Tag: Raiders news

The Raiders have two stars on their offense; Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller. In Week 2, Jacobs wasn’t able to have a ton of success, rushing 88 yards on 27 carries. He dealt with a lower-body injury for much of the night and struggled to make a ton of explosive plays.

Luckily, the Raiders were able to lean on Waller and he carried the offense. Waller saw 16 targets in this game, catching 12 passes for 103 yards and one score. It was the second-most reception a tight end as ever had on Monday Night Football with the only player besting him was Jason Witten (13) in 2012.

Whenever the team needed a big play, Derek Carr found Waller in the middle of the field. On multiple third downs, Waller caught a pass short of the first-down marker, but was able to break a tackle to gain the yardage needed.

If the Raiders want to be a legitimate contender in the AFC, they will need Waller to continue to produce at this level. That works for Las Vegas is there isn’t anyone in the NFL that can cover him one-on-one. He’s one of the most athletic tight ends in the league and after the game, head coach Jon Gruden said he would take him over any other tight end in the NFL including Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

Waller is in his second full season playing the tight end position and has already totaled 18 receptions for 148 yards. Look for the former Georgia Tech star to surpass 1,000 yards again this season, should he stay healthy.

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After an impressive Week 1 win, the Las Vegas Raiders stunned the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. They were led by tight end Darren Waller, who was open all night for the Raiders. He crossed over 100 receiving yards early in the fourth quarter and continued to dominate for the rest of the quarter.

The Raiders did a good job of slowing down the Saints offense after allowing 10-straight points to start the game. The momentum changer was an interception by Nicholas Morrow before halftime that tied the game at 17-17.

A key moment in the game was on a 3rd and 10 in the fourth quarter when the Raiders ran a sweep to Jalen Richard, who scored from 30 yards out to put the team up 31-17. The Raiders allowed a quick touchdown soon after, giving the team only a 31-24 lead with 4:33 left.

The game-winning play came on a 3rd and 5 when Henry Ruggs III drew a pass interference call that allowed the Raiders to run out most of the clock. The team did kick a 54-yard field goal that gave the Raiders a 34-24 lead.

The Raiders are now 2-0 and are tied atop the division with the Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 3, the Raiders will take on the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Kickoff for that game is set for 1:00 p.m. E.T.

Leading Passer: QB Derek Carr – 28/38 for 282 yards and 3 TDs

Leading Rusher: RB Josh Jacobs – 27 carries for 87 yards

Leading Receiver: TE Darren Waller – 12 catches for 103 yards and 1 TD

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The first-ever touchdown in Allegiant Stadium history was scored by Saints running back Alvin Kamara. But the first TD for the Raiders in their new home stadium was to one Alec Ingold.

With nine minutes left in the second quarter, in first and goal from the three-yard-line, Derek Carr dropped back and threw a quick pass to his fullback for the score.

Who had an @AI_XLV touchdown on their bingo card?

That's how you cap off a drive.#NOvsLV | ESPN | Live pic.twitter.com/b5R0A3Ny4a

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 22, 2020

And of course, the play was the infamous Spider 2 Y Banana for which Jon Gruden is known. You know he wanted to get that play in the trivia question.

It was three passes to Darren Waller on the drive that got the Raiders in first and goal. The Raiders were down 10-0 to the Saints and had done just about nothing prior to the drive, making the touchdown not just a big deal in the history books, but a big deal for the Raiders’ chances of staying within striking distance of the Saints.

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The Raiders should have their starting two receivers back in the lineup this week as Henry Ruggs III looks to be available despite missing practice on Thursday and Friday.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the rookie receiver is expected to play against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.

#Raiders WR Henry Ruggs III, listed as questionable with a knee injury this week, is expected to play tonight vs. the #Saints, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2020

Ruggs was a huge weapon in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, tallying 66 yards on just four touches. But after he sustained an ankle injury in the first half, he didn’t make an impact for the final two quarters.

Look for the Raiders to be cautious with their top receiver as they will likely rotate him in and out in Week 2. However, it’s just a great sign that Ruggs’ injury isn’t serious and that he should be on the field tonight.

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Clelin Ferrell had quite the interesting rookie season. He was one of the most shocking selections of the draft as he was picked at No. 4 by the Oakland Raiders. Then, he was out-produced by fouth-round pick Maxx Crosby and struggled to find his rythmn in the defense.

However, Ferrell is off to a strong start this season as he was the team’s highest-graded defender in Week 1. Ferrell didn’t record a sack or a pressure, but he was a dominant force in the run game. He finished the game with a grade of 73.8, according to Pro Football Focus.

Clelin Ferrell's 73.8 grade on Sunday led all #Raiders defensive players ☠️#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/dTcBXE4DD9

— PFF Las Vegas Raiders (@PFF_Raiders) September 18, 2020

The Raiders continue to find ways to get Ferrell involved on defense, including moving him inside to defensive tackle in certain passing down situations. Ferrell has reshaped his body in Year 2 to hold up better against the run and bigger offensive linemen.

While the sack haven’t come yet, he is still a highly useful player for the Raiders. The team will need him to dominate in that area once again if they want to slow down the Saints’ rushing attack.

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After not practicing all week, it appears as if the Raiders will be without tackles Trent Brown and Sam Young. Brown went out with a calf injury after three snaps in the season opener against the Panthers. Then Young came in to replace him and he too was lost after 14 snaps with a groin injury.

In came Denzelle Good, who is the team’s backup guard, to play right tackle. The move was by necessity because third-string tackle Brandon Parker was inactive for the game. But Good held up well in the game, not giving up a sack, and it looks like he has earned another shot with Brown and Young both listed as Doubtful against the Saints on Monday night.

“We have a lot of confidence in Denzelle,” said offensive coordinator Greg Olson.

“Denzelle has played some tackle in his past, so that helped him as well. And [offensive line coach] Tom Cable, he likes to train those guys to play every position across the board, so that has helped him.”

It’s a big decision to make for the Raiders. Not one they’d prefer to have to make considering it will be Cameron Jordan lining up across the line. The All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season in which he put up 15.5 sacks.

I asked Olson how the Raiders go about preparing to face Jordan with just uncertainty at the position, and he shifted back to propping up Good as a serviceable option.

“Denzelle has played a lot of football,” Olson continued. “He’s played football at a high level, not only here, but in Indianapolis as well. We have high expectations for him, and he has high expectations himself. You certainly hate to lose your starter, it’s not ideal. Hate to lose a backup to him, it’s certainly not ideal, but again they’ll rise to the challenge.”

Just prior to the season the team traded tackle David Sharpe to Washington, opting for former third-round pick Brandon Parker. Gruden said Saturday, of Parker that “He’s been working for the last couple years as a swing tackle, playing left and right. We think he’s improving and if he needs to play he’ll get a chance to prove it.”

By most accounts, Good played better stepping into the position after not playing it at all in camp than Parker had in any game the past two years. So, it appears Good has earned the start.

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In Week 1, Josh Jacobs saw a career-high in snaps. His 49 snaps were 78% of the offensive snaps, which is some 20% more than his average snap percentage as a rookie.

The primary reason for his increased snaps was his work to improve in the passing game, both as a blocker and a receiver. The result was career highs in catches (4) and receiving yards (46).

There are only so many snaps to go around in any given game. Being a receiving threat out of the backfield has been Jalen Richard’s job for the Raiders the past four years. But last week Richard saw just seven snaps, fewer than he’d had in any game the previous two seasons under Gruden.

Even more interesting is Richard helped Jacobs out this offseason, essentially teaching the guy who would be taking snaps away from him. But Richard doesn’t see it that way. As he sees it, Jacobs’s improved receiving abilities has greater benefits.

“Josh is the bell cow. Josh is the guy, And he can do everything.” Richard said when asked how he goes about ensuring he gets his snaps. “So, it’s not going to do anything but help our team by him expanding what he can do and we’re not predictable when he’s out on the field or even when I’m out there on the field. So, the way it is now, it’s a long season and a lot of backs can’t really do it by themselves, so I still feel like it’s running back by committee but definitely Josh is the bell cow and, again, by him expanding his role like that, he’ll be able to not come off the field as much, but I’m going to keep working hard and keep doing what I do and when the team asked for my number to be called, I just got to be ready.”

Richard didn’t just rattle this off. It wasn’t a canned answer. He had to think about it a bit. Because every NFL player wants to see the field. The thing is though, that too many times in Richard’s first couple years in Gruden’s offense his and Jacobs’s usage was predictable.

Last week the offense scored 34 points, Jacobs had three touchdowns, including a big catch on a quick slant that went for 29 yards. And Richard had one catch for 15 yards that set up the Daniel Carlson 54-yard field goal in the third quarter.

So, while we may never again see Richard lead the team in catches as he did in 2018 in which he caught 68 passes, the offense may be all the better for it. The more options the better. It’s an admirable sacrifice by Richard.

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On Monday night, the Raiders take on the Saints in the first-ever game at the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. These are the five key match-ups to watch.

LB Cory Littleton vs  RB Alvin Kamara

Just like the opener, the Raiders opponent features a running back who is as good as a receiver as he is as a runner. Littleton has been a solid all-around player and has been especially good in coverage. 

Last week, Kamara didn’t do much on the ground for the Saints. He did most of his damage as a receiver, putting up five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. You can bet Littleton will be spying Kamara in the backfield. And with the distinct possibility that Nick Kwiatkoski (pectoral injury) may not play in this game, Littleton will also be counted on to wear the green dot and run the defense. Tall task against such a dynamic Saints attack.

LB Nicholas Morrow vs TE Jared Cook

It looks like the Saints will be without All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas in this one. Cook was the team’s leading receiver in the opener and they will be relying on him even more this week in Thomas’s absence.

Morrow will find himself in coverage against Cook quite a bit in this one while Littleton will have his hands full. These two are pretty familiar with each other. They faced off every day in practice for two years in Oakland. Hard to say who that benefits, but Cook is the more veteran of the two. The best season of his career was in 2018 with the Raiders.

CB Lamarcus Joyner vs WR Emmanuel Sanders

Last week, Joyner got beat up by the Panthers’ receivers over the middle. Emmanuel Sanders may be 33 years old, but he’s still a viable threat in the slot. When you add that he has Drew Brees throwing to him now and will get more looks with Thomas not playing, and Joyner’s coverage will be crucial to the success or failure of the Raiders defense.

Shaky right tackle situation vs DE Cameron Jordan

It’s looking like a distinct possibility the Raiders could be without Trent Brown again this week. They very well could once again be without backup Sam Young as neither player has practiced this week with injuries. That leaves the right tackle work to Denzelle Good and Brandon Parker. A terrifying proposition arguably the league’s top pass rusher.

Cam Jordan would be a holy terror even if Brown played. Young has been serviceable, but he is still a career backup. Good is a backup guard who played tackle for the first time last week. And Parker was inactive for the game and has been downright dreadful in his two years in the NFL. Jordan no doubt smells blood in the water.

RB Josh Jacobs vs LB DeMario Davis

Jacobs was the Raiders’ Mr. Everything last week, scoring three touchdowns and putting up 139 yards of offense, 93 on the ground. This offense runs through him just as it did last season. Davis will be tasked with trying to stop him.

The 31-year-old Davis is coming off an All-Pro season in New Orleans and has averaged 110 tackles over seven seasons as a full time starting linebacker. He is a formidable foe for Jacobs who makes many of his yards after contact.

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