Broncos Gameday Thread
The Raiders played the Broncos fairly closely last time in a stinker for the ages, but they're already down by seven in the first. We shall see, but don't be shocked if they lose and stay on track for their worst record in 20 seasons. With my last breath: GO RAIDERS!
posted by Raider Take at 1:23 PM
28 Comments:
They should fire Pete Carroll mid game. It's that bad.
Only 3 Broncos were rushing the QB on the last offensive play by the Raiders in the 1st half. Result: Sack. How can the Raiders be that bad?
Kenny Pickett entered a blowout game and threw a strike to (Bo?) Jackson for a TD, leaving a big smile on Pete Carroll's face. Reminded of Mark Davis's elation last year after winning a meaningless game at the end of the season that probably knocked the Raiders down several draft slots. I doubt they need to worry about a repeat of that this year.
If you didn't watch the game - and why should you - all you need to know is the Broncos doubled the Raiders time of possession. ~40 min to 20 min. The score was much closer than the game due to some garbage time scoring at the end.
Another collapse of the O-line, which looks completely lost. So much so that five guys can't defend three guys, as pointed out above, not even for 2-3 seconds. It's not like Geno held the ball too long (which he often does), defenders were immediately in his face.
In other sort of Raiders-related news, Titans won today! And Shedeur Sanders broke a rookie record today with 2 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD. Suffice to say, he looks much better than Geno Smith.
Have we hit DEFCON 1 yet? Or perhaps 2, 3 or 4? Or is this just business as usual?
Correction, Sanders had 4 total TDs yesterday. It takes the Raiders offense 4 weeks to score 4 TDs.
Meanwhile, the Raiders have misread every move they've made during and since the offseason, and they look more foolish with every game.
I'm certainly no fan of coaching changes every other year but, IMO, Raiders will need to go scorched earth again. Carroll has been an epic failure in LV.
Moreover, guys like Jeanty, Caleb Rogers and other young players will have to unlearn what they've been taught during the Carroll regime in order for the Raiders to move forward.
At least Browns fans can say, gee, what if we could put a few more off-season pieces around our 4-TD gamer.
Unless Maxx Crosby can play QB, the Raiders have nothing even closely resembling that, and they have no one to blame but themselves.
I didn't watch yesterday. All I know by looking at the stats is Carroll needs to fire his sons, who are inept at their jobs. Greg Olsen is who we know him to be with his vanilla play calling. Dumpster fire!
I will say, after beating Ohio St on Saturday, Fernando Mendoza looks to be the #1 pick of the draft at QB. That may fall to the Raiders, who currently hold the #2 spot behind the Giants, who have Jaxon Dart and don't need a QB.
Like I said in my last post too, don't forget about Drew Allar (Penn St) who was injured this seaosn. In my opinion, he is the only one better than Mendoza.
Also, I am still intrigued by Texas Tech's QB Behren Morton. He is a solid game manager and has a decent arm and makes decent pre-snap reads. I think he will be the surprise of the draft at QB. I truly think he is comparable to CJ Stroud, Jayden Daniels, and Bryce Young. He is not getting a lot of press compared to the other QBs in the CFP, but he is steady and nothing seems to rattle him. I think if Texas Tech goes far in the CFP you will be hearing a lot more about him and Jacob Rodriguez (LB) on the Red Raiders.
Raiders play the Giants, so the top pick could easily swing to the Raiders. But they need competent coaches to develop young talent. They are void of that presently, as evidenced by an entire season gone by without notable improvement by the current rookie class. But make no mistake, developing a rookie QB is a specialty. The current regime is not capable.
Our margin for failure and bad choices (coaches, execs, draft picks, free agents) has gone from slim to razor to nano - unless perpetual ongoing failure is the new standard
It is sad that we have now entered a time as Raiders fans where we cannot enjoy the current moments and only reflect on the "glory days" of yester-year-decade-century. I was thinking about that this morning.
Carl Rogers gave up 0 pressures, 0 sacks, 0 QB hits yesterday against a top ranked defense; yet Petey and his sons had him on the pine most of the season. Unfortunately, Take, no one could account for that margin of failure by this coach and his sons, unless they took into account his days in Seattle his last 2 years.
I don't understand how a great coach can suddenly forget how to coach, unless he is related to "Sleepy" Joe.
The shit show the Raiders have become can't be overstated. At this point, understanding the Raiders and their now decades long failures is like trying to understand Sasquatch or UFOs. The Raiders are so bad, it's hard to know if they are for real.
Before the season I reluctantly said Pete might be over his head coming to the Raiders. He's proved me right. Their problems are much bigger than a head coach. But he's been awful too. No way he stays as HC in 2026. How can he possibly.
Nate, all we've had for decades are visions of Marcus Allen, Howie Long and Tim Brown... Snake and Blanda if you're a little older. That's all there is.
I would add this, be careful what you (we) wish for. The Raiders epically failed Asthon Jeanty this year. This kid was on a level in college to step into the NFL blindfolded and still be great. But the Raiders didn't provide him with the resources to even be good. The Raiders might actually have a shot at a top QB in the draft. Will they draft and fail him too?
Hard to tell if Raiders are tanking, or really just this bad.
Raiders vs Giants, that is our super bowl, to decide the number one pick.
Nate,...Wouldn't rule out Giants taking a Qb. The way Dart plays, he might not last long.
Best if Raiders just lose out the season, leave nothing to chance.
We've entered the last stretch and once again a period of zero expectations for another lost season. The Raiders last four games are meaningless except for draft slotting. But here we go again. In eerie deja vu fashion, we once again have a HC fighting for his job. If the Raiders win one game - as unlikely as that may be given the shitshow they've become - they stand to drop 4-5 places in draft slotting. At some point, the goal needs to be bigger than winning one or two games at the end of a lost season. How many times can Mark Davis feel gratification for winning a game that cost him another potential franchise QB? He's watched this play out several times now. It's Groundhog Day in Las Vegas, again!
Eagles
Texans
Giants
Chiefs
Seems pretty safe, especially since the Chiefs might be playing for their playoff lives instead of just coasting in like usual. And don't be fooled by their record, the Giants are better than the Raiders.
Short of tanking, the Raiders might be too bad to claw out a win out and bad enough to fall into the draft's top prize.
NY,
I'd give up 4 or 5 draft slots to beat KC and prevent them from making the playoffs. That would pretty much make my year.
I get what you're saying, Nate. But to what end? At the expense of potentially not getting a franchise QB? I'm tired of the Raiders self-imposed failures. Winning that type of game and losing all the others is partly why we're still in the dumpster. It's a sugar high, at best. Unfortunately, I've already been desensitized to this season. The 2025 Raiders are dead to me. It's time to bury the corpse and move on. For some reason, the Raiders seem reluctant. They're satisfied to wallow in their dysfunction, by just picking off a couple coordinators and expecting things to change.
Honestly, I'm frightened that the Raiders are not smarter than I am. That should frighten anyone. I don't know shit, and they're like 5 steps below that.
NYR,....You are smarter than the Raiders. We all are !! Isn't it sad ?
All we need to know, is what we see with our own eyes.
The secondary sucks every year...Fix it !!
Raiders don't draft Qb's or LB's....Draft'em !!
Maxx Crosby has no help on the D-line....Get'em some help !!
Raiders 0-line is horrendous....Fix it !!
Other teams do it, why can't the Raiders ??
NY, well that is the misnomer isn't it; that a team has to draft a QB in the top 5 to get a franchise QB. Draft position doesn't determine that.
We had a franchise QB with Derek Carr, and we picked him in the 2nd Round; and look what the "franchise" did to him for 9 years.
Yes, it would be awesome to get Mendoza, who is a cerebral QB like Derek Carr; but there are others. My opinion is that Drew Allar is still the best QB available in this next draft; but GMs/teams will overlook him because of his injury this year. Raiders can probably draft him in the 2nd or 3rd round. I also like Behren Morton out of TX Tech, he reminds me a lot of CJ Stroud; and the Raiders can probably draft him in the 2 through 4th Rounds, depending on how he does in the CFP and Scouting Combine.
Our team needs more than a QB, they need O-line, D-Line, CB, and WR depth. The foundation that is going to give us the best chance for a franchise QB is the O-line; and guess what, we desperately need an O-Line, and we need an O-Line coach who can develop them. Until we get that in place, you can kiss franchise QB goodbye.
Nate, it's not a misnomer that the best players in college football are available at the top of the draft each year. Sure Raiders need a QB. But I don't care if they draft QB, edge or OT or WR or CB, as long as it's the best player. For that reason, they are better off with the top pick than they are at the 7-8 pick for winning a meaningless game. Been there done that...
Having the top pick suits the Raiders. Besides, what else has worked for them?
PS you can't time a franchise QB, like once we get this or that in place. If you snooze you lose. Just like they acquired Bowers, Raiders should draft best player! And they can start with the consensus best in the entire draft... whoever that is.
NY, I understand the concern, but my concern with the Raiders and their recent draft position, is not the position, but who they selected and who they overlooked.
We all know the Raiders failed in drafting Shedeur Sanders. In 2024, we drafted Brock Bowers which was a great pick, but missed moving up to get a QB. We drafted Tyree Wilson in 2023 (who is starting to show out now), but missed on Jalen Carter, we didn't have a draft pick in 2022 until the 3rd Round. In 2021, we selected Alex Leatherwood, but missed on Christian Darrisaw and Odafe Oweh. In 2020, we grabbed Ruggs and Arnette, but missed on Tristan Wirfs, CeeDee Lamb, K'Lavon Chaisson, Jordan Love, Patrick Queen, and Justin Jefferson. In 2019, we drafted Clelin Ferrell at #4 and hit on Josh Jacobs, but we missed Devin White, Ed Oliver, and Devin Bush. In 2018, we hit with Kolton Miller. In 2017, we drafted Gaeron Conley, but missed on TJ Watt, Jabrill Peppers, and Reuben Foster. In 2016, we drafted Karl Joseph, but didn't really miss except for the chance to trade up. In 2015, we drafted Amari Cooper and missed Brandon Cherff, Leonard Williams, and Arik Armstead.
Can't blame draft position on that, you have to blame the GM/Coaches who made those choices.
All valid observations. Funny, we had Chaisson in the building but let him go (again) and paid Koonce a pretty big contract coming off season-long injury. I don't know exactly how Chaisson's season is going but I can see how Koonce is doing... meh!
Perhaps what you're overlooking is "opportunity." Bad decisions can still be made (JaMarcus Russell), but without opportunity the Raiders will never be given (or give themselves) the chance to make a consensus #1 or otherwise great pick (TBD). It's been two decades since we had that chance and the Raiders blew it and have sucked for most of that time.
Do you assume they are incapable of making a sound choice? Because a win against the Chiefs or any other team removes that opportunity... for better or for worse.
Pickett is starting on Sunday in Philly. Sandy
IDK, Pickett's probably not a bad backup for somebody, but he will likely get his ass kicked against the Eagles front. They won't need to blitz.
It would have been so much more fun watching Shedeur Sanders... and the Raiders execs know it. Everybody knows it now. It's no longer an uncertainty. In fact, it's beyond a mistake. It should be criminal that the Raiders didn't draft him.
My predictions is Caleb Rogers will play on the O-line for 2nd straight game and hold his own, because he's always been good... it's just that the Raiders chose to "redshirt" him (NFL version) for his first year. Meanwhile, they fired their offensive coordinator and Pete Carroll is now on the bubble... partly because they left talent like Rogers on the bench.
The Raiders are no longer about smart people making bad decisions. They have misread everything they touch. That's next level.
If Carroll stays and we start talking 6-8 wins next year, that's a year behind schedule. But even 6-8 wins next year seems unattainable in the current iteration of bad coaching.
Funny that even the Browns, who drafted Sanders, had him buried on their depth chart. After scoring 4 TDs and throwing 360+ yards in one game, Browns smartly designated Sanders "starter" for the remainder of 2025. That's exactly what the Raiders should have done... but maybe 2 or 8 weeks earlier.
The old adage is you can't fix stupid. The Raiders continue to prove that to be true. For those who question that, 22 years is a long time to give the Raiders the benefit of any doubt, don't you think?
Pickett played better last week in his time than Geno, and I think he will do well. I think Spytek had a terrific draft this last season, and made some great picks (minus a QB which I think lies at Carroll's feet more than Spytek's). I don't think we will have very many missed opportunities with Spytek, regardless of position. I would very much like to see what Spytek does at the QB position.
Hondo Carpenter put out the idea of a "What if" in an article yesterday. Basically, what if Mark Davis fires Pete Carroll, and goes full Al Davis move and re-hires Jon Gruden? What if Mark Davis inquires about Derek Carr's health and brings back Carr? What if he brings back Khalil Mack as well? To me, it kind of felt like the Blues Brothers: "Boys, we're putting the band back together!"
I will say, it would resemble the ol' Al Davis middle finger to the League to hire Gruden back right now. My only concern would be Gruden's inability to draft. If Davis kept Spytek to be in control of the draft, and balance Gruden out, I think that would be ok. Remember too, Gruden got rid of power block as well. Even though he used a hybrid of zone and power; he got rid of Keleche Osemele, Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson. Would he do the same with JPJ, Rogers, and Grant?
I truly think we need a coach like Musgrave who will utilize the strengths of the roster we have. I am keeping an eye on the Steelers, because if Tomlin is let go; he would be the best option for the Raiders.
Nate, why are you so high on the draft? I would give it a B ate best right now with the caveat many guys haven't gotten a chance to play. Becht and Thorton minimal production. Thorton cant run routes and Becht cant spearate from what I have seen. Caleb Rogers has looked interesting in his first full start. Jeanty is the real deal a future cornerstone of the team. Porter same comment as Rogers. Sandy
Sandy, I agree on each point. Spytek's draft has questions up and down, starting with drafting Jeanty absent a decent O-line (or scheme that suited the RB). Thorton probably has the lowest production of any rookie anointed starter in the league. He has 8 catches! There's no planet where that's a close call.
Caleb Rogers might end up being the best rookie besides Jeanty and he's only now (in garbage time) getting an opportunity to play. The coaches might say that he's just now getting comfortable with the blocking, but they run ZBS which is complex and has failed the Raiders every time it's ever been employed.
Raiders used ZBS and Jacobs had an off year. When they went back to power blocking as primary scheme, Jacobs won a rushing title.
This goes to what I've said before, the Raiders don't have an historian to protect against repeating the same mistakes. They dial in on previously failed schemes like it's never been tried before and tell how great it's gonna be, then when it fails they wonder why.
Stay tuned. People are either going to love or hate my next take, but there will be no way to ignore it.
Love it already.
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