackle. He was once again getting pushed all over the field.

He was run through on the first touchdown, then was blocked on an 11-yard shovel pass on the second TD drive. Then gave up two runs on the Chiefs’ final TD drive, including the one that put them in field goal range, and the third down conversion.

DC Patrick Graham

I lost count of how many times a Chiefs receiver was able to find a wide open soft spot in the zone or a running back came out of the backfield completely uncovered for big yards off the dump pass. Both happened multiple times on the back-to-back scoring drives to end the first half. It’s just inexcusable to so many times be wondering how a guy gets so wide open and just who was assigned to him. And coming away thinking maybe no one was and the Chiefs exploited that to the fullest.

See the Ballers

Busters for Raiders Week 7 loss to Rams

There’s plenty of blame to go around for the Raiders’ latest ugly display. But I’m still going to try and really zero on in the worst of the worst.

Busters

QB Gardner Minshew

His first drive looked decent, leading the Raiders to their first score. But it went downhill after that. His second possession they went three-and-out. His next drive ended with him rolling left on third down and forcing a pass to Brock Bowers that was easily intercepted. There was no reason to even attempt that pass. Just a terrible decision on Minshew’s part. And it led to the Rams’ first TD.

In fact, Minshew would turn the ball over four times in the games. The first three led to TD’s – two interceptions and a fumble scoop and score – and the fourth one ended the game.

Every time he got even near the red zone, things would fall apart. First time, he got to the 25 and went 0-2, second time he got to the 24 and had a false start and went 0-2, third time he got to the 23 and went 0-2, fourth time he got the ball at the 14 off a turnover and went 0-1, And the fifth time he got to the 15 and went 0-2 – completing one pass that was stopped for no gain. Yeah, that’s right, five times from the 25-yard line or closer, he didn’t complete a single pass for positive yards. Going 1-10.

T DJ Glaze

The first drive of the game ended with Glaze giving up a pressure that led to a bad pass on third down and a punt. The next drive he was flagged for holding and the Raiders were unable to make the yards back up, but in the process of trying, Aidan O’Connell injured his thumb on a rushing defender and is now on injured reserve.

His final act was to jump early on fourth and goal from the four when the Raiders needed a touchdown to have a chance to tie it up. Suddenly the fourth and goal at the four became fourth and goal at the nine.

G Jordan Meredith, C Andre James

The second score for the Rams came on defense. When Meredith failed to block Cobie Durant and he shot through to hit Minshew for the strip sack. Kam Curl picked it up and returned it for the touchdown to give the Rams a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.

The first possession of the third quarter for the Raiders ended with a three-and-out and it was led out with James giving up a run stuff.

The Nate Hobbs interception gave the Raiders the ball at the LA 14-yard-line. On first down, Minshew threw for Brock Bowers for six yards, but James was flagged for ineligible man down field to bring it back.

On the final drive for the Raiders, Meredith missed his block to give up a run stuff on third down that forced the Raiders to go for it on fourth and one. Then on first and goal from the four, James gave up a pressure, forcing Minshew to throw the ball away.

T Kolton Miller

Late in the second quarter, the Raiders drove to the Rams’ 24-yard line looking to get their first touchdown. That ended in part because Miller gave up a hit on Minshew, leading to a bad throw, so they settled for a field goal to go into the locker room down 14-6.

The Raiders were in third and five from the LA nine-yard line to begin the fourth quarter. But Miller gave up a pressure and Minshew ditched it out of bounds to preserve at least a field goal. The next drive he gave up a run stuff for a loss.

DT John Jenkins

After the Rams’ first takeaway, the first play saw Jenkins driven back nine yards on a run play that put them in scoring range. He later was seen being pushed back on another nine-yard run and on the final Rams’ possession, while they looked to run clock, he was blocked back on a 14-yard run. Jenkins finished with zero tackles or any other stat in the game.

HC Antonio Pierce, OC Luke Getsy

With a reprieve on the missed field goal (and earlier extra point), the Raiders went on what was to be their long drive to try and salvage the game. A touchdown and two-point conversion ties it. They would get all the way to the four-yard-line. Along the way they converted a fourth down with a Mattison run, followed by a nine-yard Zamir White run, and then a 12-yard end around by Tre Tucker to put them in first and goal at the four. And would get no closer.

From there, Getsy inexplicably went away from the run completely, calling three pass plays despite Minshew having been 0-7 on passes inside the 28-yard line before that. Then on fourth down, DJ Glaze was flagged for a false start and Antonio Pierce lost his nerve, opting for a field goal instead. This despite a field goal keeping them a touchdown away and giving up major field position and clock time in the process. A terrible decision by Pierce that at best made their hopes of tying or winning the game exponentially more difficult and at worst sealed the Raiders fate.

See the Ballers

Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 8 vs Saints

Plenty of blame to go around for the Raiders terrible performance in New Orleans Sunday

If you’re reading this, I admire your perseverance. It isn’t easy to relive games like this if you’re a fan. But it can be cathartic. And sometimes you just go searching for answers. I hope I can provide some for you from this completely lopsided 24-0 game.

Ballers

None

This should come as no surprise in a game such as this that there were no standout exceptions to all the terribleness. I came out of the live viewing expecting this and the more in-depth look confirmed that. Pretty much just bad top to bottom.

And, no, there aren’t even any Honorable Mentions.

Busters

HC Josh McDaniels, DC Patrick Graham

The offense went nowhere and the defense couldn’t seem to stop anything. It was 24-0 and really it wasn’t even that close. The Saints missed a chipshot field goal and spent most of the second half just running the clock.

The Raiders were down 7-0 heading into the second quarter. The first play of the quarter was third and one. And instead of going to Josh Jacobs, McDaniels tried to get cute and gave it to Davante Adams on a sweep. It was blown up for a loss.

Now fourth and two at their own 28, the Raiders lined up in punt formation. And McDaniels tried to get even cuter with a fake. The direct snap to reserve safety Matthias Farley was stopped for a loss and the Saints took over already in scoring range. They added a field goal to make those two bad calls by McDaniels worth three points and a 10-0 deficit.

After a Carr interception gave the Saints the ball in Raiders territory again, Graham’s defense quickly made it 17-0 when Alvin Kamara was left wide open over the middle for a 16-yard touchdown catch and run.

That was Kamara’s second TD of the game, but not his last. In fact, his third TD, he was also wide open over the middle, this time going 36 yards for the score. Graham’s defense wasn’t accounting for Kamara just as it was completely failing to contain Taysom Hill who got good yards time and time again on designed runs.

This team never got off the plane. How they could be this unprepared is mind-boggling. An earlier start due to the Eastern Time Zone doesn’t explain this level of ineptitude. Not sure anything does.

QB Derek Carr

Not one snap in New Orleans territory. Not one. His fewest yards ever thrown in a game (101) with at least ten completions or 15 attempts. His third-worst passer rating (50.3) of his career. His third fewest yards per attempt (3.88) of his career. His fourth-fewest completions (15) in a game in which he threw more than 25 passes (26).

The first drive ended with him throwing too high for a wide-open Mack Hollins. Second drive with him throwing short of Davante Adams. Fourth with him getting picked off.

The first drive of the third quarter ended with him getting sacked twice — the second time because he held onto the ball too long — and then giving up with a dump on third and 23. His next — and final — drive ended with him throwing a three-yard bubble screen to Davante Adams on second and 27. Then, of course, another give-up dump to call it a night.

CB Rock Ya-Sin, CB Anthony Averett

When Taysom Hill wasn’t running wild, Andy Dalton was picking apart the secondary. Andy. Dalton. And Ya-Sin and Averett were making it look easy.

The first TD drive featured Averett giving up a 30-yard catch. It was Averett again who gave up an eight-yard catch that put them at the 11-yard line and they scored on the next play.

Late in the first half, the Saints drove into scoring range with Ya-Sin giving up a 14-yard catch on third-and-nine and Averett giving up a 10-yard catch on third-and-four. They escaped it being a scoring drive because of a missed chip shot field goal.

They wouldn’t escape it to start the third quarter with Ya-Sin being called for pass interference on third-and-nine and the Saints going on to score their third touchdown.

The two of them would give up third-down conversion catches on the final Saints drive to allow them to bleed the clock down.

T Kolton Miller, G Alex Bars, TE Foster Moreau

Blocking was a real problem for the Raiders. No one was great. These three were especially bad.

It wasn’t a happy homecoming for LSU alum Moreau. He was getting pushed all over the place trying to block. The first play had him blocked into the gap to cause a run stuff. The second play he gave up a pressure that led to a tackle for loss and ultimately a three-and-out to begin the game.

The second drive saw Bars miss his block to give up a run stuff for a three-yard loss. The drive ended with Miller giving up a pressure that forced Carr to step up and throw on the run and the pass fell short and incomplete. Miller would end the next drive when he did a face plant on his block that got Davante Adams nailed for a loss on the sweep.

Moreau would give up another run stuff on the next possession, then Carr was picked off on third-and-two.

After falling down 24-0, Bars gave up a sack on Carr and he was sacked again on the next play while trying to make up the yards lost on the first one.

Carr’s final drive began with Miller being flagged for a false start. Then after Moreau made a first down catch, he gave up another hit on Carr that led to another tackle for loss. And Miller gave up a hit on Carr on the next play to set up third and 13. So much for all that settling in they were doing.

LB Denzel Perryman, LB Divine Deablo

It’s times like this that you realize just looking at tackle numbers doesn’t tell the whole story. If it did, it would look as if Deablo had a great game. After all, he did put up 14 tackles. But many of those tackles were downfield after the damage had been done. The same goes for Perryman and his eight tackles.

For proof of this, you need only look at the game Alvin Kamara had. Seven of his nine catches came with either Deablo or Perryman in coverage. Against Deablo he had four catches on four targets for 38 yards and a TD. Against Perryman he had three catches on three targets for 47 yards and a TD.

I don’t think much more needs to be said.

DE Chandler Jones, DT Bilal Nichols, DT Andrew Billings

Nearly the entire defensive line. Maxx Crosby did enough to stay off the list. The others did not.

Jones was routinely losing containment on the edge and watching Taysom Hill run by him for first downs and chunk plays. He let Hill get by him for good yards on each of the Saints’ three touchdown drives. And after an early pressure on Andy Dalton, he didn’t breathe on him the rest of the game.

Neither Jones nor Nichols nor Billings had a single tackle until after the Saints had taken their 24-0 lead in the third quarter. And none had a single stat other than that. Just utterly ineffective.

Just so you know they were actually on the field, the first TD of the game was set up by Nichols giving up a five-yard keeper on first and goal from the eight. And then Kamara scored from three yards out right through Billings’s position,

WR Davante Adams

I don’t blame him for much of what he’s going through. But he did have a drop, couldn’t seem to get open consistently, even when lined up against a rookie corner, and at one point was even flagged for an illegal shift. He was targeted five times with one catch on a bubble screen. In total, he touched the ball twice for a net of two yards.