Following a brutal 24-22 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Las Vegas Raiders discover themselves on the point of lacking the playoffs fully in a deep AFC. The Raiders went 1-12 on third down and 2-6 within the crimson zone of their loss to the Titans, and the loss prompted a closed door assembly between head coach Josh McDaniels and proprietor Mark Davis. One once more, this occurred in Week 3!
The Raiders spent some huge cash within the offseason to have the identical quantity of wins because the Houston Texans by means of 3 weeks. Let’s check out what’s gone mistaken in Vegas.
Offensively, the Raiders are twenty fourth in DVOA and within the dropback passing sport their EPA/play is worse than the Seahawks. Nonetheless, while you watch their sport in opposition to the Titans, there actually isn’t a lot mistaken with Las Vegas schematically. There’s quite a lot of the McDaniels Patriots kind of run sport with heavy I-formation and runs between the tackles, and within the passing sport they appear to know what they’re doing, with a QB who is aware of what he’s seeing on a right down to down foundation.
The offensive line is a matter, however contemplating they each knew this is able to be an issue coming into the season, and began rookie Thayer Munford at RT on Sunday, that’s a bigger dialogue for a way this group was constructed, that we’ll have on the finish of this.
The Raiders largest problem, and one which popped up of their loss to the Titans, is their situational play, primarily on third down and within the crimson zone. Via 3 video games, Las Vegas is twenty sixth in DVOA on third and fourth down, and in line with StatMuse, solely changing on 35.3% of their third downs.
Towards the Titans, they solely transformed one first down, and that was at the start of the sport. Trying again on the sport, they persistently shot themselves within the foot, placing themselves in cross solely conditions with a nasty offensive line. For instance, on a 3rd and 4 from the Titans’ 9 yard line, they get a penalty for a false begin. Shifting them into a 3rd and 9 from the 14 yard line, when Denico Autry does this:
On a 3rd and 13 later within the sport, the Raiders get a delay of sport, placing them even additional behind the sticks and so they need to throw a display cross which fits for a two yard loss. The Raiders aren’t serving to themselves or their offensive line by placing themselves in apparent passing conditions behind a patchwork offensive line that performed their seventh totally different OL group this season.
That is on a 3rd and 4, and Munford will get crushed on a velocity rush to the skin by Curtis Weaver. The Raiders have gotten to assist their line out, both with chip assist by a again or TE, or preserving an additional man in.
What additionally intrigues me is the Davante Adams utilization in these important conditions. In keeping with Sports activities Data Options, Adams has 4 targets on third down over three video games, and a yards per route run variety of 2.7 yards. The Titans had an amazing gameplan for Adams, virtually having two pairs of eyes on Adams always. McDaniels tried getting Adams open from the slot for a majority of his routes run on third down on Sunday, however the Titans bracketed him, forcing Carr to go the opposite method.
In some methods, they have been simply unfortunate. Carr focused TE Darren Waller twice on third down on Sunday, however they resulted in an unpleasant incompletion and an INT within the crimson zone. The incompletion was unhealthy, as a result of the Raiders obtained the look they needed, however couldn’t end. This needs to be a catch and a giant achieve.
Finally, the Raiders are watching an 0-3 gap in an AFC that’s loaded with contenders. In actuality, leaping on Las Vegas as a direct playoff contender may need been a mistake. In case you have a look at their roster, obvious holes on the offensive line and on protection have been noticeable within the offseason, and have been their largest problem by means of three video games.
The rotating door up entrance hasn’t helped, however their lack of ability to win on third down and continuously backing themselves right into a nook is on teaching. Josh McDaniels has to organize his group higher for these conditions, and so they merely can’t flip the ball over within the crimson zone.
Via the primary three weeks it simply appears unfortunate, however time will inform if it’s a development or not.
