Sage Cortez
I’m going to be presenting a new feature every Sunday during this NFL season, for as long as I can take it. Obviously the bye week doesn’t count. It’s the Raider Report Card! This one is going to be particularly difficult to type out, as I’ve never been more sad after a game in my life. A score of 16-9 against the Patriots is worse than getting destroyed. Honestly, I don’t know why I put myself through this every week. Let’s get to the grades!
Offense
Quarterback: B. OC Greg Olson has to open up the game for Derek Carr, but it’s a tough conundrum. The Raiders don’t have the receivers to open up the playbook, none of them can get open. They don’t have a running back who can catch the ball in the flat and break tackles. Carr did throw an interception, but the ball was bobbled and should have been caught. I liked his decisions and didn’t see him panicking under pressure and making bad throws. Also like his mobility. I’m a big fan of this guy and I think he’s going to go far in the NFL.
Running Backs: D. Darren McFadden has to be replaced. He seems to avoid the holes that the offensive line creates, doesn’t turn his catches into big gains, and doesn’t block very well. Latavius Murray probably isn’t the answer either. I don’t know what should be done about this position. The Raiders never should have brought a scrub like McFadden back. Ever. I don’t even remember what it looks like to see a quality runner wearing silver and black.
Fullback: C. Marcel Reece got some nice touches today, did what he could. Hard to grade this position because the Raiders don’t utilize it enough.
Wide Receivers: D+. Better than last week, with Andre Holmes and James Jones making some nice catches. As already stated in the QB grading section, the receiving corps simply cannot get open. To finish the game off, Denarius Moore bobbled a pass to cause the game-ending interception. So, fuck that guy. He’s a massive reason for this grade.
Offensive Line: A-. I can’t believe I’m giving out this grade for any unit on this team, but I have reasons! The most important reason is that they kept Derek Carr upright all day. He was not sacked. They created holes that McFadden wouldn’t run through. That’s not their fault. Gabe Jackson did take a penalty in the 4th quarter, but what he did was nothing different than what the Patriots players were doing and not getting called for. Quite unfair. I hope this unit can keep it going.
Overall: D. It’s the GM’s responsibility to have players on the team who can punch the ball into the end zone. 9 points is a joke, and when the QB can put the ball in the hands of their supporting cast, more has to be expected of them. I’m including the coaching staff in this grade as well. They called a terrible game. The McFadden wildcat formation shit has to stop. They have to find a way for Carr to be able to throw the ball in the middle of the field without worrying about his receiver dropping it, and causing an interception.
Defense
Defensive Line: B. This week they stepped up! Put a lot of pressure on Brady, fought off the Patriots offensive linemen, and got some nice run stuffs. They did well and kept running backs from getting to the second level. I also liked seeing Khalil Mack, Antonio Smith, and Justin Tuck being the players to provide that pressure. A first round draft pick, and two key free agent signings. Lamarr Woodley is a big disappointment, but those three guys listed in the previous sentence played very well.
Linebackers: C. It’s difficult to judge this group because it seems like the responsibilities of one of the outside linebacker positions switch between Mack and Woodley on every play. Miles Burris and Kaluka Maiava were…interesting in this game. In coverage, Burris dropped a pick. Every so often, they’d fail to make tackles. Sometimes, they burst through the opposing offensive line to make good tackles and limit yardage on run plays. It is what it is.
Secondary: B-. I thought the secondary did a good job. They took few penalties and limited yardage. Tom Brady was only able to find Julian Edelman with regularity, and that was cool. It’s hard to hold the Patriots to 16 points and this group was a huge reason why. I had a problem with the way they missed tackles, though. There’s nobody in particular who this applies to, it seemed like everybody was doing it. I also expect a secondary to create a turnover at least one in every two games. They have not created a turnover in two games now.
Overall: B. The defense played very well today. To hold the Patriots to 16 points is an achievement. To keep the game close away from home into the fourth quarter is an achievement. They did everything they could to win this game for the Raiders, and they simply couldn’t. I thought that the scheme was nice today. DC Jason Tarver used a base defense, didn’t utilize much blitzing, and that made the Patriots have to pick the Raiders apart. They couldn’t do that.
Special Teams: Incomplete grade. Nothing happened on this front.
It’s really disappointing that the Raiders couldn’t take advantage of a game they had a chance to win. The Patriots are a very difficult team to beat when they’re at home, and the Raiders had a chance the whole way. I’m pissed about the officiating as well. Carr’s lone interception had an illegal contact non-call, the Raiders had a TD called back for a non-descript holding offense, and that shit is just annoying. I don’t know when or how the Raiders are going to win a football game again. They play the Dolphins in London next week, but I don’t see how the team can score any points. I’m not even angry about the Raiders being a shitty team anymore. I’m sad, because I don’t know when it’s going to stop. I’ve been putting up with this for a decade now. Things need to change.
Raider of the Game: Khalil Mack! Looks like a great draft choice.
