Well, here we are - the Clown Car is retroactive to last week, and let's hope for something better today. Honestly, I'm kinda at a loss for words. How do I even process or talk about what's going on with this organization. It's a fail of astonishing proportions that has become an embarrassment for a relatively storied coach, and yet another blow to the sinking reputation of Mark Davis. It's sad to see this team with systemic issues that seem to only get worse. At this point just looking for the slightest hint of progress. GO RAIDERS!
Well, O line looks worse every week,continuing to prove Pete amd his boys need to go. Deplorable
ReplyDeleteClassic Greg Olsen vanilla offense:
ReplyDeleteDrive 1:
1st down run up the middle
2nd down run up the middle
3rd down pass play for a sack
Drive 2:
1st down run up the middle
2nd down pass play for a sack
3rd down pass play for a sack.
Repeat back to Drive 1
Wow! Imagine what the Raiders would be without Crosby and Bowers. Scary!
ReplyDeleteThere's nobody above greenskeeper in the Raiders organization who isn't culpable in this mess. Even though he won't admit it, Tom Brady was involved in everything. THAT'S WHY DAVIS BROUGHT HIM TO LV, i.e., to make the tough decisions that Davis has failed for over a decade.
Some folks will want to blame the O-line. Sure the O-line sucks, but it's exactly what Carroll and Spytek gave us. The Bills played without both their starting tackles today and easily handled the Steelers on the road. Carroll's Raiders live in this bizarre world where practice squad linemen are on the depth chart ahead of two all-star college draft picks, after 12 games and nobody else to play O-line. These rookies need divine intervention to get on the field. Raiders signed Mafi off practice squad for today. He played!
Pete Carroll should have been fired last week with Chip Kelly. Patrick Graham should be HC right now. At least then we could blame someone else.
Worst Raiders team in memory. Big thanks to Mark, Pete, Tom and the whole gang for that.
Yes as bad as things are, Mark Davis has manged to make them even worse.
ReplyDeleteHe now has created the overbearing shadow of Tom Brady over the franchise. How can Raiders hope to bring in a top head coach under these circumstances ?? Oh I know....they can't !!!
Mark Davis is now standing on the deck of the pirate ship that is sinking fast. The water is up to his neck. Better do something MD !!
If Mark Davis has any brains, a big if, he will call a press conference after final game of season. He will announce he has fired everyone, Carroll, Spytek, Graham, and the rest of the staff. He will do what he does best,(besides losing), and start over once again.
But most importantly, he should make it clear, that from this moment on, Tom Brady will be no more than a very SILENT, minority owner. He will not seek his advice, nor is it welcomed.
If he does not do this, as I said, no credible, qualified, reputable, HC candidate will go anywhere near the Raiders organization.
Wake up !! Mark Davis. Before the pirate ship is completely under water.
Turns out the Clow Car wasn't just retroactive
ReplyDeleteThe Clown Car keeps rolling. Take, I cannot wait until we put that bad boy down forever. Hopefully that will be sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteNo one to blame about the team's direction at this point except Mark Davis. Tom Brady is not the answer, Carroll is not the answer. Mark needs to learn the game to hold people accountable himself. I say fire Pete, his sons, and Spytek. Make Patrick Graham the HC, and let Patrick bring in his people to work with, and find a GM that PG trusts (bring back Champ Kelly or Reggie McKenzie).
A lot of noise that Chip was either: A) calling plays not even in the playbook B) calling Pete Carroll's plays, and trying to sabotage them. C) a combination of the two. There are beat reporters shouting both, and I believe it is C. Though Pete denies that he was in on the offense, maybe that is why 2 of his sons are "helping" strategic offensive coaching positions. This is eerily similar to the style of offense that Pete ran in Seattle his last 3 years; and as the highest paid OC, maybe that rubbed Chip the wrong way that Pete's sons were there telling him what to do, and maybe even sabotaging Chip's offense. Either way, it was a rocky relationship when, since Week 2, Pete has thrown Chip's play calling under the bus, but elevating Geno.
Ghost,
You said the pirate ship is sinking fast, I believe it has sunk. I agree with what Antonio Pierce said yesterday that it may take decades to fix. Why? Mark Davis.
At this point, I feel the Raiders I grew up watching and loving, died with Al Davis.
Champ Kelly seemed worthy. But the Raiders hired Tom Telesco. A little unusual since he was just fired by LAC. But what made zero sense was firing Telesco after one season and a stellar draft. That's on Brady!
ReplyDeletePatrick Graham might not be HC material, but the Raiders still have 5 games to vet him in real time. Hello?! Mark? Tom? John?
Otherwise, Davis should start a due diligence process that's eluded him through his ownership tenure. Reach out to as many of the top coordinators as possible, as soon as possible (legal) and start a vetting process for long-term head coach. Someone who is worthy and will be available to the Raiders for many years to come. It worked for the Bears.
`BTW, Nate, you might be giving Chip Kelly too much credit. He's flamed out in the NFL before. He seems knowledgeable to listen to, but so did Josh McDaniels.
Nate,.....I would rather bring back AP, than have Graham be HC.
ReplyDeleteGraham is using a cover 3 defense, so the Raiders don't get beat deep. But the soft coverage underneath is killing the Raiders. Plus the 52 yard TD run on Sunday, the 48 yard WR screen for a TD by Browns. The blitz's that never get to the QB.
No Thanks !!!
NYR,......No top OC, or DC from other teams will come to the Raiders with shadow of Tom Brady looming. And I'm not willing to risk another draft by Spytek,(Brady's boy), wasting more high draft picks.
Again, No Thanks !!!
Raiders have 5 games remaining, with the Giants giving the Raiders their only plausible chance. Even that's slim. (Giants beat the Chargers and the Eagles and have hung tough with almost everybody else.)
ReplyDeleteHow can two wins be acceptable, especially in the fashion which the Raiders continue to lose?
The Raiders have made one bad decision after another, they've been shut out, they've scored single digits in numerous games. The playcalling has been awful, and players sometimes look lost executing the plays they've been "trained" to run. Don't forget the blocked kicks and punts. Players have been forced out of their natural position. Other players have landed mysteriously in the doghouse... including Jakobi Meyers - by far the Raiders best WR traded for a 4th round pick. Lest not forget the Raiders have regularly pissed away draft picks, so a 4th rd pick is pretty insignificant.
I know I am only scratching the surface. Be that as it may, can anyone tell me one positive thing that has or will transpire this season? Keep Bowers and Crosby out of it. They are untouchable on any NFL team.
Ghost, Graham is running Carroll's D. The Raiders ran more man coverage and blitzed more last year. Carroll came in and they waived or traded their cover corners, dumped Wilkins and re-signed Koonce coming off season long injury.
ReplyDeleteThis 2025 team doesn't a have a single good decision to brag about.
If no top OC or DC will come to the Raiders because of Brady, that's eerily familiar to the way it used to be. Right? By extension, if Brady's rule ends with Mark Davis having to shut him down, that means this gets worse before that happens. Yikes!
Lane Kiffin is the new head coach at LSU. When Mark Davis brought back Jon Gruden, perhaps he went after the wrong former Raiders head coach. Kiffin walked into unusual and obviously unexpected circumstances when he agreed to work for Al Davis. Davis calls the shots and, apparently, Kiffin didn't know that or thought it would be different for him. Not sure why. That relationship ended as fast as it started. But that never made Kiffin a bad coach. Kiffin has .686 winning percentage over 14 years at major schools.
ReplyDeletePete Carroll has failed the Raiders. That's not just my opinion. Carroll has failed by his own standards, stated intentions, predictions and promises. The concerns may go deeper than Carroll, as many believe, but there's little chance of change above Carroll until we sit through more failures (which is entirely possible).
But at this point, what are the Raiders waiting for? Pounder this: if Chip Kelly was bad enough to get fired, what about Brennan Carroll? How did son of Pete who oversees presumably the worst O-line in modern history get a pass?
The Raiders are a day late and a dollar short. They make organizations like the Jets and Giants look like well-oiled machines. So far, Tom Brady brings nothing to the table, except more dysfunction... so much so, it may be hard for the Raiders to hire another decent head coach. A Lane Kiffin Part II would have been fun to watch.
Mark Davis was on the right track two times since he's owned the Raiders.
ReplyDeleteFirst was Gruden part ll. I didn't like the 10 year contract, but at least Raiders had some stability. By 4th year, Gruden seemed to be righting the ship. Of course, Gruden couldn't finish, but Raiders did make the playoffs that season. So it shows something good was going on. But then, MD blew it all up again, hired Mcdummy,(now pretty smart with a Qb), and Raiders were back on the wrong track again.
Second time was hiring AP as interim HC. Remember how great we all felt when AP came in and made the Raiders relevant again ? Remember when we beat the Chefs by running all over them ? Remember the defense, everybody flying all around the field, making plays, creating turnovers, being smash mouth, and dominant...Remember?? But what happened ?
In the off season, somehow, instead of building on AP's success, Raiders, with weak ownership, managed to go off track again. AP lost his GM, Champ Kelly. AP lost his RB, and heart & soul of offense, Josh Jacobs, someone decided to switch Qb's, out was AOC, who was winning games for AP, and in was Gardner Minshew. Also added to the coaching staff were washed up, has been's, like Marvin Lewis.
All of this change really failed, and AP went from confident and sure, to confused and dazed. From winning, to losing, just like that. So just some food for thought. Even when Mark Davis does something right, he will quickly make it wrong.
I’d easily rate McKenzie/Del Rio as a more exciting period than AP.
DeleteChip Kelly is a candidate for HC at Kentucky. Apparently, the interview process went well despite Kelly overseeing the worst offense in the NFL and getting fired after only 11games. Maybe Kelly told them what media are now reporting, i.e., that Kelly was not running his own offense. It was Pete Carroll's offense. That makes sense because Carroll had zone blocking system in Seattle. Some are even suggesting Kelly sabotaged Carroll's offense (because he wanted more control of scheme) and others say vice versa. Who knows, but man it's ugly.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is why Pete left coaching and became more of a consultant in Seattle. Seattle put him out to pasture and the Raiders took bait and pulled him back to coaching. Genius!
"Third-round pick Caleb Rogers started the game against the Chargers at right guard but ended up splitting snaps with Atonio Mafi [a practice squad signee]. Rogers ended up with only 17 snaps in the game but was the highest-graded Raiders' offensive lineman in the game by Pro Football Focus."
ReplyDeleteSomething is strangely wrong with Pete Carroll's approach. The fact that John Spytek would draft two O-linemen in the middle of the draft (both with many college-level accolades) and neither can find the field on a 2-10 team is mindboggling. How can anyone trust Carroll when his results suck and his methods defy logic?
Al
ReplyDeleteMatt the Corp raider
ReplyDeleteReally
Hey guys how about the draft next year. Any QBs look good to you? Dante Moore, Mendoza? Are they worth a top 5 pick? Sandy
ReplyDeleteShamefully, I don't really follow college football until bowl games, and the occasional google search for top picks. And I don't usually search mock drafts until late in the season. The key word being, "usually!" This year is clearly an exception. We've been playing for draft slotting since about Week 8.
ReplyDelete2026 has the usual list of free agent QBs, e.g., some who are aging quickly, others who seem to, well, just be there every year. One notable exception is Daniel Jones, who will get a big raise next year with whoever signs him. Funny how that works. Giants had a decent QB the whole time.
Clearly, the Raiders need a QB. Geno Smith is woefully inadequate, and Aiden O'Connell is a game manager at best (not a reliable come-from-behind baller). If there is a franchise QB for the taking, Raiders have to draft him. I'm still miffed by the fact they could have taken a flier on Shedeur Sanders and at least had someone on their roster worthy of development.
I guess my concern is, will the Raiders make the same mistake next year and draft the cart-before-the-horse again. They can't keep drafting skill players without having an O-line, or at least one which can run Carroll's ridiculous offense.
Truth is, the Raiders need a head coach more than a QB. A "good" coach (for the Raiders) could have squeezed some wins out of the current roster, as was promised (coach, please don't tell us the roster wasn't what you thought it was while firing your coordinators). Instead, we've seen no progress and multiple coordinator firings. Pete should have stayed semi-retired. Now it's up to the Raiders to acknowledge that and act accordingly.
Unfortunately, the Raiders are more than a QB away from being competitive.
Raiders signed CB Greedy Vance who was cut yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the draft, I'm not there yet, but I do have my thoughts on QBs. I think the best QB out there right now was injured early this season, and really should have entered the draft last season, and that is Penn State's Drew Allar. He only played in 6 games this season, 65% pass ratio, 1100 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs before getting injured against Northwestern. Right now, he would be a high 2nd or 3rd Round pick depending on his recovery process.
I think Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) would be a great pick up, but with our current O-Line, he would be more like he was with Cal in 2023 where he had a 63% pass ratio, 1708 yards, 14 TDs, 10 Ints.
I think we are better off drafting O-Line, and getting a QB in later rounds. QBs like Carson Beck (Miami), 75% pass ratio, 3072 yards, 25 TDs, 10 Ints.
Jayden Maiava (USC) 66% pass ratio, 3431 yards, 23 TDs, 8 Ints
Darian Mensah (Duke) 68% pass ratio, 3450 yards, 28 TDs, 4 Ints
Behren Morton (TX Tech) 68% pass ratio, 2428 yards, 20 TDs, 4 Ints. I think Behren would be an awesome pick for the Raiders because he has an incredible run game and O-Line at Tech (this is the college my daughter goes to). Behren brings a great balance to the offense, strong arm, smart decisions, can run the ball and move the pocket. If the Raiders build the O-Line, Behren would be a great pick up to compliment building an offense around Jeanty and the running game.
Honestly, if I am the Raiders and we have a high pick, I'm trading down to select Olaivavega Ioane (OG, Penn St) in the middle of the first round. We would be able to put JPJ back at Center with this move, and bring balance to the Guard position with Caleb Rogers. Or I am drafting Jacob Rodriguez (LB, TX Tech) who is a ball hawk as an ILB.
Then in the 2nd Round, I'm taking Amare Frrell (CB, Indiana) to bring a big CB who can start and make a difference immediately, or Luke Kendra (OG, Cincy) depending on what I do in the first round.
The third round is where I think Drew Allar will go, if the Raiders pass on him, then they should select A'Mauri Washington (NT, Oregon). Again, I think the Raiders need to get back to Reggie McKenzie's strategy of build the Lines.
4th Round, if they don't go Drew Allar, is where I take Behren Morton (QB, TX Tech). Build the O-Line (which remember, we have Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant (who can play both LT and RT) so we are also building depth.
That would be my strategy if I were the GM, but all of that can change with Free Agency too.
In Free Agency, my first move is to bring Khalil Mack back to the Raiders, TJ Watt, or Joseph Ossai to play opposite of Maxx Crosby. I am also looking at Jamel Dean (CB, Tampa), Kevin Zeitler (OG, Titans), Jonah Williams (RT, Arizona), Spencer Buford (LT, 49ers), also Asante Samuel Jr is still a free agent who is recovering from an injury.
Nate, Greedy Vance is being bounced on and off the practice squad. The Raiders activate him for games, then expose him to the league for poaching off their practice squad during the week. Assuming Vance is a developing player, the Raiders are consistently at risk of losing him.
ReplyDeleteNothing the Raiders have done this year is smart. They are not measured, introspective or clever about anything.
They have totally jumped the shark.
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ReplyDeleteSandy, good question. We need a QB. The only path forward for sustained success in the NFL is to draft a franchise quarterback. Teams like the Seahawks and Colts are doing well, but it's ultimately fool's gold and won't last. Maye, Mahomes, Hurts, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, Herbert, Prescott, Love, Williams (so far this season) etc. All homegrown. Exceptions seem to be Goff and Stafford.
ReplyDeleteI don't know which QB they should look at in the draft, and worse yet, I'm concerned that the billionare owner and million-dollar salary execs at the Raiders won't know either. They have a knack for big misses. You and I, Sandy, could literally have this team in better shape than Mark Davis has if we'd been given control five years ago. That's not a typo, I truly believe it. How? Because we would have hired smarter people than us and gotten out of the way. At a minimum we would have not done worse.
Raiders have "too many cooks" syndrome and all their cooks are pushing in different directions. They lack a cohesive plan in epic proportion. The insanity of it all is that they don't seem to see it. In a single year they have bankrupt themselves at every level of their football operations. They don't scout well, they don't draft smartly, they don't develop players, they can't game plan or call intelligent plays, and they can't make adjustments (in-game or week-to-week).
ReplyDeleteGuys! We've never witnessed this level of ineptitude from the Raiders. It's really remarkable. My weekly gameday routine has transitioned from rooting for my favorite football team to rubbernecking a bad accident on Las Vegas Boulevard. Speaking for myself, I don't know if I should laugh or cry. I'm looking at arts and craft to pass time during the rest of the season.
Stay tuned for a big take on all of this...
ReplyDeleteYes, the Raiders need a QB, but I hope they don't force the issue in the draft.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, if a top grade CB, or OT, or DT, is available, gotta pick'em over a reach at QB.
Donks, & Seahags both built the defense, and added the QB last.
So, maybe, build the defense, and the QB will come.
Take, you have all waiting with great anticipation for the big take !!
Ghost, I agree. Don't force it. Let the game manager (AOC) front your offense until you find the right replacement. Meanwhile, draft big, literally.
ReplyDeleteThere are takes giving reasonable perspective all over the Internet about where the Raiders might have failed. The only ones who don't see it are the Raiders. Chip Kelly wasn't the problem, only a symptom. Pete Carroll should already be removed (politely and respectfully, of course) and the Raiders should be collectively trying to get their perspective.
The one person who has quietly survived all this is Patrick Graham. Dude has survived three regimes, and his "multiple" concept is real. He's playing Carroll's defense right now... and it's not as good as Graham's defense.
NYR....Even after all this time, it's very hard to judge Patrick Graham. To be fair, he has never coached a complete defense. There are always plenty of holes for him to work around.
ReplyDeleteThe secondary is always terrible, the linebackers are usually vets picked up off the scrap pile, and the front is Maxx Crosby, and the nobodies.
I would say, Graham has been solid during his tenure, but not spectacular. Certainly not head coaching material.
In fairness, Patrick Graham lost 7 of 9 starters entering this season, and he was forced to transition from man to zone coverages with a league-low blitz rate. Comparatively, there were times with Pierce and Graham that the Raiders defense elevated to badass status. Not every game, but it was fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteAnd to be clear, I never said Graham should be hired as HC. I only suggested he deserves a 6-game audition as interim coach. Now that's down to 4 games... if the Raiders act next week. But they won't. The sad truth is, the Raiders don't lose any revenue for being a horrible team, and they're in no hurry to right their wrong. It's Vegas, baby!
"lost 7 or 9 starters" ... not 7 of 9
ReplyDeleteIMO, Graham has been handicapped by Carroll but has still managed to keep it together for a defense which has spent way too much time on the field this season. Now we're seeing Greg Olsen run the same offense as Kelly. Some believe it's because he's being directed by Carroll. It's a mess that won't stop until Carroll is relieved as HC.
Something has to give. For the short period the Raiders played Caleb Rogers at guard last week (17 snaps). PFF graded him higher than any other Raiders linemen in the game. But he then got pulled out. Why? Are coaches intentionally sabotaging the Raiders... since Week 1?
Presumably, there are smart people involved but the Raiders lack answers at every level.
RT, I agree with you on the draft of the quarterback and if they spend some money on the offensive line they would have a potential franchise quarterback Genty and Bowers all 23 and younger. Sandy
ReplyDeleteSounds simple enough yet has somehow eluded the Raiders for 22 straight years.
ReplyDeleteGhost, you had some concern about Patrick Graham and the defense. Here's a breakdown of what they are running.
ReplyDelete"Raiders have run Carroll's trademark Cover 3 defense on a whopping 55 percent of pass plays in the last six weeks. The next closest team to the Raiders in terms of Cover 3 use is 11 percent behind the Raiders...."
The Raiders have to be the most predictable team (on defense and offense) in the league. As I've said, there is nothing clever about what they do. It's difficult to watch... to the point of cringeworthy.