John Amis / Associated Press
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels answers questions after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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The Raiders stand alone with the worst record in the NFL: 0-3 through three weeks.
This is not what team owner Mark Davis had in mind, to say the least, when he went on an offseason spending spree coming off a playoff appearance last year. The additions of coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler and a slew of new players—including star wide receiver Davante Adams and star edge rusher Chandler Jones—were supposed to make Las Vegas a contender.
Anything less than another postseason berth would go down as an abject failure, and it would now take a historic comeback to reach that goal. Only one NFL team during the past 20 years (the 2018 Houston Texans) has overcome an 0-3 start to make the playoffs.
The Raiders do have a scheduling quirk that could work in their favor: They play a pair of divisional games—hosting the Denver Broncos and at the Kansas City Chiefs—over the next two weeks before Las Vegas’ bye. Win both, and the Raiders are right back in the AFC West race.
But that feels far-fetched at the moment, unless they can undergo a quick fix on several issues. Here are three of the biggest ones, and how they might choose to address them.
It’s worth noting that Las Vegas still has $14 million in cap space, second-most in the NFL according to spotrac.com, so the Raiders could conceivably sign outside free agent help. But there aren’t many difference-makers available, and Las Vegas likely would have already pounced had there been someone they liked, so we’ll focus on internal changes here.
Problem: McDaniels and quarterback Derek Carr don’t appear comfortable with one another.
They went on a campaign stating the opposite going into a Week 3 game at the Titans, but the 24-22 loss showed that Carr is still adjusting to McDaniels’ offense. Carr put up decent statistics—throwing for 303 yards on 26-for-44 passing with two touchdowns and one interception—but he continued to look noticeably different than he has at his best. He’s rarely, if ever, making changes before the snap, and too often locks in on the receiver McDaniels has deemed the primary option on the play.
Potential Fix: McDaniels proves worthy of his “offensive genius” label and bends his offense to suit Carr.
A great coach more often than not designs his scheme around the strengths of his players. Carr has shown he can be a productive NFL quarterback over a nine-year career, so it’s up to McDaniels to tweak his preferred system to fit his veteran quarterback. Fans always wondered how much of McDaniels’ success — he won six Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots — had to do with quarterback Tom Brady. Such questions are now re-emerging. McDaniels showed post-Brady ability last year in building the Patriots into a contender by simplifying things for rookie quarterback Mac Jones; now he needs to do it with Carr.
Problem: The Raiders’ offensive line is unsettled, having used seven combinations of players in three games.
Las Vegas chose not to address its biggest weakness of last season, blocking up front, during the offseason, and a rash of injuries has exacerbated the problem. Rookie third-round pick Dylan Parham has been a revelation at both guard and center, but no one else on the offensive line has stood out, including left tackle Kolton Miller, a team captain who was considered a sure thing. Miller hasn’t played terribly overall, but he has given up two sacks and picked up a couple of crucial penalties, much like the rest of his offensive-line mates.
Potential Fix: How about an eighth, or ninth, combination?
The Raiders’ offensive line has been below average, but it hasn’t been as much of a liability as last season. Las Vegas is closer to figuring it out than it might appear, especially if it can find a serviceable right tackle. Rookie seventh-round pick Thayer Munford appears promising in the long term, but he has struggled since being thrust into a current starting role. The Raiders traded for Patriots depth tackle Justin Herron before the Titans game, and he would seem to be the next man up for a chance at right tackle. Perhaps play Herron and insert Andre James back into the lineup when he returns from a concussion—likely at center but maybe even guard if McDaniels prefers Parham in the middle—and see if that yields better results.
Problem: The Raiders’ defense ranks last in the NFL with a 1.79% sack rate.
Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby has recorded two sacks and provided consistent pressure, but no one else has contributed to the pass rush. Jones has been virtually invisible, raising major concerns about the three-year, $52 million contract the 32-year-old signed with the Raiders in the offseason. The calling card of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s new defense was supposed to be its ability to get to the quarterback, but so far, it has failed in that objective.
Potential Fix: Slide depth edge rushers like Clelin Ferrell inside and play them alongside Crosby and Jones.
That suggestion might elicit groans from Raider fans, considering Ferrell, a former No. 4 overall pick, has been consistently underwhelming the past two years. But McDaniels and Graham clearly like him, and he played as many snaps as Jones against the Titans. The arguable draft bust has also been more effective than the high-priced free agent. Las Vegas is getting no contribution to the pass rush from its defensive tackles—Bilal Nichols is notably dealing with a shoulder injury—so it might be time to try someone new there.
This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.
