Raiders 2023 season awards: Rookie of the Year, MVP, Breakout Player, more

It’s the week for All Pro teams. But while those teams compare players across the league to each other, around these parts we tend to focus on just the Raiders. Which brings us to our 2023 Raiders season awards.

It’s the week for All Pro teams. But while those teams compare players across the league to each other, around these parts we tend to focus on just the Raiders. Which brings us to our 2023 Raiders season awards.

Raiders Week 16 snap counts vs Chiefs: CB Amik Robertson leads team in snaps

CB Amik Robertson led Raiders in snaps and had a career-high 8 tackles vs Chiefs

The Raiders have gotten contributions from some unexpected places of late. That goes especially on defense where they’ve been one of the league’s top units since Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach.

One of Pierce’s favorite players is Amik Robertson, who is a firey cornerback always out to prove he is better than people have given him credit for over the years.

The 5-9, 183-pounder saw every snap on defense along with three on special teams. His 79 snaps led the team. It was just the fifth time in his career he played every snap on defense. And his 76 defensive snaps were his second most ever. The result was a career-high eight combined tackles.

All told, the Raiders starting secondary of Robertson, Jack Jones, Nate Hobbs, Marcus Epps, and Tre’von Moehrig missed just one snap on defense (Jones).

Offense Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Dylan Parham G 55 100% 3 12%
Thayer Munford T 55 100% 3 12%
Aidan O’Connell QB 55 100% 0 0%
Andre James C 55 100% 0 0%
Greg Van Roten G 53 96% 3 12%
Jermaine Eluemunor T 53 96% 3 12%
Davante Adams WR 50 91% 1 4%
Austin Hooper TE 49 89% 0 0%
Jakobi Meyers WR 45 82% 1 4%
Zamir White RB 42 76% 0 0%
Tre Tucker WR 22 40% 0 0%
Jakob Johnson FB 19 35% 14 56%
Cole Fotheringham TE 19 35% 8 32%
Ameer Abdullah RB 12 22% 14 56%
Hunter Renfrow WR 11 20% 1 4%
DJ Turner WR 4 7% 16 64%
Kolton Miller T 2 4% 3 12%
Jordan Meredith G 2 4% 3 12%
Brandon Bolden RB 1 2% 21 84%
Justin Herron T 1 2% 3 12%
Defense Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Amik Robertson CB 76 100% 3 12%
Robert Spillane LB 76 100% 1 4%
Maxx Crosby DE 76 100% 0 0%
Tre’von Moehrig FS 76 100% 0 0%
Marcus Epps SS 76 100% 0 0%
Nate Hobbs CB 76 100% 0 0%
Jack Jones CB 75 99% 0 0%
Divine Deablo LB 66 87% 0 0%
Malcolm Koonce DE 50 66% 12 48%
Tyree Wilson DE 43 57% 5 20%
Adam Butler DT 36 47% 3 12%
Bilal Nichols DT 26 34% 5 20%
John Jenkins DT 26 34% 5 20%
Jerry Tillery DT 23 30% 3 12%
Janarius Robinson DE 21 28% 8 32%
Brandon Facyson CB 9 12% 0 0%
Isaiah Pola-Mao FS 5 7% 17 68%
Special Teams Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Curtis Bolton LB 0 0% 22 88%
Luke Masterson LB 0 0% 22 88%
Christopher Smith SS 0 0% 12 48%
Tyler Hall CB 0 0% 10 40%
Amari Burney LB 0 0% 10 40%
AJ Cole III P 0 0% 9 36%
Jacob Bobenmoyer LS 0 0% 9 36%
DeAndre Carter WR 0 0% 8 32%
Daniel Carlson K 0 0% 8 32%
Jakorian Bennett CB 0 0% 5 20%

4 Vikings offensive keys in Week 14 vs. Raiders

The Vikings offense is struggling and they will need to perform well to beat the Raiders on Sunday

After having a bye week to lick their wounds from the two previous defeats, the Minnesota Vikings are back in action, this time on the road. Minnesota takes on the Las Vegas Raiders in Allegiant Stadium at 3:05 p.m. CST.

The Vikings offense struggled mightily in their two losses just before the bye week. In weeks 11 and 12, the Vikings’ offense was tied for 29th in EPA/play with the Cleveland Browns and in front of only the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.

Since cutting bait with Josh McDaniels and that regime, the Raiders’ defense has come alive.

Minnesota is still firmly in the playoff picture as they currently hold the second wild-card spot and the sixth seed in the playoffs. But those two losses to the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears may loom large as these were chances to distance themselves from the pack.

Instead, they are fighting off three teams with the same 6-6 record as they hold, including the Green Bay Packers, for a shot at the playoffs. Every game matters and the Vikings need to capitalize on each game.

If the Vikings want to get back to their winning ways against the Raiders, the offense has to look a lot better than it did before the bye. To do that, they will need to follow these four keys to victory.

Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 11 loss to Dolphins

Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 11 loss to Dolphins

There were more than a few people who were surprised at how the Raiders hung around with the Dolphins the entire game in Miami. Many thought the Raiders would get their doors blown off and that isn’t so much disrespect for the Raiders as much as it is respect for the Dolphins.

But Antonio Pierce has the Raiders playing inspired football. Even if, at times, it isn’t great football — at least not on the offensive side of the ball — it’s inspired. And that’s all you can really hope for if you hope to get the most out of the talent you have available.

Hence the reason this game was never more than a one-score difference for either team and went down to the wire before the Dolphins won it 20-13.

Ballers

DE Maxx Crosby, DE Malcolm Koonce

In a game of defensive heroics, Maxx was still the heroic-est. But this time he got a little help from the other side of the line.

We pick things up in the third quarter. That’s when the Raiders stopped letting the Dolphins get to the end zone. Crosby stopped their second drive almost single-handedly. They moved to first down at the Vegas 36. Then Crosy got in the backfield to make the stop on run stuff for one yard. Next play he helped make a tackle on a two-yard catch. And on third down, got pressure to force a bad throw. The Dolphins attempted a 50-yard field goal and missed.

The next drive ended when Koonce got pressure up the middle on a stunt to force an incompletion, leading to another field goal attempt. This one connected from 41 yards out. Koonce would get pressure to help end the next drive as well with the Dolphins again settling for a field goal.

The fourth quarter saw three possessions by the Dolphins for a total of 19 yards of offense. The first had Koonce made a run stuff, then ended with a vicious tackle by Crosby to make the stop well shy of the sticks. The second was upended with Koonce forcing a holding penalty that the Dolphins couldn’t overcome. The final possession, they got their only first down on the fourth quarter, but it still ended three plays later with Crosby getting a pressure to force an incompletion. That defensive stand gave the Raiders offense one more shot with just under two minutes remaining.

CB Nate Hobbs, S Isaiah Pola-Mao

After the Raiders went up 10-7 in the first quarter, the Dolphins led out the second quarter looking like they might respond with a touchdown to retake the lead. Hobbs saw to it that didn’t happen. Once they got to the 30-yard-line, Hobbs made two tackles on short catches. The Dolphins would still drive to inside the five-yard-line. They would go for it on fourth-and-one from the three-yard-line and it was Hobbs who came up to make the initial hit behind the line and Pola-Mao finished it off for the turnover on downs.

In the final seconds of the second quarter, the Dolphins were up 14-10 and driving. That was until Hobbs punched the ball out to force a fumble and give the Raiders the ball at the Miami 32-yard-line. The ensuing field goal made it a one-point game at the half.

First play of the third quarter, Pola-Mao picked off a deep Tua Tagovailoa pass. He later teamed up on a stop on third down.

Hobbs and Pola-Mao finished third and fourth on the team in tackles respectively. And they combined for two of the Raiders’ three takeaways in the game.

P AJ Cole

Cole was launching some punts into orbit in this game. His first punt went 50 yards with an illegal blindside block at the end of it to start the Dolphins’ drive at the 14-yard-line.

He added a 53-yard punt in the second quarter that was fair caught. And later in the quarter broke off a beauty that traveled 61 yards and bounced out of bounds at the 12-yard-line.

Then in the third quarter he booted a 51-yard punt the was fair caught at the 15. And, finally, he kicked another 53-yarder with an illegal block on the return that started the Dolphins possession at their own 10.

A couple weeks ago against the Giants, Cole had four punts of 63 yards or more, which set a record. But this game was better in some regards, because of those big punts, only one was stopped inside the 20-yard-line. And two of them went for touchbacks. In fact, in Sunday’s game in Miami, on six punts, Cole had zero touchbacks and the Dolphins started their drive inside the 20 four times. That usually means better hang time and better placement. Which is preferable to just simple punt distance.

LB Robert Spillane

It might not surprise you to learn that Spillane led the Raiders in tackles (13). He also had a tackle for loss and a pass breakup that was very nearly an interception. Because of course he did. He’s become quite the ball hawk this season.

His first tackle of the game went for a loss. Then on the Dolphins’ first drive of the second quarter, he had three run stops, including a stop on third and ten just short of the sticks. The Dolphins went for it on fourth-and-one from the three and couldn’t convert.

Spillane was a big factor in stopping the Dolphins on their final two drives, thus giving the Raiders offense two more shots at tying the game late. He was in on the tackle on third-and-15 to force the first punt. Then he was in on the run stop on their second to last play as well.

Honorable Mention

WR Davante Adams — Got open a lot in this game. It wasn’t his fault Aidan O’Connell only connected with him on one deep shot. But it was the Raiders’ one TD in the game.

LB Luke Masterson — Forced the fumble on the Dolphins’ first drive to start the Raiders second possession already in scoring range.

DC Patrick Graham — While Antonio Pierce gets credit for this team playing inspired football, Graham should get some love for his work as well.

Raiders defense gave their offense far more opportunities than they deserved in loss in Miami

Raiders defense gave their offense far more opportunities than they deserved in loss in Miami

A couple weeks ago the Raiders offense did something they hadn’t done all season long — they scored 20 points. In fact, they scored 30 points.

Since then they have come back to earth with a thud, scoring 16 points and 13 points in the past two games.

On the defensive side of the ball, it’s been a very different story. Not only did the Raiders manage to pull out a win over the Jets last week despite scoring just 16 — their lowest output in a win this season — but they followed that up by keeping the Raiders within a score of the Dolphins until the final seconds.

This offense simply doesn’t deserve this defense.

Four times in this game the Raiders offense got the ball off of a turnover — three on takeaways and one on a turnover on downs. And on the possession that followed they managed just one first down. One.

The offense jumped out to a 10-7 lead in the first quarter when they drove for a touchdown. That drive went 75 yards in four plays, capped off by a 46-yard touchdown from Aidan O’Connell to Davante Adams.

After that the Raider offense closed up shop the rest of the day.

The remaining three quarters saw the offense with ten more possessions. This is what happened on those possessions:

* possession off of turnover

*Three-and-out PUNT
Three-and-out PUNT
*Three-and-out FIELD GOAL
*Three-and-out PUNT
One play INTERCEPTION
Three-and-out PUNT
One first down, 10 yards PUNT
One first down, 19 yards DOWNS
Two first downs, INTERCEPTION
Three first downs, INTERCEPTION

The last four of those possession came in the fourth quarter. And it was the defense that made that possible. The offense responded with utter failure every time.

The first possession ended with Aidan O’Connell missing Davante Adams then getting sacked. The second with O’Connell throwing an ill-advised pass to Jakobi Meyers who was well-covered by Jalen Ramsey. The third with O’Connell throwing an interception as he was being sacked. And the final one a desperation heave for the end zone that was picked off by Ramsey.

O’Conell finished the game going 24 for 41 for 271 yards with 1 TD and 3 INT for a passer rating of 56. His worst outing of his four starts this season.

Yet, somehow, the Raiders were never behind more than one score in this game. Why? Because the defense stepped up big time again.

“I’m learning how hard it is in the NFL and how hard it is to win,” said O’Connell after the game. “Just kudos to our defense. Just played so well in the second half, kept us in the game — I think [the Dolphins] scored six points in the second half — and obviously I don’t think we scored. So our defense did an awesome job keeping us in the game, so it’s really going to come down to our offense and watching the film. Just be better all around and it starts with me.”

Despite their offense’s inability to stay on the field, the defense only seemed to get stronger late. They kept the Dolphins out of the end zone in the second half, and in the fourth quarter they held them to just a single first down, three punts and a net of only 19 yards.

The offense even got a gift in the fourth quarter off a shanked punt that gave them possession at midfield. And they got one first down and a turnover on downs out of it.

Fair to say while Antonio Pierce has his defense playing with fire and relentlessness, only slightly bending and rarely breaking, the offense is just flat broken.

NFL Week 9 snap counts: Amik Robertson leads Raiders CBs in snaps vs Giants

Amik Robertson leads Raiders CBs in snaps vs Giants

Interim head coach Antonio Pierce decided this week that Robertson would be the starter on the outside opposite Marcus Peters. Then Robertson went out and earned it while leading all cornerbacks with 52 snaps (83%).

As a cornerback, you don’t often have a stat line better than the one Amik Robertson had Sunday against the Giants. First and foremost, he had a huge interception at the goal line in the second quarter. He returned it to the 40-yard-line and the Raiders took advantage by going for a touchdown.

Robertson also had two pass breakups and a forced fumble and was tied for fourth on the team with three solo tackles.

Offense Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Greg Van Roten G 60 100% 6 25%
Kolton Miller T 60 100% 6 25%
Jermaine Eluemunor T 60 100% 6 25%
Dylan Parham G 60 100% 6 25%
Andre James C 60 100% 0 0%
Aidan O’Connell QB 60 100% 0 0%
Michael Mayer TE 53 88% 6 25%
Davante Adams WR 53 88% 0 0%
Jakobi Meyers WR 49 82% 0 0%
Josh Jacobs RB 47 78% 0 0%
Austin Hooper TE 29 48% 0 0%
Tre Tucker WR 28 47% 7 29%
Hunter Renfrow WR 13 22% 0 0%
DeAndre Carter WR 9 15% 6 25%
Ameer Abdullah RB 8 13% 18 75%
Zamir White RB 5 8% 14 58%
DJ Turner WR 3 5% 18 75%
Jesper Horsted TE 1 2% 18 75%
Netane Muti G 1 2% 6 25%
Justin Herron T 1 2% 0 0%
Defense Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Maxx Crosby DE 63 100% 0 0%
Robert Spillane LB 63 100% 0 0%
Tre’von Moehrig FS 63 100% 0 0%
Marcus Epps SS 62 98% 0 0%
Amik Robertson CB 52 83% 3 12%
Nate Hobbs CB 50 79% 0 0%
Marcus Peters CB 48 76% 0 0%
Jerry Tillery DT 37 59% 0 0%
Amari Burney LB 32 51% 9 38%
Tyree Wilson DE 32 51% 0 0%
Bilal Nichols DT 31 49% 0 0%
Jakorian Bennett CB 26 41% 1 4%
Jaylon Smith LB 25 40% 0 0%
Malcolm Koonce DE 24 38% 11 46%
Adam Butler DT 24 38% 6 25%
John Jenkins DT 23 37% 0 0%
Nesta Jade Silvera DT 16 25% 0 0%
Isaiah Pola-Mao FS 11 17% 18 75%
Malik Reed LB 8 13% 5 21%
Tyler Hall CB 3 5% 4 17%
Special Teams Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Brandon Bolden RB 0 0% 18 75%
Curtis Bolton LB 0 0% 18 75%
Christopher Smith SS 0 0% 13 54%
Daniel Carlson K 0 0% 13 54%
AJ Cole III P 0 0% 11 46%
Jacob Bobenmoyer LS 0 0% 11 46%
Jordan Meredith G 0 0% 6 25%

Raiders ride ‘electric’ vibe for decisive victory over Giants days after Josh McDaniels fired

Raiders ride ‘electric’ vibe for decisive victory over Giants days after Josh McDaniels fired

What a transformation. In Las Vegas Sunday we saw a team playing some of the most inspired football I’ve ever seen them play. They had broken free from the shackles of the previous head coach and were ready to show what they were capable of.

What they were capable of, apparently, was a completely dominating performance in every phase of the game. Starting with the defense, which now has a former NFL linebacker taking the headset.

It’s Antonio Pierce’s job now and the vibe he created with this team was palpable.

Pierce said he took his cue from the team’s emotional leader, Maxx Crosby, who then went out and responded to his new coach’s faith in him with a three-sack performance. Giving him 9.5 on the season; tied with TJ Watt for the second most in the league.

“It was a blast,” said Crosby. “We had a lot of fun out there, you could feel it. The energy was crazy. We sustained it for the whole game. That’s what we talk about. AP talked about it during the week, just playing with swag, letting everyone’s personality come to light and I feel like everyone felt that today.”

The Raiders would finish with eight sacks in the game, their most in a single game since the 2010 season. Six different players got to the quarterback including Adam Butler, Bilal Nichols, Tyree Wilson, Tre’von Moehrig, and Robert Spillane. A couple of those sacks were set up by Crosby’s pressure on the outside.

Crosby came into this game so confident they were going to win, he purchased cigars for the entire team the night before and then they all went out there and rolled over the Giants in every facet of the game to earn the right to smoke them after the game.

Then he posted a video of he and his teammates smoking them. Along with — at the end — Mark Davis making an appearance.

I asked Crosby about that level of confidence, to which he responded “No question. No question.”

“That’s the confidence that you have to have in this league,” Crosby continued. “You have to go out there with ill intent and the intention to go win. If you have any doubt that you’re going to go out there and succeed, you’re already a step behind. We had a lot of confidence, so we were ready to go and you just felt it in the building.”

This one was never close. The Raiders played on another plane. They stopped the Giants for a three-and-out, then went for an opening drive touchdown and never looked back.

From the first play, Josh Jacobs was running well and he and his offensive line looked more in tune with each other than they had all season. The result was a season high 98 yards for Jacobs and 125 yards rushing for the team. No small feat against a tough Giants defensive line.

“Our mentality.” said right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor of the difference with their performance in this game. “They have a great Dline and Dexter Lawrence is a freaking tank, so giving attention to him and also knowing that we’re capable of running the ball too and we have one of the best backs in the league, if not the best back. And once we get him going, it’s hard to stop. Get him going, control the line of scrimmage, and take it upon ourselves to control the game.”

By half time, Jacobs had already put up a season-high 85 yards rushing, and the Raiders led 24-0, giving them not only their highest scoring game of the season, but by far their most lopsided lead.

“I think it’s the best we’ve played as a team,” said Jacobs, seemingly stating the obvious.

“The vibe and the energy is just electric right now. This is the most connected that I feel we’ve been as a unit. Just to go out there and have fun and celebrate after doing things good and the defense stepping up and holding their own.”

Jacobs had two of the Raiders’ first three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was set up by two incredible deep catches — one an interception by Amik Robertson at one goal line and the next one on the very next play with Aidan O’Connell connecting on a 50-yard bomb to Tre Tucker. That put the Raiders in first and goal and Jacobs punched it in two plays later.

It was the second deep interception by Amik Robertson.

“That’s who I am, man,” Robertson said of his interception. “Just doing my job, getting myself into the scheme. Once I saw the ball up there, I knew it was mine.”

Nate Hobbs added an interception as well off a deflection. That led to a field goal just before the half.

“All we did was replicate what we’ve been doing all week,” said Hobbs. “We had energy all week. We have love for each other, we got each other’s backs so we went out there and played as a team.”

If anyone would have been expected to throw an interception in this game it was O’Connell who had two on the season in limited snaps. But the rookie didn’t turn the ball over at all and ran the offense efficiently along with new offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree.

It was a great first game of this new page the Raiders have turned to. Pierce literally handed the players a blank page to symbolize the fresh start. It’s a fresh start for him to as the interim head coach. And the players responded to him and stepped up.

“We wanted to do it for AP,” said Josh Jacobs. “We all sat down and were like no matter how this goes, we’re going to play with all we’ve got for that man. Because the position that he’s in and he’s going to be the face of the ridicule. We wanted to go out and play for him and show that we can do that in all three phases and we went out there and did that today.”

That 30-6 runaway win Sunday told that story pretty succinctly.

Raiders vs Lions final injury report: K Daniel Carlson, CB Nate Hobbs Questionable

K Daniel Carlson, CB Nate Hobbs Questionable, Divine Deablo OUT.

For the first time in a month Raiders starting nickel corner Nate Hobbs practiced this week. He was limited all week with the ankle injury that had caused him to miss the past four games and is officially Questionable for the game.

Joining him among the Questionable is kicker Daniel Carlson who suffered a groin injury just prior to last week’s game in Chicago, causing him to miss a 41-yard field goal he normally makes with ease.

Officially OUT is starting weak side linebacker Divine Deablo.

Deablo will likely be replaced by Luke Masterson.

If Hobbs can’t go, he will once again be replaced at the nickel by either Amik Robertson or Tyler Hall. If Daniel Carlson can’t go he will be replaced by recent practice squad addition, James McCourt.

Raiders vs Lions Friday injury report: QB Jimmy Garoppolo upgraded to full practice

QB Jimmy Garoppolo upgraded to full practice

A day ago, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said he was “very hopeful” Jimmy Garoppolo would be able to play Monday Night when the team travels to Detroit to face the Lions. Friday, his hopes look to be fulfilled as Garoppolo was upgraded to full participation in practice.

This puts him in line to start the game, giving the Raiders their best chance to be competitive against a hot Lions squad.

Starting cornerback Marcus Peters, who missed practice on Thursday with a back issue, returned to practice Friday. He was limited.

Nate Hobbs returned this week after missing four weeks with an ankle injury. He was limited the past two days.

Still missing from practice was kicker Daniel Carlson (groin) and linebacker Divine Deablo (ankle).

The team signed K James McCourt to the practice squad earlier this week in case Carlson is unable to go. Should Deablo not play, Luke Masterson would start in his place.

Raiders vs Bears final injury report: Justin Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo both OUT

Raiders and Bears will both take the field Sunday without their starting quarterback

Sunday the Raiders and Bears will meet in Chicago, both without their starting quarterbacks.

 

Both teams will also be shorthanded at defensive back. The Raiders will be without cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennett while the Bears will be without safety Eddie Jackson and cornerback Terell Smith.

In total, the Bears have five players officially OUT for the game. Others include OL Nate Davis and RB Roschon Johnson.

Questionable for the Bears are OL Dan Feeney, OL Darnell Wright, and DB Jaquan Brisker.