Tag: Robert Spillane

Raiders PFF grades: 5 highest rated Week 16 vs. Jaguars

The Raiders finally won a game after 10 straight defeats. Which players looked best on film according to Pro Football Focus?

Winning football games is fun, but the cherry on top is watching the tape and reliving your team’s best moments on the way to victory.

After 10 straight weeks of reviewing a loss, the Raiders can enjoy a winning effort after defeating the Jaguars on Sunday. Their top performer according to Pro Football Focus was tight end Brock Bowers. He earned a solid 81.5 score as he amassed 11 receptions and 99 receiving yards; Bowers surpassed 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards on the season.

Two other members of the Raiders offense join Bowers on PFF’s grading list. Offensive tackles Kolton Miller and DJ Glaze each made the cut. Miller is a veteran in his prime and Glaze is a rookie, and that’s a great sign for general manager Tom Telesco. The Raiders roster has issues, but at least his offensive tackle situation seems handled. Not every team can say as much.

The Raider’s starting linebackers continue to shine, as Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo also graded highly. Telesco will have to decide whether to sign these players to long-term contracts this offseason. They’ve provided solid defense in the middle of the field, which has long been an area of concern for the Raiders.

But those are decisions for another day. For now, these players can finally enjoy a winning effort after months of reliving one agonizing defeat after another as they study the tape.

Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 15 loss to Falcons

Calling out the best and worst individual performances for the Raiders in their week 15 game against the Falcons.

While the defense seemed to do a fairly good job of keeping the Falcons from running away with the game, the offense once again couldn’t seem to do anything with those efforts. For the first three quarters, the Raiders offense had crossed the 50 just once. And found themselves down 15-3. A late push ended up too little too late and thus they lost their tenth straight.

Ballers

DT Jonah Laulu

The first stop of the game was courtesy of Laulu coming up the gut on a stunt to sack Kirk Cousins for a ten-yard loss. It took a score off the board too because the Falcons had driven within range of a 45-yard field goal. But after the sack, they instead punted it away.

The Falcons would get a touchdown at the end of the first quarter. And Laulu would help ensure that would be their only TD of the game. The next drive, they would be knocking on the door, making it inside the Vegas 40-yard-line. But they would get no further as Laulu made the tackle on a scramble for two yards to bring up third and long. An errant pass would force another punt.

Later he would make the final play for the defense, dropping into coverage and just getting a hand on a pass that would have been for a first down to end the game. Instead it gave the Raiders the ball back with 1:50 left and a shot at winning the game.

DT Adam Butler

Just before the half, the Falcons drove into Raiders territory again, reaching the Vegas 43. Then in third-and-nine, Butler would fight his way into the backfield to make the sack and force another punt.

LB Robert Spillane

Then the first play of the third quarter, Butler got a hand on a pass at the line, and Robert Spillane picked it off for the first takeaway of the game for the Raiders.

The following drive would end with Spillane making a tackle for loss to bring up third and nine. He would make the stop on the next drive as well, making the tackle short of the first down on third-and-11.

Spillane got flagged for an absolutely terrible roughing the passer penalty. He was flagged for hitting the QB on the helmet and that simply didn’t happen. He actually made a great play, coming on the blitz and batting the ball on what should have been a stop, but was instead an automatic first down on the bogus penalty.

He would help the Raiders defense rally back from that and stop the Falcons anyway three plays later.

RB Ameer Abdullah

For the Raiders to have any chance in this game, they needed to drive for a touchdown late. They got that touchdown thanks to Abdullah. First, he made a 23-yard catch up the right sideline to put them in first and goal at the five. Then on the next play, he took a short pass, broke a tackle and streaked for the end zone, diving over the end line for the score.

Abdullah then put them in position to have a shot at the end as well. On fourth-and-eight, he caught a pass in the right flat, spun out of what looked like a sure tackle and ran for the first down, even getting out of bounds to stop the clock.

Honorable Mention

LB Divine Deablo — Tied for third on the team in tackles (six) including one for  a loss.

DE Tyree Wilson — Had a sack and two tackles for loss.

S Isaiah Pola-Mao — Led the team in tackles (nine)

Continue to the Busters…

Raiders star currently leads Pro Bowl fan voting

One Raider is the leading Pro Bowl fan vote recipient at his position and several others find themselves inside the top 10.

Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers is authoring a 2024 season that won’t soon be forgotten.

The 6-foot-4, 230 pound tight end has reeled in 90 catches for 968 yards with four touchdowns. Bowers’ catches and yards are both tops in the NFL among tight ends and rank fourth and 11th among all NFL players, respectively.

Bowers has already set the new NFL record for the most catches by a rookie tight end. With three games still left to play, Bowers is well within striking distance of breaking the NFL’s rookie tight end single-season receiving yardage record (1,076) set by Mike Ditka in 1961.

Selected No. 13 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Georgia alum has nine games with five or more catches and three with 10 or more grabs.

Bowers has eclipsed the century mark in receiving yardage in two games this season and has eight games with 50 or more receiving yards in 2024.

Bowers’ rapid ascent has caught the attention of NFL fans worldwide. In the latest Pro Bowl fan voting update, Bowers is now the leading vote-getter among tight ends.

Three other Raiders find themselves within the top 10 of the latest Pro Bowl fan voting update at their respective positions.

The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby currently possesses the fourth-most votes among defensive ends, Robert Spillane owns the fifth-most votes among inside linebackers and Daniel Carlson received the ninth-most votes among kickers.

Crosby recently announced that his 2024 campaign is over after sustaining a season-ending ankle injury that will require surgery.

Crosby ends his 2024 season with 45 tackles and team-leading figures in tackles for loss (17) and in sacks (7.5). Crosby also tallied five passes defensed.

Spillane intercepted Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas’ Monday Night Football loss against the Falcons. It was Spillane’s second interception of the 2024 season.

Spillane also boasts a team-leading 126 tackles and has registered seven tackles for loss, five passes defensed and one sack.

Carlson is 26-of-31 (83.9%) on field goal tries during the 2024 season and has connected on six from 50-plus yards. The kicker out of Auburn is also 19-of-20 on PAT tries.

Raiders PFF grades: 5 highest rated Week 15 vs. Falcons

The Raiders almost earned a miracle win on Monday Night Football against the Falcons but came up short. Which players graded the highest?

The Raiders’ losing streak hit double digits after they fell to the Falcons on Monday night, and Las Vegas’ last NFL win is a distant memory.

Despite looking awful for most of the game, the Raiders had a chance at victory on the game’s last play. But quarterback Desmond Ridder, starting in place of an injured Aidan O’Connell, missed the mark on a desperate hail mary pass as time expired.

Still, some players will be happier than others when they watch the game film with teammates and coaches. Linebacker Robert Spillane earned the highest grade on the team this week from Pro Football Focus, earning a solid 86.9 score.

Two other defenders join Spillane as high-scorers this week. Safety Tre’von Moehrig continued his strong season with another standout performance. Combined with Spillane’s fellow linebacker Divine Deablo, these three give Las Vegas hope for a strong middle section of the defense in 2025.

Two offensive linemen complete the list. Offensive tackle Kolton Miller earned the No. 2 spot with an 82.6 score. Guard Jordan Meredith took the No. 5 position with a 72.2 grade. Miller is a veteran while Meredith is a young player and took over as starter midseason. They figure to play a large role next season and performed well according to PFF, but each player committed multiple penalties against the Falcons, including a false start on Miller on the game’s first snap.

Everyone on the roster has to be better, however. Coaches have to perform better as well. If they can, perhaps they’ll earn a win over the season’s final weeks, potentially saving coach Antonio Pierce’s job in the process.

Busters for Raiders week 14 loss to the Buccaneers

Upon further review, the poor performances that most led to the Raiders loss in Tampa.

When you lose your ninth straight, there’s gonna be a few fingers pointed. Here are a few.

Busters

S Isaiah Pola-Mao

The Bucs scored four touchdowns in the game. And he was a part of

On the first touchdown, Jack Jones bit on a pump fake and Pola-Mao was supposed to give him help over the top. But he didn’t get over in time and Jalen McMillan scored the 15-yard touchdown.

Pola-Mao gave up a 20-yard catch that put the Bucs in scoring range on their second touchdown drive.

The Bucs had two big plays on their third TD drive. And Pola-Mao missed tackles on both of them. The first, he lowered his head and dove, leading to Mike Evans hurdling him to go for 32 yards. The next one he laid out and whiffed again on a 34-yard run that put them in first and goal.

The final touchdown drive featured a Pola-Mao giving up a catch and missing the tackle on a 45-yard play. Three plays later, they put the game away.

QB Aidan O’Connell

To lead out the second quarter, the Raiders got a rare takeaway. And on then O’Connell fumbled the snap on the first play of their possession to give it right back.

The defense would get it back again on their first fumble recovery of the season and this time AOC made something out of it. If not for Brock Bowers drawing a pass interference on third down, the Raiders would have likely only gotten a field goal out of it. That gave the Raiders first and goal and led to AOC getting the first rushing yards of his career on a TD sneak. Making it seem for a moment like the Raiders would make a game of it.

But even with a 29-yard run on the next drive, the Raiders couldn’t get a touchdown out of it.

To begin the third quarter, they had a long drive. And that QB sneak TD seemed to make AOC feel mobile for a moment. He tried to run it and got four yards, but hurt himself when he was tackled. He stayed in the game and the offense moved inside the ten. Then AOC tried forcing a pass to Brock Bowers and was picked off to get no points out of the 16-play drive.

The next drive, he tried rolling right and was pushed after the pass, hurting his leg bad enough they put it in an air cast and carted him off the field. Yeah, mobility is still not his thing.

C Jackson Powers-Johnson

Even if you don’t blame him for the fumbled snap, he had plenty of issues in the game.

After giving up a touchdown to open the game, the Raiders needed a response. They instead had a three-and-out. On third and ten, JPJ didn’t pick up the blitz and AOC was sacked for a ten-yard loss.

He was flagged for a blindside block on the next Raiders drive that called back a nice screen to Sincere McCormick. Though to be honest it was a pretty questionable call.

On the play in which AOC got hurt on the rollout, one of the defenders who was chasing him down got by JPJ.

Then there was another fumbled snap exchange between him and Desmond Ridder.

LB Robert Spillane

On the second TD drive for the Bucs, Spillane gave up a 13-yard run, then a 12-yard run, and then was standing in the middle of the field a few yards away watching Rachaad White catch the touchdown. That was three consecutive plays.

The next TD drive, he gave up the edge on a 34-yard run and then didn’t fill the gap on the three-yard touchdown run on the next play.

CB DeCamerion Richardson

The rookie has been a mainstay among the Busters since he took over for Jakorian Bennett after the injury. He was out of position on a 15-yard catch and run on the first TD drive.

In the third quarter he was posterized on a wicked stiff arm to give up a 12-yard run. The next drive, he gave up a 14-yard catch on third and eight. And the next drive he gave up a 32-yard catch, which was the big catch that seemed to get the Bucs offense back on track and they scored a two touchdowns down the stretch to end it.

WR Tre Tucker

The Raiders deep threat had two catches for seven yards. They went to him early and he couldn’t get open up the middle. A couple drives later, O’Connell threw for him up the left sideline and he couldn’t keep his feet inbounds.

P AJ Cole

He had four punts. None were stopped inside the 20 and one bounded into the end zone for a touchback to average a net 38.5 yards per punt.

See the Ballers

4 Raiders land inside top 10 in Pro Bowl fan voting

Some results for Pro Bowl fan votes were released Tuesday, and there were four Raiders who cracked the top 10 at their respective positions.

Some results for Pro Bowl fan votes were released Tuesday, and there were four Raiders who cracked the top 10 at their respective positions.

Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers received the second-most Pro Bowl fan votes among tight ends, Robert Spillane received the fifth-most votes among inside linebackers, Maxx Crosby received the sixth-most votes among defensive ends and Daniel Carlson received the 10th-most votes among kickers.

Bowers is in the midst of a historic rookie season. The 6-foot-4, 230 pound tight end currently leads the NFL in receptions (84) and ranks fourth overall in receiving yardage (884). Bowers’ 884 receiving yards, 445 yards after catch and 43 first downs are all tops among NFL tight ends.

After registering a career-high 140 receiving yards on 10 receptions last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Bowers has been nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week for the fifth time this season.

Spillane leads the Raiders with 111 total tackles. The sixth-year pro has also registered seven tackles for loss, four passes defended, one interception and one sack this season.

Crosby owns the Raiders’ team-leads in both tackles for loss (16) and sacks (7.5). The 6-foot-5, 255 pound defensive end is a nightmare for opponents and has 43 total tackles and four passes defended to his name in 2024.

Lastly, Carlson is 23-of-28 on field goal attempts this season. Carlson is perfect on field goal attempts from within 39 yards and has connected on five field goals of 50-plus yards. The Auburn alum is also a perfect 18-for-18 on PAT tries.

Fan voting for the Pro Bowl Games continues through Dec. 23.

There’s no limit to the number of times a fan can vote and you can do so at ProBowl.com/Vote and directly on X during the final two weeks (Dec. 9-23) by posting the player’s first and last name, tagging his official handle or creating a hashtag with the player’s full name.

Any of the three methods performed on social media must include the hashtag #ProBowlVote. Those social votes will count as double Dec. 22-23.

Las Vegas (2-10) returns to action with a Week 14 date at Tampa Bay (6-6). Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PT from Raymond James Stadium.

Raiders PFF grades: 5 highest rated Week 11 vs. Dolphins

The Raiders lost their sixth straight game on Sunday against the Dolphins. Which players had a good day despite the defeat?

The Raiders lost again on Sunday, this time against the Dolphins. Despite the defeat, many NFL observers were talking about Las Vegas’ rookie sensation, tight end Brock Bowers.

But Bowers’ 13 catches for 126 yards and touchdown weren’t enough to top this week’s list of top-rated players from Pro Football Focus. That honor goes to linebacker Robert Spillane. He recorded 11 total tackles, including five solo stops. They added up to an 81.5 grade from PFF. Bowers has to settle for the No. 2 spot with an 80.7 score.

Offensive tackle Kolton Miller and defensive linemen Charles Snowden and John Jenkins fill out this week’s list.

Bowers didn’t earn the Raiders top grade this week but as this season crosses the midway point, it’s clear that he’s not a future superstar; he’s a superstar right now. New offensive coordinator Scott Turner used Bowers as his primary weapon on Sunday in Miami and will likely continue to do so, so look for Bowers to be on this list most weeks, if not every week for the rest of the campaign.

Busters for Raiders Week 9 loss to Bengals

Those who had the roughest outing in the Raiders big loss in Cincinnati.

Over a ten minute stretch from the end of the second quarter to midway through the third quarter, the Bengals left the Raiders in the dust. What was a 10-10 tie because a 31-10 Bengals lead and they pretty much never looked back. Next thing you knew it, it was a 41-17 game and coaches’ heads were rolling before the night was up.

Busters

LB Divine Deablo

Tight ends have been gouging the Raiders of late. Opponents are realizing that’s one of their weaknesses and they’re exploiting it. Mike Gesicki alone had five catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Often times it was Deablo who they went after for those catches. But that wasn’t the only area Deablo struggled in this one.

The Bengals’ first drive went for a touchdown. At one point, on three consecutive plays, Deablo gave up either the catch or run for 27 yards to put them at the Vegas 33. The second TD drive came in the final three minutes of the first half and it was Deablo who gave up the TD catch from ten yards out.

First drive of the third quarter saw the Bengals drive for another TD. Deablo missed a tackle on a 21-yard run early in the drive, then in first and goal at the seven, he was out of position on a five yard run, and two plays later gave up another touchdown catch.

LB Robert Spillane

Kudos to him for playing through his injury, but he doesn’t look right out there. Just like last week, he’s still making some tackles. They’re just several yards down the field. And he’s having more troubling fighting through blocks and cutting quickly.

The Bengals’ second scoring drive, he gave up the two biggest plays on the drive — an 18-yard catch and a 12-yard catch and run where he missed the tackle. Then the first play of the third quarter, he had Joe Burrow dead to rights on the blitz and missed the tackle to give up an 11-yard scramble instead.

He finished with seven combine tackles, which was his second lowest total of the season and had just one solo tackle.

WR DJ Turner

Even with the Bengals scoring to end the first half and to begin the third quarter, it was still a two-score game. Then Turner lined up in the backfield to take the handoff and fumbled it. The Bengals recovered it at the Vegas 21 and drive for another touchdown. Dagger.

T Thayer Munford

What Troy Hendrickson did to him in this game was sickening. Henderickson finished the game with a single game career -high four sacks. And three of those came from the left side while Munford was in the game.

It may be considered cruel to call Munford out considering he was pressed into left tackle duties after Kolton Miller and Andrus Peat both went down with injuries. But, I am not here to give consideration to such things. He got embarrassed in this one. Enough so that you realize why he is the third string left tackle and not the primary backup. We’re talking about the season opening starting right tackle here too.

HC Antonio Pierce, OC Luke Getsy, DC Patrick Graham

No coach is safe from criticism here. And not just because it was a bad game and we’re spreading around blame liberally. But because they each had their very specific issues.

The offense once again dried up after the opening drive. Just a few days after Getsy took exception to the term “scripted drive”. And probably about the time the Raiders plane landed in Vegas, he was no long employed by them.

Even still, the Raiders were down just one score in the final seconds of the first half and driving. But in third and four from the 48, after Getsy called a doomed screen, they are in prime position to go for it on fourth down. Just 17 seconds left and about five yards away from Daniel Carlson field goal range. Instead Pierce showed no aggressive and a complete lack of faith in his offense and his defense by sending out the punt team. There was nothing to gain from that decision and almost everything to lose.

If you are worried you won’t make it and the Bengals would drive into field goal range, then you think they can just easily to that anyway, so what’s even the point? Otherwise, you just go down fighting. You don’t give up. Before halftime, the Raiders gave up.

As for Graham and this defense…the Bengals scored on every one of their first five possessions; four of which were touchdowns. And far too many times, there were wide open receivers. Whether it be backs squirting out of the backfield with no one around, tight ends finding huge soft spots in the zone, or running backs finding gaping holes for chunk plays. This defense is a shell of what it looked like when it found inspiration late last season.

See the Ballers

Will Dylan Parham, Robert Spillane play today for Raiders vs Bengals?

Raiders inactives for their Week nine game against the Bengals

The inactives are out ahead of the Raiders Week nine game against the Bengals and two key names are not among them.

Both RG Dylan Parham and LB Robert Spillane are active for today’s game, which means both are expected to start.

Parham has missed the past two weeks with a foot injury. He was replaced at right guard by Jordan Meredith. Parham should step back into his starting role today.

Spillane had injured his knee last Sunday and missed the entire week of practices. Head coach Antonio Pierce said he would be a game time decision. He’s apparently been cleared and should start at his usual middle linebacker spot where he’s missed just one play all season.

Among the inactives is starting center Andre James who was ruled OUT on the team’s final injury report. He will be replaced at center by rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson.

Raiders vs Bengals final injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 9

All the latest updates and news on TEAMA’s injury report ahead of a Week X game vs. TEAMB.

The final injury report for the Raiders and Bengals for their Week 9 matchup is out. With it, the Raiders have one player OUT and three others whose status is Questionable.

Raiders, Bengals injury report

Andre James injury update

James has been ruled OUT with an ankle injury. He will be replaced at center by Jackson Powers-Johnson.

Dylan Parham injury update

Parham is Questionable to miss his third straight game with a foot injury. Jordan Meredith has replaced him at right guard in each of the past two games.

Robert Spillane injury update

Spillane is Questionable with a knee injury with Antonio Pierce saying he will be a game time decision. If he can’t go, Tommy Eichenberg would most likely start at middle linebacker.

Zamir White injury update

White returned to practice Friday after missing Thursday’s practice. He is officially Questionable. Alexander Mattison is expected to get the bulk of the carries regardless, but the team has said they would like to get White going if he’s healthy.