Las Vegas Raiders have long offseason ahead after meltdown
The Las Vegas Raiders were supposed to take another step forward this season, and yet it didn’t happen. What now for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden?
Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce alone in the end zone. A 22-yard touchdown to clinch a Sunday night win for the Kansas City Chiefs over the Las Vegas Raiders on primetime television.
The moment stung, but it felt like a victory in the following hours. The Raiders are a team with only one playoff appearance and zero postseason wins since 2002. They narrowly missed sweeping the defending champs. At 6-4, they were in prime position to make a legitimate run at a wild card. Hell, perhaps even a third date with the Chiefs.
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Since that November night, Las Vegas. has completely fallen apart. Jon Gruden’s club has been blown out 43-6 by the Atlanta Falcons, beat the New York Jets with a miracle, been boatraced by the Indianapolis Colts and then finished off by the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
At 7-7, the Raiders are mathematically in the playoff picture, but not realistically. The scenarios are many, but the bottom line is Gruden’s team will have once again started out hot and then cratered when the games mattered most. Last season, the Raiders began the campaign 6-4, were hammered 34-3 by the Jets, then came to Arrowhead Stadium at 6-5 with a chance to take over the AFC West. They lost 40-9 and never recovered, finishing 7-9.
Next year will be the fourth season for Gruden and third for general manager Mike Mayock. The Raiders don’t need to win the division — nobody expects that with the presence of Patrick Mahomes looming — but a wild card berth needs to become reality.
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The question, at least the largest of many, is whether the Las Vegas Raiders are going to stick with Derek Carr or if they believe an upgrade is necessary. Carr has enjoyed two excellent years in 2019 and ’20, but can he lead the Silver and Black to a title?
Beyond Carr, who is likely to return, what to do about the defense? Outside of defensive end Maxx Crosby and safety Jonathan Abram, the proverbial cupboard is bare. Mayock needs to both spend cap space and draft capital to make improvements on all three levels.
There are two more games to be played in this season before the page can begun to be turned. Once it doesn’t, though, the Raiders have to find a better chapter.
