It doesn’t feel like the Oakland Raiders are coming off of a win. They may have defeated the Indianapolis Colts, but in the process, they lost Derek Carr. With playoff seeding, as well as the division, on the line, the Oakland Raiders need to win this game. Without Carr, a first round bye makes an uphill battle significantly easier. Here are the Oakland Raiders Week 17 keys to victory.
Oakland Raiders Week 17 Keys to Victory
Pound The Rock
The Raiders have run the ball for 629 yards over the last four games. That’s an average of 157 yards a game. For perspective, the Dallas Cowboys have only rushed for 546 yards over that same span, and they have Ezekiel Elliott. Derek Carr averaged 40 passing attempts a game, and regardless of how good you think Matt McGloin (or, for a compelling idea, Connor Cook) is, he won’t win games throwing the ball that much.
Against the Denver Broncos, and in the playoffs moving forward, the Oakland Raiders need to run the ball. They’ll have to get creative with their rushes and formations, but the Raiders must become a rushing team. Latavius Murray, DeAndre Washington, and Jalen Richard have a big, talented offensive line to rush behind, and they need to make sure they do so.
The first time these two teams played, the Raiders ran up and down the field all night long.
Grow Up
The defense has improved dramatically over the last few weeks, but now they have to grow up. They have to stop with silly penalties, play better in the secondary, and get a pass rush before the fourth quarter. Khalil Mack has been incredible, and with the emergence of Bruce Irvin and the return of Mario Edwards, the pass rush has to be there every single play. The Raiders have to be a defensive team now.
The Broncos passing attack is a joke, but Gary Kubiak is a run-game genius. The Colts were able to rush for over 100 yards in their game, and they were picking up yards in chunks. As the defense continues to get healthy, they need to shut down the run, avoid silly mistakes, and keep the plays in front of them.
Play Musgrave-Ball
Many people have been very critical of offensive coordinator, Bill Musgrave. They say he doesn’t have that killer instinct, and that his play calls are too conservative. Of course, everyone is burying him this week for keeping Carr in the game with a big lead, but that’s the beauty of hindsight.
Without Carr, the Raiders aren’t going to be an offensive juggernaut. They’re not going to score 30 points a game, but that doesn’t mean the offense isn’t just as important. Time of possession is also important. They need to keep the Broncos offense on the bench and the defense on the field. Instead of going for the big flashy plays, the Raiders need long, safe drives, avoiding turnovers and chewing clock.
Just Win, Baby
Things are going to be difficult without Derek Carr under center, but beating the Denver Broncos is something the Raiders simply have to do. Not only is their playoff positioning at risk, but they need to find themselves all over again. They need to get used to life without Carr, and they need to prove they can win without him. Derek Carr is a great player, but the Raiders had six other Pro Bowl players as well, and they need to play like it. Like a great man once said: just win, baby.
