Loud N' Proud by Blitzchick
Monday Night Futility
I really don't know what I was witnessing when the Raiders played the Broncos on Monday Night Football. I know it was NOT a football game.
In the 14-41 pounding the Raiders took, I can look at several factors that combined for the loss.
One, I don't know what the heck the defense was doing, though I know what they weren't doing.
Several players forgot how to tackle. Tackling was as foreign to them as rooting for Patriots is to me.
There were maybe 2 run blitzes and one blitz on a pass all game long. Applying pressure?
I watched our "premiere" corner, DeAngelo Hall, play ten yards off the receiver he was covering , when only 3 yards was needed for a 1st down.
I watched our line backers and defensive backs move up towards the line of scrimmage , only to fake a blitz or stunt, and not be able to recover and get back into position.
How much some of that had to do with Derrick Burgess coming out of the game, I don't know. There was a lot of fluctuation on the defensive line. Fred Wakefield saw his time there.
They had assistance in their complete abject failure, though.
There were run plays where the ball was spotted a yard or more further than it should have been when Denver was on offense. With only 2 challenges, Coach Kiffin used one of them to prove that the officials had given the broncos a first down they didn't deserve.
He should have used one much earlier in the game. On the 7th play of the game, Cutler threw an incomplete pass to Brandon Stokely.The ball hit the dirt. It was a 3-10 play. This should have been a 4th and 10 play from the 44, instead of 1st and 10 from the 30 yard line.
After Gibril Wilson reacted after being pushed around I don't know how deep out of bounds, HE was called for a personal foul. At best, this should have been off-setting penalties.
On one play, late in the game, Tommy Kelly was having his jersey pulled from his back towards his head, much like hockey players do in a fight. The result of this play was an 18 yard pass completion.
I understand that holding can be called on every play, but there is holding, and then there is HOLDING. The only holding call all this game was against Zack Miller.
In fact, the Broncos seemed to play dang near perfect ball having only 3 penalties assessed against them, all 5 yarders.
The Raiders on the other hand?
10 penalties for 96 yards, 3 of them being personal fouls. Some of these penalties were lack of discipline.
I find the disparity based on what I saw in the game perturbing at best.
It's not like the Raiders' defense was setting the world on fire. They played horribly. But they didn't deserve to put up with the officials keeping flags in their pockets.
There were some bright spots on the offense.
After a rocky start, JaMarcus Russell ended up with a 111.1 quarterback rating. He completed 17 of 26 passes. His average completion was over 10 yards. He took two sacks, lost a ball. That fumble was deep in Bronco territory and we were looking at scoring.
He was throwing well enough, and saw some catchable balls hit the ground. Sadly, Ron Curry was one of the receivers that let him down. Failure to execute wasn't just an issue for the defense. Of course, there was a play, the one right before the Russell fumble, where Zach Miller was held badly. He couldn't bring his arm up to try to get a ball. No flag was thrown.
Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden both averaged over 5 yards a carry. Justin's average was boosted by a nice 42 yard run.
Over all, the Raiders did not execute well enough, often enough, to win this game.
The officiating was horrid, lop-sided, and I can sum it up with one more play. After a Shane Lechler punt, I think it was gunner Tyvon Branch that had a chance to make a play. He was blocked in the back right in front of an official. The punt was caught at the 26 yard line, which is roughly where the block in the back was made.
Had that flag been thrown? It would have been 1st and 10 from the maybe the 16 yard line, instead of 1st and 10 from the 34 yard line.
No flag was thrown.
Would any of the non-calls, missed calls, bad ball placements, or had that incomplete pass been called properly make a difference? Probably in the score some, but I can't say I believe the W-L would have changed. Coach Kiffin said the Raiders have been playing the Broncos close in recent history, and that's what I believe would have been the difference.
There is one other thing I haven't mentioned.
The Raiders fans.
They were obviously up for the game against their AFC rivals.
Bad blood was exhibited on both sides, and disappointing behavior was shown by both sides.
We all need to recognize it is just a game.
What I would like to see next week?
The Raiders shake off this loss, remember what was positive and know what they have to work on.
That includes play calling, execution on both sides of the ball and discipline.
Next week we could be at .500, IF they do their work.
As ever,
Win, lose or tie, RAIDERS til I DIE!
BlitzChick
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