Raiders' scandals with a disastrous impact on sporting matters
The pattern to the season has become all too familiar for the Las Vegas Raiders: A promising start to the year followed by a second-half collapse that leaves them outside the playoffs.
This group is just different
That's how both the 2019 and 2020 seasons went for the Raiders, and this season is in danger of heading that direction again for Las Vegas following a 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Derek Carr is hopeful
"I really believe that this group is just different," quarterback Derek Carr said. "I'm around them every day, it's just a different group."
It hasn't looked that way the past two weeks as a team that went into the bye with a 5-2 record following wins in the first two games under interim coach Rich Bisaccia has now lost back-to-back games to the New York Giants and Kansas City. Both exposed serious issues for Las Vegas (5-4).
That's what happened the past two years when the Raiders started 6-4 and 6-3, but failed to finish with a winning record either time.
Las Vegas once again got off to a sluggish start against the Chiefs, falling behind by at least 10 points in the first half for the fifth time in nine games this season. The Raiders managed to climb out of those holes the first two times to beat Baltimore and Miami in overtime, but haven't the past three times.
"It's a hard way to do it," Carr said about the early deficits. "I think if we can just stay on the field early and keep our defense on the sideline, and that's what we can do as an offense to help them out."
Offensive problems
The offense has been held to 16 points or fewer in four of the past six games and has looked much less dynamic the past two games since deep threat Henry Ruggs III was released after being charged with felonies in a DUI that killed a 23-year-old woman.
I think we're just a better team
The defense that showed progress early in the year under first-year coordinator Gus Bradley was picked apart by Kansas City and didn't force a punt or turnover on the final nine drives.
But the Raiders are still in reach of a playoff spot if they can solve these problems quickly.
"I think we're just a better team, honestly," Carr said. "We have better players. Now, that doesn't result in wins. I've been on teams that were really talented, that underperformed. I just really believe in our group, it's a close group."
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