Silver And Black Pride
The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of problems this season, with their offense being the team’s biggest issue. The Raiders head into Week 11 ranking third-to-last in yards per game (272.7) and second-to-last in points per game (15.4). On top of that, Las Vegas hit a new low when it comes to moving the ball and lighting up the scoreboard last Thursday, accounting for 188 yards and just seven points against the Denver Broncos.
So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Silver and Black continue to slide in NFL Power Rankings, primarily due to their offensive struggles.
28. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 26
Breakout player: Tre Tucker
It’s been tough to stand out on this awful Raiders offense, but Tucker is trying. The third-year wide receiver leads Las Vegas with 34 catches for 455 yards and four touchdowns. He’s fewer than 100 yards from a career high in yardage, and he has already topped his previous mark in touchdowns. — Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
I’ve enjoyed watching Tucker grow and agree he’s the Raiders’ breakout player this year. However, the fact that a guy who is averaging 50.6 yards per game and won’t even crack 900 yards if he maintains that pace is the team’s top choice tells you all you need to know about the state of this ball club. Tucker has a bright future, but Las Vegas’ offense will continue to be an issue until it solves the quarterback problem. I know what you’re thinking, ground-breaking analysis!
28. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 27
It’s sad that the Raiders’ best defensive effort of the season — by a longshot — went to waste in the 10-7 loss Thursday in Denver. The offense just hasn’t done enough this season, with or without Brock Bowers on the field. Bowers played Thursday, hauling in the team’s second-longest catch of the game early in the second quarter … and then wasn’t targeted for the rest of the game. I mean, come on. Geno Smith is up to 12 interceptions and clearly hasn’t proven to be the guy. Ashton Jeanty had a 32-yard run called back, and the Raiders were down to two backup guards by game’s end, but Chip Kelly has to find solutions fast, or this unit could look vastly different a year from now. — Eric Edholm
Edholm points out Jack Bech’s hold that wiped away Jeanty’s long run, which highlights how big a factor penalties were last Thursday. While both teams were flagged 11 times, the Raiders accounted for five more penalty yards than the Broncos (83 to 78), and don’t have the roster to overcome that many mistakes to pull off an upset on the road. What’s even more frustrating is that Las Vegas “only” averages seven penalties a game this season, per TeamRankings, so the team was...
