The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Raiders @ Dolphins

[Ryno]

2 hours ago, bucksavage1 said:

Random thoughts:

These are games that are expected from Rookie QBs in the NFL. They all have them.  Stroud for all the accolades people are giving him, had 3 INTs yesterday too.

If we draft a QB next season, expect some rough games like this too. That’s just the reality of the NFL transition from college. My biggest complaint about AOC when he was 1st drafted was his lack of mobility and it shows.   I’d prefer we trade for Kyler Murray. 

We need to sign a RB2 this season. That was a game yesterday that needed a change of pace back

Regarding the defense, we have to retain Patrick Graham and the core 10-12 players on defense. 
Crobsy,Hobbs, Koonce, Moerhig , Spillane , Masterson, Deablo , Palo-Mao and a few other vets have to retained. There’s no more important coach than Patrick Graham to retain. We can recruit a couple more FA DL, and a top flight CB and perhaps the rookies on defense can develop too (2023 class as well as 2024 class), we can become elite. We definitely need more pass rush winning across the line. Jalen Ramsey won the game for the Dolphins. That’s exactly why they brought him in.

However, the identity is there and lots to build upon going into the year 3 in PG defense 

There’s a tough decision with BO. Now it is difficult to jump mid season as a play caller without an off-season to prepare. Could he be improved with a full OS? 
 

However, like I said last week before the game, this was going to be a much closer game than the odds had. We almost pulled off the upset. 

 

For the defense:

• I'm meh on retaining Koonce and expected more... *rookie Koonce was the best Koonce
• Masterson I was against last season but he's done a solid job this year
• Palo-Mao I thought everyone was giving too much value during the offseason/preseason because of a certain relative but it did look to be a good showing at face-value!
• Deablo is a weak link imo.

Crosby, Hobbs, Spillane are currently core players to me, happy to stick with Moehrig, Masterson, Amik (I can't help it, guy gives 100% and does make plays...)

As repeated by everyone - get the interior line and another rotational pass rusher.

I'm less inclined to giving Ramsey the credit and more putting this on AOC missing targets or having poor placement unfortunately  I get that he's a fourth round rookie but I thought accuracy was meant to be his strong point...

[NCOUGHMAN]

11 minutes ago, ronjon1990 said:

True as that may be, his assessment of yesterday isn't wrong. I was as critical they came for JMD, and my conclusion is largely the same:

The run game wasn't great, yes, but how many times has Jacobs had **** games going into the mid 4th before finally breaking one off? It's actually rare that Jacibs dominates bell to bell. 

If we were going to abandon the run, at least make the throws drawn up more than glorified forward toss plays like we did. 

The last play yesterday was something we've seen too much of, too. Not the INT, but the result in that situation. We needed a 1st down, not a TD. In that situation, don't go for broke on a low % play. The route should probably not have been called, but even still, Bo should be teaching AOC not to make that throw and just take what's being given. Our situational awareness has barely ever been good, aside from maybe the Giants game. That needs to be fixed so we're not relying on lucky breaks to close.out wins. 

I compare this game to the Buffalo game and imo it’s night and day. Let’s just start there.
 

I’m not happy with the L but I’m not ready to dump on a hc in his first away game or a oc who is calling plays for his 3rd time ever with a 4th round qb getting his 4th start. 

aoc was never comfortable, Vic was going to make us win via the air, oline banged up. Mia defense fully healthy is imo arguably the best in the nfl and we know their offense.

this was a playoff game Imo and it kinda ended just like us vs cinci last time we got in. 
 

im ready for kc and I still believe in us as a team rn. Wouldn’t mind garbers being available tho instead of hoyer

[Darbsk]

1 hour ago, ronjon1990 said:

The last play yesterday was something we've seen too much of, too. Not the INT, but the result in that situation. We needed a 1st down, not a TD. In that situation, don't go for broke on a low % play. The route should probably not have been called, but even still, Bo should be teaching AOC not to make that throw and just take what's being given. Our situational awareness has barely ever been good, aside from maybe the Giants game. That needs to be fixed so we're not relying on lucky breaks to close.out wins. 

This is something I noticed too, I haven’t seen it again but I remember thinking we had Mayer open and possibly Jacobs (or someone else short) that should have a good chance at the first down but AOC went all in. 

I don’t blame the coaches too much, just the kinds of things that happen when you’re patching together a scheme with a rookie QB. Im not sure exactly what we’re doing but It seems like we’re not using McDaniels calls and this we’re limited with Bo being a rookie OC too.

[big_palooka]

23 minutes ago, Darbsk said:

This is something I noticed too, I haven’t seen it again but I remember thinking we had Mayer open and possibly Jacobs (or someone else short) that should have a good chance at the first down but AOC went all in. 

I don’t blame the coaches too much, just the kinds of things that happen when you’re patching together a scheme with a rookie QB. Im not sure exactly what we’re doing but It seems like we’re not using McDaniels calls and this we’re limited with Bo being a rookie OC too.

FWIW here was Hondo's take on it:

Quote

"So what happened was everything that Josh McDaniels did, [O’Connell] was the third-string guy, which means he got little to no reps. So Bo Hardegree comes in and changes the playbook to fit what Aiden does. He basically has a three-week playbook, and so they couldn’t go back to Josh’s stuff and use any of that because it wasn’t like Aiden was prolific in it. So when Fangio is making adjustments, they can’t call the new stuff.

Had Aiden been a [first-string quarterback] all though OTAs, mini-camps, and now, or even been a [second-string] Bo could have said ‘Ok, we’re going to go back to some things Josh did and make those adjustments. He couldn’t do that.”

Little iffy on this explanation personally. 

[Phinsesq]

Well played game, to go on the road across the country and be competitive, I know there are no moral victories, but you have to be pleased that the Raiders were competitive. they weren't blown out by any stretch of the imagination. I am on the outside looking in, but Antonio Pierce has those guys competing, I would be willing to bet if it were still McDaniels at the helm it would have been ugly for Las Vegas. Why not give him a shot at the job, versus some retread. 

[Darbsk]

32 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

FWIW here was Hondo's take on it:

Little iffy on this explanation personally. 

Thanks for posting that!

I really wasn’t sure whether they would just carry on with the playbook and just add a few wrinkles or bin it and start afresh with a limited new playbook. To be honest, our QB back then was really executing the plays anyway so it’s difficult to tell 😂

Seems a reasonable explanation though a little too convenient maybe, surely AOC would have known the basics having been using McDanieks playbook in pre season? I’m not sure really. Definitely muddy waters……

[Darbsk]

22 minutes ago, Phinsesq said:

Well played game, to go on the road across the country and be competitive, I know there are no moral victories, but you have to be pleased that the Raiders were competitive. they weren't blown out by any stretch of the imagination. I am on the outside looking in, but Antonio Pierce has those guys competing, I would be willing to bet if it were still McDaniels at the helm it would have been ugly for Las Vegas. Why not give him a shot at the job, versus some retread. 

Realistically, I don’t think we could have expected much more. Shame the rookie couldn’t quite step it up but I do believe in ‘moral victories’. Confidence and momentum play a huge role in sports so to compete and be in touching distance of a supposed playoff/contender can only help. Especially as the coaching and QBing should get better with experience.

[Geezy]

AP should call McD about an open OC position this off-season lol 

[bucksavage1]

11 minutes ago, Geezy said:

AP should call McD about an open OC position this off-season lol 

What about Eric Bieniemy or Arthur Smith (who will be fired)

[Justwinning]

9 minutes ago, bucksavage1 said:

What about Eric Bieniemy or Arthur Smith (who will be fired)

No to Arthur Smith. I prefer a play caller who actually utilizes their best players and not the randos on the team.

[NCOUGHMAN]

30 minutes ago, Darbsk said:

Thanks for posting that!

I really wasn’t sure whether they would just carry on with the playbook and just add a few wrinkles or bin it and start afresh with a limited new playbook. To be honest, our QB back then was really executing the plays anyway so it’s difficult to tell 😂

Seems a reasonable explanation though a little too convenient maybe, surely AOC would have known the basics having been using McDanieks playbook in pre season? I’m not sure really. Definitely muddy waters……

I see it more like certain plays/formations guys like jj push for and are getting unfortunately dc’s like vic sniff that out. With kolt out and a rookie qb it’s easy game plan sell out on the run and rattle aoc esp having cbs like Mia has

[bucksavage1]

3 minutes ago, Justwinning said:

No to Arthur Smith. I prefer a play caller who actually utilizes their best players and not the randos on the team.

Lol true. Smith probably would have Hooper as our #1 target

Eric B perhaps. There will be coaches available once the firings take place. Commanders definitely firing Riverboat Ron

[bucksavage1]

5 minutes ago, NCOUGHMAN said:

With kolt out and a rookie qb it’s easy game plan sell out on the run and rattle aoc esp having cbs like Mia has

Good point

[G]

I may be drinking (Vegas) but most of you are on drugs! What game we're you watching?!? I saw a team putting it all out there and they were GASSED!!! Pretty sure if we scored a TD we were going for 2! All in/all or nothing. We are not that talented and we've been underachieving with McDaniels but probably overachieving with AP because the guys want him to do well and they want to win. Honestly they looked like they had empty tanks but were still going and that's why I thought AP would go for 2. We didn't get the chance and most would say it's the risk taking but the guys looked like they were about done. So maybe we saw different games but maybe I'm just projecting and had too many. Either way it doesn't matter....Just interesting to see fans react to being close when most thought we'd been dusted by halftime. 

[NCOUGHMAN]

Guess nobody saw that maxx tko tryna punch the ball out play