Gordon: Time for honeymoon to end for Raiders’ McDaniels
They raced to a 17-0 lead over the rival Chiefs on Monday night, riding the NFL’s third-leading rusher and best receiver to a decisive advantage at Arrowhead Stadium. A defense supposedly fortified in the offseason managed to stop Patrick Mahomes on three straight possessions.
For a half and some change, the Raiders played like the postseason team they expected to be.
And yet for the fourth time in five games, they crumbled at key junctures — limping into the bye week with as many wins as the rebuilding Houston Texans, whom they’ll play next Sunday in their Week 7 return.
“There’s a difference between just being in the game and being able to close the game,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. “And those are lessons we’re going to have to learn. Hopefully soon.”
Time is ticking for the Raiders, who have already squandered a pair of 17-point leads and rank dead last among 32 NFL teams in red-zone defense through five games. That, combined with their perpetual offensive issues in the red zone — they rank 23rd in touchdown percentage — reflects the situational struggles that have undermined a playoff-caliber roster.
They could be 2-3. Should be 3-2. Would be 4-1. Are 1-4.
“I’ve been around a lot of new regimes and I think the frustrating part is that it takes time for everyone to get on the same page,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “We’re right there, but close doesn’t count in this game.”
No more excuses
Perhaps in Las Vegas it requires an entire offseason, a preseason, five regular-season games and a bye to get players and coaches on the same page. But it didn’t take that long for first-year head coaches Brian Daboll of the New York Giants or Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Those teams are also running the metaphorical marathon that McDaniels invoked Monday moments after the 30-29 loss to Kansas City.
They’re among its leaders at 4-1.
Neither coach inherited a playoff team, proving — like a couple coaches do every year — that a new regime doesn’t necessitate a slow start. All but one of the eight other franchises with first-year coaches have more wins than the Raiders, including the impotent Broncos, who scored a season-high 22 against a Raiders defense allowing the fifth-most points in football and ranked 31st in takeaways.
The other one, Houston, should be fodder for the Raiders when their season continues.
So long as they don’t collapse near the goal line. Or throw the ball 40 yards down the field when they need a yard to extend a game. Or commit timely penalty after timely penalty, having been flagged for the sixth most this season.
“I think that’s what this opportunity gives us to do now, is to stand here, and we have a five-game sample size of five tight games,” McDaniels said. “How did we do in the red zone? How did we do on third down, short yardage? How did we start the game? … And then try to make some good decisions here and give the players some information that will help us.”
Pathway toward playoffs?
A favorable schedule figures to help the Raiders find their footing and potentially rejoin the developing playoff race, as the 3-2 Chargers, 2-3 Broncos, 3-2 Titans and 2-3 Cardinals hardly represent the NFL’s elite thus far.
Their next nine opponents sport losing records. The next six feature the following quarterbacks: Davis Mills, Andy Dalton or Jameis Winston, Trevor Lawrence, stale iterations of Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson, and the best of the bunch, journeyman Geno Smith.
“I don’t think anybody here is discouraged about the fact that we’re not close,” McDaniels said. “I think now it’s about, what do we need to do in practice? What do we need to do to carry it over to the games to be able to really make the plays that are winning plays at the end, so that we have an opportunity to close out a lot of these close games?”
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.