The O*kland Raiders’ season has officially gone off the tracks. Whether it’s the heartbreaking fourth-quarter collapses, the inconsistent performances from supposed marquee players, or simply bad juju, the Raiders’ season is screwed.
With three consecutive losses to open the season, Raider Nation should prepare itself for another playoff-less season. It feels like 10 years ago the Raiders were the darlings of the NFL as quarterback Derek Carr led the Silver & Black to a 12-4 record. Carr never finished the season, breaking his leg, and — with it — the hopes and dreams of so many Raider fans. The team is 6-15 since Carr broke his fibula.
As many Raider faithful collect their favorite jerseys for their Sunday night bonfire, it’s about time we put a finger on what specifically has turned what might be the last season in O*kland for the Raiders into a shit show of epic proportions. Here are the five most likely reasons the O*kland Raiders season is completely f*ucked.
5. Fourth quarter collapses
These fourth quarter collapses haven’t been anything but painful to watch. They look great for a half or even three quarters then they give games away. Big plays, extended drives, you name it, they’ve found a way to sieve it away. It’s either a toughness thing or a conditioning thing, but these mental lapses late are not indicative of a well-coached team. Head coach Jon Gruden will start chopping off heads if his staff can’t keep their units on point late in the ballgame, when focus and mental toughness decide close games. Or maybe they’re not tough enough. Not sure which, but this has gotta stop.
4. Amari Cooper is the most frustrating and least consistent talent in the league
He rips it up like the Hulk then disappears like Ant-Man. Cooper is the most talented and least consistent wide receiver in the league. There comes a time when you stop chasing the talent. Can’t be a no-show and expect to get paid like a franchise player. That money can be spent on more defense while drafting replacements in the draft. After just 680 yards last year, he has just 142 yards this season — 116 coming in Game Two against Denver. He hasn’t topped 20 yards in the other two losses and is on pace for just 757 yards this season. One year, understandable. Two? Now we have a problem. If Cooper can’t figure it out, this could be his final in a Raiders uniform too.
3. Khalil Mack trade will now result in a late first round pick while the Raiders’ suckage could net the Bears an early first, perhaps even the first pick of the second round
One of the reasons Reggie McKenzie went with the Chicago Bears in the Mack trade was his belief the team would be terrible for a few more years. Turns out, McKenzie didn’t do his due diligence. A oversight epic in nature, the addition of a 2019 2nd round pick to the Bears in return for their first round picks in 2019 and 2020 is looking like a pair of late first rounders while the Bears are looking at, perhaps, the 33rd pick in the 2019 draft. This might be the part of the Mack trade that hurts most in the long run. Bears will effectively get a late first rounder while the Raiders pick early in the first and late in the first before not at all until the 3rd round.
2. The Raider Nation has been completely off its rails since the Mack trade
Don’t worry, Raider fans. You have the right to be off your rocker right now. Mack is off to a spectacular start on arguably the top defense in the league right now. Worse, too many Raider fans are stalking their “ex’s social media” and they don’t like seeing how happy they are with their new boo. It’s self-harm but too hard not to as the first place Bears continue to surprise the NFL. This is a spiral of disastrous proportions. It doesn’t look like the Raiders are going to leave O*kland with a storybook ending. It could end up like used toilet paper instead of fairy tale parchment. This leads to toxic fandom, and something tells me another loss will result in full revolt.
1. They’re about to lose to the Cleveland Browns
As if things could get any worse comes the coup de gras: A loss to to a team that has won just one football game since 2016. I really don’t blame the Raiders here. The Browns will play inspired football under their No. 1 draft pick at quarterback with a giant monkey off their back. They’ll play loose and have fun. No pressure. The Raiders? More pressure than any team in the NFL right now, except maybe the 1-2 New England Patriots. A loss to the Browns is simply the icing on the cake, or the changing of the guard at the Palace of Suck. Either way, Sunday will be rock bottom.
