The Raiders were blown out yet again on Sunday, losing 41-24 to the Bengals in Cincinnati (4-5).
After a pick-6 interception from cornerback Jack Jones gave Las Vegas life in the fourth quarter, the Raiders’ poor play continued and they ultimately suffered their fifth-straight loss.
Starting quarterback Gardner Mindshew was benched in favor of reserve QB Desmond Ridder in the third quarter, but the offense still struggled, especially as the Raiders offensive line adjusted to multiple mid-game injuries.
Here are the winners and losers for the week as this disappointing season continues in Las Vegas (2-7).
Winner: CB Jack Jones
Ridder had already entered and the game seemed out of reach when Jones notched pick-6. The play made the game a two-score contest and temporarily injected life into the Raiders.
Jones had nice coverage on a 3rd-and-4 play to force a Bengals punt when Cincinnati got the ball back. But the Raiders offense, still led by Ridder, continued to stall and the game slipped away from the Raiders, seemingly for the second time in one afternoon.
Winner: Decamerion Richardson
It wasn’t much, but rookie cornerback Decamerion Richardson had a nice coverage play near the end zone early in this contest. For a rookie who hasn’t seen the field much, it was a huge win. The play held Cincinnati to a field goal and a 10-7 lead.
Winner: Jakobi Meyers
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers led the Raiders in receiving yards for the second straight week, notching eight catches on 11 targets for 105 yards. After the departure of Davante Adams, Meyers has proven he can be a No. 1 wide receiver for Las Vegas.
Winner: S Tre’von Moehrig
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, under very little pressure, threw five touchdown passes, and the Cincinnati offense had 130 rushing yards, so there was plenty of action in the Raiders secondary. Safety Tre’von Moehrig responded with a solid performance. He had 13 total tackles, a QB hit, and half of Las Vegas’ only QB sack of the day.
Loser: DC Patrick Graham
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said he was worried about Burrow this week, and his fears came true. The Raiders failed to pressure the Bengals quarterback, allowing four touchdown throws that put the game away and a fifth for good measure after a late Raiders miscue on special teams. Plus, Graham’s run defense was nearly as bad.
Loser: LB Kana’i Mauga
The Raiders kept the score at 31-17 for a while after Jones’ pick-6, and after a drop by Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase on third-and-2, Las Vegas would again get the ball back with a chance to pull within one score. But linebacker Kana’i Mauga went offsides on the Bengals punt attempt, giving Cincinnati a first down.
Burrow found a wide-open receiver on a busted coverage soon afterward for a 38-17 Bengals lead.
Loser: WR DJ Turner
Well before Mauga’s miscue, wide receiver DJ Turner made his own huge mistake.
The Bengals had just scored on their opening drive of the second half for a 24-10 advantage. But when Las Vegas got the ball back, they opted for a WR sweep to Turner on 3rd-and-3. He never secured the football and the Bengals recovered Turner’s fumble.
Loser: OC Luke Getsy
To offer Turner some cover: the Raiders have depended on WR sweeps far too much this season because offensive coordinator Luke Getsy can’t get his run game going. Very little has gone right on that side of the ball and a change in play callers could arrive after the Raiders upcoming bye week.
Perhaps most puzzling was Getsy’s play selection late in the first half. Down just 17-10 with the ball, the Raiders had only seconds to play with but found themselves with a 3rd-and-4 opportunity near midfield. Getsy called for a screen pass, which was incomplete, ruining any changes the Raiders had for a field goal to close the half.
Loser: QB Gardner Minshew
Minshew was benched for the second time this season, this time in favor of the recently acquired Ridder.
The offense started hot under Minshew again, but after scoring on two of their first three drives of the game, Getsy’s questionable calls to end the first half and Turner’s fumble in the third quarter left Minshew with little opportunity to shine. In his one second-half drive that didn’t end with a Turner fumble, Las Vegas went 3-and-out.
Loser: QB Desmond Ridder
Ridder had a garbage time touchdown throw to tight end Brock Bowers, but he led two straight 3-and-out drives after entering the game.
After Jones’ pick-6, he led a promising drive, but the Raiders’ injuries on the offensive line caught up with them; Ridder missed a wide-open Meyers on a desperate 4th-and-12 play due to pressure allowed by Las Vegas.
Loser: OT Thayer Munford
Before Ridder’s desperate 4th-and-12 attempt, he had a manageable 3rd-and-4. But reserve offensive tackle Thayer Munford had an unsightly snap, allowing an easy QB sack.
Munford was beaten again by Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson on the Raiders’ next drive, resulting in a fumble from Ridder, which Cincinnati recovered. They’d notch a field goal for a 41-17 lead. Hendrickson had four total sacks and now leads the league in that category.
Loser: HC Antonio Pierce
Given that it’s Pierce’s first full year as Raiders head coach, one figures his job isn’t in danger. But if the Raiders continue to get blown out, that might change.
That’s a low bar, but Pierce isn’t clearing it. His dreadful quarterback situation isn’t helping, but Pierce went to Ridder too soon, making matters even worse.
The Raiders defense is supposed to be a strength but that failed Pierce on Sunday as well. The bottom line is that this team has to play much better after the bye week or the Raiders will have serious questions at head coach moving forward.
The Raiders will have two weeks to stew over this pathetic performance. Will that help them, or hurt them? That will depend on Pierce, both emotionally and regarding a potential change at play-caller on offense. Plus, he has to pick the right quarterback to run with.
In any event, embarrassing losses like this one must become a thing of the past for Pierce to regain positive vibes from last season that have completely vanished.
