Well, that was an awful way to close the coliseum. The Oakland Raiders didn’t show up in the second half allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to come back from a 13 point halftime deficit to win the game 20-16. This is the Raiders’ fourth loss in a row after a surprising 6-4 start but now has come back to life.
The Raiders offense came out hot with their usual first drive score, but after that was nothing but field goals even when they moved the football. They were completely shut down in the second half with all four possessions leading to no points and kept the Jaguars in the football game. The Raiders are starting to match their point differential to equal out how bad they are.
The defense put up the best performance they could holding the Jaguars to 4.9 yards per play. However, the defense is not good enough to hold any offense under 20 points and allowed three second-half drives that were either field goals or touchdowns. Even with decent individual performances for the defense, the secondary is too beat up to hang with any football team.
Who were the winners and losers for Week 15? Not many winners with this terrible loss closing the Oakland Coliseum.
Winner: TE Darren Waller
When the final game in Oakland goes like it did Sunday, there really are no winners. Waller, however, has one of his best games of the season, eclipsing 1000 yards. He is the first Raiders tight end to have 1000 yards since Todd Christensen.
Waller finished with eight receptions for 122 yards and was unstoppable in the first half. The Jaguars were attempting to slow him down with linebackers and safeties, but none of them was a match for Waller.
The Raiders were smart to sign Waller to an affordable tight end deal early on when he puts out this type of performance and looks like a pro bowler every time he touches the football.
Waller was a nonfactor in the second half, and the Raiders have to find ways to keep him involved. Whether it is wide receiver screens or quick passes, Waller has to be the main factor for this offense, and the head coach can’t get away from that game plan. Hopefully, Gruden realizes this going forward.
Loser: HC Jon Gruden
Once again, Jon Gruden finds himself in the loser column after another ugly loss in front of Raider nation. The Raiders losing this game was not an option, and Gruden displaying his conservative tendencies that make the future look bleak for the franchise.
The Raiders offense came out hot with Derek Carr having 222 yards in the first half. They moved the ball consistently but couldn’t finish drives ending the first half with a 16-3 lead.
Gruden doesn’t like to blow teams out and mailed it in the second half, becoming extra conservative and punting on fourth down opportunities trusting a defense that after 14 weeks for sure can’t be trusted. Instead of attempting to win the game, he tried not to lose the game, and the Raiders lost anyways.
At this point, this is who the Raiders head coach is. With a secure ten year contract from Mark Davis, there will not be any changes any time soon, and this could be a common occurrence for the Raiders offense.
Fans want a quarterback change and blame Carr for all the mistakes of the offense, but when your coach doesn’t go for it on fourth and one in today’s NFL you are not going to win many games.
Loser: RT Brandon Parker
Brandon Parker didn’t have his name called too much last week and skated by on a decent performance. Sunday was a completely different story, with Parker having trouble with anyone who is in front of him, allowing Carr to be always under pressure.
Parker allowed pressure and lost his run blocks matchups throughout the game. On the first sack on Carr, Josh Allen pushed Parker directly into Carr, forcing the quarterback to move and ending the play with a sack. Yannick Ngakoue beat him again later on in the second half for a big sack that stalled a Raiders drive.
Parker is a liability when he is on the field and has exhibited no progress during his second year as an offensive tackle in the NFL. The Raiders desperately need Trent Brown to be on the field, or Carr will be under pressure all game and not have time throw the football.
If Brown can’t go again for week 16, it is time to go back to giving David Sharpe a shot at right tackle again because Parker is not getting the job done.
Loser: WR Tyrell Williams
Williams started off this game high stepping into the end zone on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Carr on the opening drive. However, he displayed why he probably shouldn’t make it to Vegas with another blunder in a prominent spot to secure the win for the Raiders offense.
William’s hands are officially a problem late in games. Fans will remember Williams having two huge drops that cost the Raiders the game against the Houston Texans.
Sunday, those crucial drops crept back into the picture with Williams helping the Jaguars have another possession. On third and 11 for the Raiders, Carr hit Williams right in the chest where he could have got extra yards after the catch. Instead, he drops the football, and the Raiders go on to miss the field goal.
Williams has been a disappointment all season and for sure looks like a player who went undrafted. Sure his injury to his foot isn’t helping, but his feet do not any affect on his ability to catch the football when the Raiders need him.
The Raiders upgrading the wide receiver position will be paramount for this team to continue to grow.
