Post by Guvmintcheeze on Sept 14, 2015 11:40:29 GMT
Season couldn't have started any worse for Raiders
OAKLAND -- The doors to the Oakland Raiders’ postgame locker room swung open and the first sight was a quiet meeting between team trainer Rod Martin, general manager Reggie McKenzie and personnel man Joey Clinkscales. As the three men huddled in the front of the silent locker room, the sad state of the team after Week 1 unfolded.
The Raiders are battered, beaten and desperate, and it’s only the day after the first game. As more than one member of the team said privately, the season couldn’t have started any worse.
Oakland lost quarterback Derek Carr (hand), starting safeties Nate Allen (knee) and Charles Woodson (shoulder) and defensive tackle Justin Ellis (ankle) to injuries in their 33-13 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. The exact extent of the injuries are unclear.
But the Raiders didn’t lose Sunday because of the injuries. The Bengals manhandled them. This game was 24-0 at halftime and the Bengals gave up two garbage-time touchdowns after taking a 33-0 lead.
The Raiders’ offense didn’t take their first snap in Cincinnati territory until the first play of the fourth quarter. The key word in the postgame media availability was “embarrassing.” It was used a lot.
Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was visibly perturbed at his team in his news conference. Del Rio is an East Bay Area native and grew up a Raiders fan. He spent all summer talking up a team that went 3-13 last year. He expected more. McKenzie said early in training camp that he hadn’t been this excited about the team since he took over in 2012.
They didn’t get what they expected Sunday. At all.
“Not the kind of performance we expected to have out there today,” Del Rio said. “I thought our fans were excited about the opening of the season, as we were, and it’s a very disappointing, embarrassing effort. I take full responsibility.”
Added linebacker Malcolm Smith: “It’s not something you expect. When you prepare all week, you want to go out there and look good for your fans and for your teammates. It’s just disappointing.”
There was no facet of the game in which Oakland played well. Before he was injured with five minutes to go in the first half, and with the Bengals leading 10-0, Carr was inaccurate. Oakland, which was 32nd in the NFL in rushing in 2014, had 63 yards rushing.
Defensively, the Raiders were gutted on the ground and in the air. The Bengals did what they wanted as they rolled up 396 yards even as they took it fairly easy in the second half.
Oakland had zero sacks. After getting just 22 sacks last year, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL, they Raiders thought he’d get more pressure this season. It didn’t happen. Second-year standout pass-rusher Khalil Mack was nearly invisible. New pass-rush standout Aldon Smith, who played a lot despite signing Friday, didn’t create much pressure, either.
The Raiders' No. 1 pick, receiver Amari Cooper, was targeted nine times, but he had five catches for 47 yards along with a drop.
In short, the Raiders totally failed to show up in Week 1 despite much optimism. It was either just a bad day or an extension of the recent past for this franchise, which hasn’t made the playoffs in 13 years.
Now, the Raiders will have to try to figure out if they can get better despite several injuries, including one to their young quarterback. No, the season could not have started worse for Oakland.
OAKLAND -- The doors to the Oakland Raiders’ postgame locker room swung open and the first sight was a quiet meeting between team trainer Rod Martin, general manager Reggie McKenzie and personnel man Joey Clinkscales. As the three men huddled in the front of the silent locker room, the sad state of the team after Week 1 unfolded.
The Raiders are battered, beaten and desperate, and it’s only the day after the first game. As more than one member of the team said privately, the season couldn’t have started any worse.
Oakland lost quarterback Derek Carr (hand), starting safeties Nate Allen (knee) and Charles Woodson (shoulder) and defensive tackle Justin Ellis (ankle) to injuries in their 33-13 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. The exact extent of the injuries are unclear.
But the Raiders didn’t lose Sunday because of the injuries. The Bengals manhandled them. This game was 24-0 at halftime and the Bengals gave up two garbage-time touchdowns after taking a 33-0 lead.
The Raiders’ offense didn’t take their first snap in Cincinnati territory until the first play of the fourth quarter. The key word in the postgame media availability was “embarrassing.” It was used a lot.
Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was visibly perturbed at his team in his news conference. Del Rio is an East Bay Area native and grew up a Raiders fan. He spent all summer talking up a team that went 3-13 last year. He expected more. McKenzie said early in training camp that he hadn’t been this excited about the team since he took over in 2012.
They didn’t get what they expected Sunday. At all.
“Not the kind of performance we expected to have out there today,” Del Rio said. “I thought our fans were excited about the opening of the season, as we were, and it’s a very disappointing, embarrassing effort. I take full responsibility.”
Added linebacker Malcolm Smith: “It’s not something you expect. When you prepare all week, you want to go out there and look good for your fans and for your teammates. It’s just disappointing.”
There was no facet of the game in which Oakland played well. Before he was injured with five minutes to go in the first half, and with the Bengals leading 10-0, Carr was inaccurate. Oakland, which was 32nd in the NFL in rushing in 2014, had 63 yards rushing.
Defensively, the Raiders were gutted on the ground and in the air. The Bengals did what they wanted as they rolled up 396 yards even as they took it fairly easy in the second half.
Oakland had zero sacks. After getting just 22 sacks last year, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL, they Raiders thought he’d get more pressure this season. It didn’t happen. Second-year standout pass-rusher Khalil Mack was nearly invisible. New pass-rush standout Aldon Smith, who played a lot despite signing Friday, didn’t create much pressure, either.
The Raiders' No. 1 pick, receiver Amari Cooper, was targeted nine times, but he had five catches for 47 yards along with a drop.
In short, the Raiders totally failed to show up in Week 1 despite much optimism. It was either just a bad day or an extension of the recent past for this franchise, which hasn’t made the playoffs in 13 years.
Now, the Raiders will have to try to figure out if they can get better despite several injuries, including one to their young quarterback. No, the season could not have started worse for Oakland.