KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This Raiders team can be frustrating to watch these days. They’ve become schizophrenic as the season concludes, alternating between good, adequate and awful seemingly without warning.
The Raiders were pretty bad in a 31-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, making it easy to identify a negative aspect in each phase of the game.
Let’s get started:
1. Air attack under fire: The Raiders couldn’t throw the football much at all against the Chiefs. Quarterback Derek Carr averaged 4 yards per pass attempt – the kid threw 56 times! – and could do nothing to get downfield. It’s hard to blame the rookie for that. He didn’t have the time to do so.
Pass protection wasn’t good enough against a talented Chiefs pass rush, and edge rushers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston feasted on the outside. Carr struggles some under duress, but this volume of pressure would’ve bothered most anyone.
Even with a quick-release quarterback like Carr, the passing game can’t get going without time to throw.
2. Big plays plague Raiders D: The Raiders defense played extremely well in the first half, holding the Chiefs offense to a field goal. In the second half, they didn’t respond well to adverse situations – can’t do much with a turnover deep in your own territory – and a few simple ones. They gave up six plays of 20 yards or more, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Knile Davis where coverage was blown and tackling angles were poor.
3. Not so special teams: The Raiders defense contained the Chiefs during the first half. The punt coverage unit did not. It allowed an 81-yard punt return for touchdown by De’Anthony Thomas in the first quarter, and fought a losing battle for field position most of the day. The struggles were relatively uncharacteristic due to excellent punting this season by Marquette King, but a big play and several smaller ones on special teams played a role in this defeat.
